 | Poems by a Slave |  |
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.
Of these poems, the present publisher has never seen or heard of but one copy, which was recently obtained by Joshua Coffin, of this city, from a gentleman who met with it in Cincinnati a few years ago. The pamphlet is republished, without any alterations,—even verbal; except the insertion of the headline, “Poems by a slave,” over the pages, and the omission of the title page, which ran as follows:
“The Hope of Liberty, containing a number of poetical pieces. By George M. Horton. Raleigh, printed by Gales & Son, 1829.”
Observe 1st, That Gales, the printer of the pamphlet, is now one of the firm of Gales & Seaton, at Washington,—no abolitionist. 2nd, The publisher admits slavery to be “the lowest possible condition of human nature;” and that the slaves are not all happy, for George “felt deeply and sensitively.” 3d, The man who could write such poems was kept for 32 years in “the lowest possible condition of human nature,” and was to remain there if he would not consent to go to Liberia.
Whether the poems sold for sufficient to buy this man, so dangerous to “Southern institutions,” and export him, I have not been able to ascertain. Perhaps George is still a slave!
Immediately after the present edition was issued, the following letter was put into my hands.
Dear Sir:—I have inquired of Mr. Gales, agreeably to your request, to ascertain the present condition of George M. Horton. He informs me that he is still the slave of James Horton of Chatham County, and is employed as a servant at Chapel Hill, the seat of the University of North Carolina. It is understood by Mr. G. that he did not derive much pecuniary profit from the publication of his poems; and that, since the death of his patron, the late Dr. Caldwell, President of the University, he has attended to other occupations.
| Poems by a Slave | |