Isaac T. Hopper: A True Life
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ISAAC A
L
.
HOPPER:
T.
TRUE LIFE
MARIA CHILD
Thine was a soul with sympathy imbueil, Brood as the earth, and as the heavens sublime;
Thy ijddlike object, steadfastly pursued, To save thy race from misery and crime. Garrison.
TWELFTH THOUSAND,
_
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN
P.
JEWETT & COMPANY,
CLEVELAND, OHIO: JEWETT, PROCTOR & WORTHINGTON.
LONDON: LOW 1854.
& CO.
Entered
according to Act of Congress, in the year 1853,
by
John Hoppee, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of
New- York.
TO
HANNAH ATTMORE HOPPER, WIDOW
ISAAC THIS VOLUME
IS
THE LATE
OF
T
.
HOPPER,
RESrECTFULLY AKD AFFKCTIONATELY
BY HER GRATEFUL AND ATTACHED FRIEKE,
L.
MAKIA CHILD.
tNSCHIBlSOj
PREFACE. This biography
from most works of the kind, in
differs
embracing fragments of so many almost entirely for others the fact, that I have found
without having
it
and
;
it
Friend Hopper lived
lives.
it is
a striking illustration of
impossible to write his biography
consist largely of the adventures of other
people. I
have not recounted his
many good deeds
purpose of eulogizing an honored friend. sure in preserving
hope that they
and bring
may
fall
like
good seed
strictly
personal anecdotes
the time, without his knowledge.
In
done
much more if
The
plea-^
I cherish a
many
into
fell
and playful conversation with his
and
a
mere
in this form, because
children, or his intimate friends,
in.
for the
have taken
hearts,
forth future harvests in the great field of humanity.
Most of the familiar
them
I
I
from his
noted them
this
lips in
sister, or his
way
I
grand-
down
at
caught them
fresh and natural form, than I could have
he had been conscious of the process.
narratives and anecdotes of fugitive slaves,
which form
such a prominent portion of the book, were originally written
V
VI
PREFACE.
-
by Friend Hopper himself, and published in newspapers, of " Tales of Oppression."
have re-modelled
under the
title
them
partly because I wished to present
all;
I
them
in a
more
concise form, and partly because the principal actor could be
spoken of more freely by a third person, than he could speak Moreover, he had a more dramatic
of himself.
a story than he had of writing
it
;
and
his unwritten style as nearly as 1 could
I
have
way
of telling
tried to
remember
it.
embody Where-
ever incidents or expressions have been added to the publish-
ed narratives,
•The
I
have done
from recollection.
it
which were
facts,
continually
occurring within
Friend Hopper's personal knov/ledge, corroborate the pictures of slavery
are no
more
drawn by Mrs. Stowe.
fictitious,
She has taken
Hopper.
Her
descriptions
than the narratives written by Friend living
characters
and
every-day occurrence, and combined them in light of genius,
ed story, radiant with the the glow of
feeling.
cause there
is
But
is
sunshine on
every dew-drop sparkle
and
a
facts
of
connect-
warm
with
a landscape any the less real, be-
it,
to bring out
every
tint,
and make
?
\Vlio that reads the account here given of Daniel Benson,
and William Anderson, can doubt that slaves are capable of as high moral excellence, as has ever been ascribed to in any work of
fiction %
Who
that reads
Witted Slave, can pronounce them a stupid race, freedom
?
Who
that
reads the
them
Zeke,and the Quick unfit for
adventures of the Slave
Mother, and of poor Manuel, a perpetual mourner for his enslaved children, can say that the bonds of nature are less
PREFACE. Strong with them,
Who
brethren?
which they
Vll
than with their more
can
fortunate
white
question the horrible tyranny under
suffer, after
reading
Slaveholder, and the suicide of
The Tender Mercies
Romaine
Friend Hopper labored zealously
for
of a
1
many, many years
;
and thousands have applied their best energies of head and
same great w'ork
heart to the
country
is
as strong as ever
in triumph,
zeal to
of Uncle
its
it
along, over
Its car rolls
its
prostrate victims.
on in
But, lo
!
crushing wheels, up rises the bleeding spectre
Tom, and
all
the
Verily, the slave-powder is
stronger.
yet the slave-power in this
and priests and politicians outdo each other
draw
from under
;
—nay, stronger.
w^orld
strong;
turns
but
to look
God and
at
him
!
truth are
CONTENTS.
