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我一直居住在与奴隶制横行的几个州相毗邻的地区，有很多机会去接触那些曾经沦为奴隶的黑人。我家里曾有过黑仆，为了让他们也能受教育，我让他们和我的孩子一起在家里听课，因为没有学校肯接收他们入学。有些黑奴到加拿大从事传教工作，他们也了解类似的情况，与我所知道的自由黑人的情形都一致。黑人具备如此优秀潜质，确实令人欣慰。 The first desire of the emancipated slave, generally, is for _education_. There is nothing that they are not willing to give or do to have their children instructed, and, so far as the writer has observed herself, or taken the testimony of teachers among them, they are remarkably intelligent and quick to learn. The results of schools, founded for them by benevolent individuals in Cincinnati, fully establish this. 获得自由的黑人总是把受教育放在首要地位。他们为了使儿女将来能接受系统教育，往往殚精竭力，不惜代价。据黑人们的老师还有我本人的感受，黑人的资质相当不错，学新知识很快。辛辛那提市的慈善人士捐资创建了几所招收黑人的学校，他们成绩优异，表现非常出色。 The author gives the following statement of facts, on the authority of Professor C. E. Stowe, then of Lane Seminary, Ohio, with regard to emancipated slaves, now resident in Cincinnati; given to show the capability of the race, even without any very particular assistance or encouragement. 斯托教授曾任教于俄亥俄州雷恩神学院，他为我提供了一些有关自由黑人的材料。材料中提到的黑人现在都居住在辛辛那提，这些材料证明了一个事实：黑人种族即使得不到特殊帮助，他们过人的才能仍然会展示出来。 The initial letters alone are given. They are all residents of Cincinnati. 在此我列出他们姓氏的第一个字母。再次强调，这些黑人现在都是辛辛那提的市民。 "B----. Furniture maker; twenty years in the city; worth ten thousand dollars, all his own earnings; a Baptist.B-- 浸礼会信徒，家具制造厂商人，已在辛辛那提居住二十多年，自力更生创业，家资一万美元。 
长老会信徒，纯正黑色人种，早年从非洲被贩卖到美国，在新奥尔良奴隶市场上被拍卖，后来积攒了六百美元为自己赎身，现在已获自由十五年；印第安纳州许多农场均属他名下，家产约一万五千至两万美元。 "K----. Full black; dealer in real estate; worth thirty thousand dollars; about forty years old; free six years; paid eighteen hundred dollars for his family; member of the Baptist church; received a legacy from his master, which he has taken good care of, and increased.K-- 浸礼会信徒，纯正的黑色人种，年纪约四十多岁；经营房地产，家产约三万美元；他获得自由后的第六年，以一千八百美元为他的亲人赎身；主人逝世后赠给他一笔可观的遗产，K先生勤勉经营，家资日趋雄厚。 "G----. Full black; coal dealer; about thirty years old; worth eighteen thousand dollars; paid for himself twice, being once defrauded to the amount of sixteen hundred dollars; made all his money by his own efforts--much of it while a slave, hiring his time of his master, and doing business for himself; a fine, gentlemanly fellow.G-- 纯正黑色人种，约三十岁，煤炭经营商，心地善良，有绅士风度，约一万八千美元财产；他曾经两次自赎其身，不幸第一次被欺骗，损失了一千六百美元。他身为奴隶时常常付钱给主人来争取自由时间，利用这些可自由支配的时间来做买卖赚钱。 "W----. Three-fourths black; barber and waiter; from Kentucky; nineteen years free; paid for self and family over three thousand dollars; deacon in the Baptist church.W-- 肯塔基州人，浸礼会主事，四分之三黑人血统，从事理发师和服务生两种职业。他和家人的赎金超过三千美元，均由他一人支付；他获得自由已十九年，资产二万美元。 "G. D----. Three-fourths black; white-washer; from Kentucky; nine years free; paid fifteen hundred dollars for self and family; recently died, aged sixty; worth six thousand dollars."D-- 肯塔基州人，四分之三黑人血统，刚刚去世，享年六十岁；他从事粉刷职业，获自由已九年，共支付赎金一千五百美元，包括为自己及其家人赎身的总数额。家产约六千美元。 
除了G先生之外，我和以上所提到的其他人都是多年的旧识。这些材料都来源于现实。"斯托教授说。 The writer well remembers an aged colored woman, who was employed as a washerwoman in her father's family. The daughter of this woman married a slave. She was a remarkably active and capable young woman, and, by her industry and thrift, and the most persevering self-denial, raised nine hundred dollars for her husband's freedom, which she paid, as she raised it, into the hands of his master. She yet wanted a hundred dollars of the price, when he died. She never recovered any of the money. 在记忆中父亲曾雇佣过一位老婆婆在家里做洗衣妇。她女儿非常勤快，与一个奴隶结为夫妇。为了给丈夫赎身，这个年轻女人勤俭持家，很快就有了九百美元的存款。她把这部分赎金付给主人，只要再付一百美元就可以赎回丈夫的自由身了。可就在此时她丈夫不幸去世，九百美元被主人独吞，分文没有退还给她。 These are but few facts, among multitudes which might be adduced, to show the self-denial, energy, patience, and honesty, which the slave has exhibited in a state of freedom. 黑奴在重获自由之后，他们身上固有的勤恳、隐忍和忠诚的品质都会显露出来。这样的事例数不胜数，上面列举出的几个人仅仅是少数例子罢了。 And let it be remembered that these individuals have thus bravely succeeded in conquering for themselves comparative wealth and social position, in the face of every disadvantage and discouragement. The colored man, by the law of Ohio, cannot be a voter, and, till within a few years, was even denied the right of testimony in legal suits with the white. Nor are these instances confined to the State of Ohio. In all states of the Union we see men, but yesterday burst from the shackles of slavery, who, by a self-educating force, which cannot be too much admired, have risen to highly respectable stations in society. Pennington, among clergymen, Douglas and Ward, among editors, are well known instances. 这些人都是在艰难困窘的处境中挣扎、振奋，谋取了可观的资产，并且得以在社会上立足。俄亥俄州的法律规定有色人种不享有选举权。只是在近几年里黑人才获得了在白人诉讼案里能够出庭作证的权利。不仅在俄亥俄州，我们在美国的其他州里也能看到这样的例子。许多奴隶们刚刚从奴隶的枷锁中脱身而出，就能够赢得一定的社会地位；他们可敬的进取心和精力促使他们迅速走向成功。教士彭宁顿、编辑道格拉斯和沃德，都是众人熟知的优秀人物。 If this persecuted race, with every discouragement and disadvantage, have done thus much, how much more they might do if the Christian church would act towards them in the spirit of her Lord! 灾难深重的黑人民族在磨难重重的境况里尚可以取得如此非凡的成绩，那么如果教会施予他们基督的光辉，他们将会获得多么伟大的成就啊！ 
当今时代局势动荡，时不时会有剧烈的影响力动摇着整个世界。美国是否处于安全保障之中呢？对于一个缺乏正义并且不去寻求伸张正义的国家来说，必然存在着极大的隐患。
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