GENERAL INDEX. Allusions to his Parents, from
1
to 3,
from 25 to 28, 252.
Anecdotes of Childhood, from 3 to 25. Allusions to Sarah his Wife, 24, 36, 43, 46, 249 to 252, 289 to 293, 377, 382, 466.
Allusions to Joseph Whitall, 25, 27, 44 to 46, 466.
Anecdotes of Apprenticeship, 27
His Religioijs Experience, 36
to 35.
to 46.
Tales of Oppression and Anecdotes of Colored People, 48 to 212.
Anecdotes of Prisoners and of Vicious Characters in Philadelphia,
from 212
to 243.
His Love of Fun, 244 to 248, 364 to 374. Allusions to his Private Life and Domestic Character, 249, 377 to 380, 458 to 464.
Anecdotes connected with Quakers, from 255 to 276.
Schism
in the Society of Friends,
273
Anecdotes connected with his Visit
to
to 286.
England and
Ireland,
296
to
313.
Anti-Slaveiy Experiences in 384, 385,
447
New- York, 314
to 334,
340 to 303,
to 458.
His Attachment to the Principles and Usages of Friends, 255, 380 to 383, 458.
Disowned by the Society of Friends
in
New-York, 386
to
399,
465.
His Connection with the Prison Association of New- York, 409 to 444, 470 to 473, 481 to 485.
His
Illness,
Death, and Funeral, 470 to 493.
ix
PARTICULAR INDEX. His
birth, 1.
Anecdote of his Grandmother's Courage, His Childish Roguery, 4 to
His Contest with British Soldiers,
His Violent Temper,
9.
10.
Conscientiousness in Boyhood,
Tricks at School,
2.
9.
11.
G, 7, 10, 11.
Going
to Mill, 12.
Going
to Market, 13.
Anecdote of General Washington,
15.
Pelting the Swallows, 16.
Anecdote of the Squirrel and her young ones,
18.
The Pet Squirrel, 20. The Pet Crow, 21. Encounter with a Black Snake,
23.
Old Mingo the African, 23.
Boyish Love
for
Sarah Tatum, 24.
His Mother's parting advice when he leaves Home, Mischievous Trick at the Cider Barrel, 28.
He He
nearly harpoons his Uncle, 29. nearly
kills
a Fellow Apprentice, 29.
Adventure with a young His
first
Plis
Youthful Love
Woman,
31.
Slave Case, 33. for
Sarah Tatum, 36.
Nicholas Wain, 37.
Mary Ridgeway,
38.
William Savery, 38. His early Religious Experience, 43. Letter from Joseph
He
"^"VTiitall,
44.
marries Sarah Tatum, 46.
X
PARTICULAR INDEX. His interest in Colored People, 47. Charles Webster, 48.
Ben
Jackson,* 51.
Thomas Cooper, 5.5. A CMId Kidnapped, Wagelma,
66.
70.
Janies Poovey, 73.
Romaine, 77. Da%ad Lea, 80.
The
Slave Hunter, 80.
William Bachelor, 83. Levin Smith, 88. Etienne Lamaire,
9L
Samuel Johnson,
96.
Pierce Butler's Ben, 98.
Daniel Benson, 104.
The Quick- Witted
Slave, 10§.
James Davis, 113.
Mary
Holliday, 116.
Thomas
.
Harrison, 122.
James Lawler, 123. William Anderson, 126. Sarah Roach, 12^. Zeke, 133.
Poor Amy, 137. Manuel, 139. Slaveholders mollified, 145.
The United The
States Bond, 149.
tender mercies of a Slaveholder, 157.
The Foreign Slave, 160. The New- Jersey Slave, 164.
A
Slave Hunter Defeated, 168.
Mary
The
Morris, 173.
Slave Mother, 176.
IJ
PARTICULAR INDEX.
Lll
Coionel Ridgeley's Slave, 179.
Stop Thief! 185.
The Disguised
The
Slaveholder, 189.
Slave of Dr. Rich, 192.
His Knowledge of Law, 202.
Mutual Confidence between hun and the Colored People, 204.
Mercy
to Kidnappers, 206.
Richard Allen, the Colored Bishop, 208.
The Colored Guests at Kane the Colored Man
his Table, 210.
fined for
Blasphemy, 211,
John Mc'Grier, 212. Levi Butler, 215.
The Musical Boy, 217. Mary Norris, 220. The Magdalen, 221.
The Uncomplimentary
Invitation, 222.
Theft from Necessity, 224. Patrick M'Kcever, 225.
The Umbrella Girl, 229. The two young Offenders,
237.
His courageous intercourse with violent Prisoners, 242.
Not thoroughly Baptized, 245.
The puzzled Dutchman,
^
245.
Hint to an Untidy Neighbor, 247.
Resemblance
The
to
Napoleon, 248, 314.
Dress, Manners, and Character of Sarah,
liis
wife,
249
to 253,
382, 466.
The
Devil's Lane, 254.
Jacob Lindlcy's Anecdotes, 250. Singular Clairvoyance of Arthur Howell, a Quaker Preacher, 258. Prophetic Presentiment of his Mother, 262.
The aged Bondman emancipated,
A
264.
Presentiment of Treachery, 266.
The Quaker who purchased
a Stolen Horse, 270.
PARTICULAR INDEX.
XIU
Elias Hicks and the Schism in the Society of Friends, 273 to 286.
Pecuniary
Death of
difficulties,
287
to 291.
his Wife, 291.
Death of his son
Isaac, 292.
Journey to Maryland, and Testimony against Slavery, 293.
His marriage with Hannah Attmore, 294.
Removes
to
New-York, 296.
Matthew Carey's
facetious Letter of Introduction, 296.
Anecdotes of his
visit to
England and
Ireland,
296
to 313.
Anecdote of the Diseased Horse, 302. Visit to
William Penn's Grave, 309.
The Storm
Profane Language rebuked, 312.
at Sea.
The Clergyman and his Books, 313. His Book-store in New- York, 313. The Mob in Pearl-Street, 315. Judge Chinn's Slave, 316.
One
of his sons
His Letter
mobbed
to the
at the South, 319.
Mayor of Savannah, 327.
His Phrenological Character, 335. His Unconsciousness of Distinctions in Society, 339.
The Darg
Case, 340.
Letter from Dr. Moore, 356.
Mrs. Burke's Slave, 357.
Becomes Agent
in the Anti- Slavery Ofiice, 363.
His youthful appearance, 363, 491. Anecdotes showing his love of Fun, 364 to 374. His sense of Justice, 374.
His Remarkable Memory, 375. His Costume and Personal Habits, 378 to 380. His Library, 380. His Theology, 381. His Adherence to Quaker Usages, 382. Capital Punishment, 383.
Rights of
Women,
384.
PARTICULAR INDEX.
XIV
Expressions of gratitude from Colored People, 95, 3S4, 385, 476.
His fund of Anecdotes and his Public Speaking, 385, 415.
Remarks of Judge Edmonds thereon,
412.
His separation from the Society of Friends in New- York, 386 to 399. Visit to his Birth-place, 399.
Norristown Convention, 400. Visit
from his Sister Sarah, 401.
Visit to Boston, 401. Visit to
,
Bucks County, 406.
Prison Association in Nov/- York, 409.
Correspondence with Governor Young, 413. Preaching in Sing Sing Chapel, 415.
Anecdotes of Dr. William Rogers, 417, 459. Interesting Cases of
Reformed Convicts, 419
to 443.
Letter from Dr. Walter Channing, 444.
Anecdotes of William Savery and James Lindley
at the South,
Sonnet by William L. Garrison, 448. His sympathy with Colored People turned out of the Cars, 448.
A Methodist
Preacher from the South, 452.
His Disobedience
to the Fugitive Slave Lav/, 455.
His Domestic Character, 249, 377
He
to 380,
458
to 464.
attracts Children, 460.
His Garden described in a Letter to L.
]\I.
Cliild,
461.
Likenesses of him, 464. Letter concerning Joseph V.liitall, 466. Letters concerning Sarah his wife, 466, 467.
Letter to his Daughter on his 80th Birth-day, 469.
Allusions to Hannah, his wife, 294, 370, 379, 470, 481. Letter resigning the agency of the Prison Association, 472.
His
last Illness,
470.
His Death, 481. Letter from a Reformed Convict, 481.
Resolutions passed by the Prison Association, 482.
446
PARTICULAR INDEX. Resolutions passed by the Anti-Slavery Society, 484.
His Funeral, 485. Lucretia Mott, 486, 487. Public Notices and Private Letters of Condolence, 487 to 493.
His Epitaph, 493.
XV
I
was
When
a father to
t'ue
poor
;
and the cause which
the ear heard me, then
gave witness to
Because
I
mc
it
blessed
me
:
I
knew
not
I
searched out.
and when the eye saw me,
it
:
delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and
him
that had
and
I
none to help him.
The blessing
of
him that was ready
the widow's heart to sing for joy.
to perish
Job xxix.
XVI
came upon me
16, 11, 12, 13.
:
caused
LIFE OF ISAAC
T.
HOPPER.
Tatem Hopper was born in Deptford Township, near Woodbury, West New-Jersey, in Isaac
the year 1771, on the third day of December, which
Quakers
call the
Twelth Month.
His grandfather
belonged to that denomination of Christians, but feited
membership
from another
sect.
in the Society
for-
by choosing a wife
His son Levi, the father of Isaac,
always attended their meetings, but never became a
member.
A
family of rigid Presbyterians, by the
Tatem, resided
in the neighborhood.
house w^as being
built,
pit for
of
their
they took shelter for a few
days, in a meeting-house that
dug a
name
While
was
little
used, and
a temporary cellar, according to the
custom of new
settlers in the forest.
The country
time was much infested with marauders but Tatem was an Amazon in physical strength and One night, when her husband was absent, courage. at that
;
Mrs.
and she was alone
in
the depths of the
woods with
LIFE OF ISAAC
2
T.
HOPrER.
three small children, she heard a noise, and looking
out
saw
a band of thieves stealing provisions from
entered the meeting-house soon af-
They
the cellar.
ter, and she had the presence of mind to call out, Call Joe, and Harry, and Jim! ''Hallo, Jack!
Here's somebody coming."
The
robbers, supposing
she had a number of stout defenders it
hand, thought
at
prudent to escape as quickly as possible.
next day, her husband being
still
The
absent, she resolved
to move into the unfinished house, for greater securiThe door had neither lock nor latch, but she ty.
contrived to fasten three
it
men came and
in
some
At midnight,
fashion.
tried to force
it
open
;
but every
time they partially succeeded, she struck at
them
This mode of defence was kept
with a broad axe.
up so vigorously, that
at last
they were compelled to
retreat.
She had
a daughter,
who was
neighbor Hopper's children quite a small boy,
would
live together
remarkable tree children
at
often at play with
and when Levi w^as
used to be said playfully that
Rachel Tat em would be
httle
The
it
;
his wife,
grew up much attached
five
a
to each other, old, the pro-
fulfilled.
The young man had and
;
some distance from the homestead.
and when Levi was twenty-two years
phecy was
and they
up by the great white oak
or six
only his
own
strong hands
hundred acres of wild woodland.
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
He
3
grubbed
up the trees and underbrush near the big white oak, removed his father's hen-house to the cleared spot, fitted it up comfortably for a temporary
dwelling, and
To
near by.
young
is
cellar in the
declivity of a hill
humble abode he conducted his his two first children were The second was named Isaac Tatem Hopper, this
and there
bride,
born.
and
dug a
the subject of this memoir.
Rachel inherited her mother's energy and courage, and having married a diligent and prudent man, their worldly circumstances gradually improved, though their family rapidly increased,
and they had nothing but land and labor to rely upon. When Isaac was one year and a half old, the family removed to anew log-house with three rooms on a floor, neatly whitewashed.
To
these the bridal hen-house
was append-
ed for a kitchen. Isaac was early remarked as a very precocious child.
He was
always peeping into everything, and
inquiring about everything.
months
old,
when
the
new
when he saw them laying
He was
only eighteen
log-house was built
;
but
the foundation, his busy
little mind began to query whether the grass would grow under it and straightway he ran to see whether grass grew under the floor of the hen-house where he was born. ;
He was
put to
work on
could handle a hoe
;
the farm as soon as he
but though he labored hard, he
LIFE OP ISAAC T. HOPPER.
4
had plenty of time and strength left for all manner of roguery. While he was a small fellow in petticoats, he ran into a
duck-pond to explore
His mother pulled him
out,
ever go there again, I will
than you went I
He
in."
and
said,
So
faster."
can,
into
faster
Now
thought to himself, "
and surely
I
you
if
make you come out
will prove mother to be in the wrong
in as fast as I
depth.
its
"Isaac,
for I will
;
go
can't come out any
the pond he went, as soon as the
words were out of her mouth.
A
by the name of Polly assisted about the housework. She was considered one of the family, and always ate at the same table, according to the She always kindly custom of those primitive times. girl
Mammy," and
called her mistress "
the day of her death children were tic
;
much
;
swerved her until '
a period of forty years.
The
attached to this faithful domes-
but nevertheless, Isaac could not forbear playing
tricks
When
upon her whenever he had opportunity. he was five or six years old, he went out one
night to see her milk the cow. that the animal kicked
when
upon
the pail was nearly
He had
observed
slight provocation
full,
;
and
he broke a switch from
a tree near by, slipped round to the other side of the
cow, and tickled her bag.
She
instantly raised her
heels, and over went Polly, milk-pail,
stool,
Isaac ran into the house, laughing with to tell
how
the
and
all his
all.
might,
cow had kicked over Polly and
the
LIFE OP ISAAC T. HOPPER.
His mother went out immediately
pail of milk.
ascertain whether the girl *'
Oh,
mammy,
made her do
5
that
it,"
little
was
to
seriously injured.
rogue tickled the cow, and
Whereupon, Isaac
exclaimed Polly.
had a spanking, and was sent
to
bed without
his sup-
per.
But so great was
there,
wakeful and hungry, he shouted with laughter
alone by himself, to think
all
when she
When
how
droll Polly
rolled over with the pail of
he w^as seven or eight years
wife
came one day
was
a
fat,
but
Isaac
knew
let
down
the bars for her
;
rolled off her horse,
She then discovered,
house.
off her
when he saw her come ambling tell
her of
it.
she rode up to the
horse-block with which every farm-house furnished,
She
that all the family
along the road, he took a freak not to
He
her.
old, his uncle's
to the house on horseback.
horse with difficulty. ;
looked
milk after
clumsy woman, and got on and
were absent
he lay
his love of fun, that as
was then
and went into the
for the first time, that
was no one at home. After But Isaac, she mounted to depart.
there
resting awhile, as full of mis-
chief as Puck, put the bars up, so that she could not ride out.
ened. to the
In vain she coaxed, scolded, and threat-
Finding
it
was
all to
no purpose, she rode up
block and rolled oiF from her horse again.
Isaac, having the fear of her
ran and hid himself. self,
She
let
whip before
down
his eyes,
the bars for her-
but before she could remount, the mischievous
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
6
urchin had put the bars up again and run away.
This was repeated several times
;
and the exasperat-
ed visitor could never succeed in catching her tor-
His parents came home in the midst of the
mentor. frolic,
He had
and he had a sound whipping.
culated upon this result feeling
had done much
to
cal-
the time, and the uneasy
all
mar
his sport
but on the
;
whole, he concluded such rare fun was well worth a flogging.
The boys
were apt
at school
to neglect their les-
munching
sons while they were
In order to
apples.
break up this disorderly habit, the master made rule to take
He
away every
it
a
apple found upon them.
placed such forfeited articles upon his desk, with
who
the agreement that any boy might have them,
could succeed in abstracting them without being observed by him.
One
day,
when
a large rosy-cheeked
apple stood temptingly on the desk, Isaac stepped
He
stood very demure-
up to have
his
ly at
but soon began to gaze earnestly out of
first,
pen mended.
the window, behind the desk.
what he was looking
at.
He
ing a flock of ducks trying to
queerly they waddle
Bwim on
ice
!"
and
The master replied,
*'
I
swim on the
slide
about
inquired
am watch-
exclaimed the schoolmaster
" ;
;
Ducks and he
was but the apple meanwhile was
turned to observe such an unusual spectacle. only for an instant
How
ice.
!"
It
transferred to the pocket of his cunning pupil.
He
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
smiled as he gave him his pen, and said, *'Ah, you rogue, you are always full of mischief
The
!"
teacher was accustomed to cheer the mono-
tony of his labors by a race with the boys during
There was a
play hours.
fine sloping
lawn
in front
of the school-house, terminating in a brook fringed
The
with willows.
declivity
gave an impetus to the
came among the
trees, their
heads swiftly parted the long branches.
Isaac tied
runners, and as they
a brick-bat to one of the pendant boughs, and then
He
invited the master to run with him.
accepted
the invitation, and got the start in the race.
As he
darted through the trees, the brick merely grazed If
his hair.
his life
flected
;
had
it
though
upon the
hit
him,
it
might have cost him
his mischievous pupil possibility of
such a
had not
re-
result.
There was a bridge across the brook consisting of a single rail. One day, Isaac sawed this nearly in two and while the master was at play w^ith the boys, ;
he took the opportunity to say something very impertinent, for
He
which he knew he should be chased.
ran toward the brook, crossed the
and instantly turned step
upon
it
when
it
rail in safety,
over, so that his pursuer
the cut side
would
was downward.
It
immediately snapped under his pressure, and pre-
young rogue But
cipitated
him
stood by
almost killing himself with laughter.
this joke also
into the stream, while the
came very near having
a melancholy
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
8 termination
;
for the
master was floated down several
rods into deep water, and with difficulty saved himself
from drowning.
There was a creek not
where
it
was customary
Upon one
far
from
his father's house,
of these occasions, he persuaded a party
wood and
of boys to pry np a pile of sloop, in a confused heap.
taken out and reloaded.
Of
course,
When
;
tip
it
must
it
he saw
labor this foohsh trick had caused, he
punction
wood.
to load sloops with
felt
into a all
be
how much some com-
but the next temptation found the spirit
of mischief too strong to be resisted.
Coming home from
his uncle's
one evening, he
stopped to amuse himself with taking a gate off hinges.
When
an old Quaker came out to see
its
who
was meddling with his gate, Isaac fired a gun over his head, and made him run into the house, as if an evil spirit It
was
were
after him.
his delight to tie the
boughs of trees
to-
gether in narrow paths, that people travelling in the dark, might hit their heads against stones in the ruts of the road,
them
;
and to lay
when he knew
that
farmers were going to market with eggs, in the darkness of morning twilight. for miles round,
Hopper.
it
was
If
any mischief was done
sure to be attributed to Isaac
There was no malice
had such superabounding
life
in his fun
;
but he
within him, that
it
would overflow, even when he knew that he must
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. sufler for
it.
His boyish
activity, strength,
ty were proverbial.
Long
village, the neighbors
used to
ishing rapidity he
9
he
after tell
and agihhis native
left
with what aston-
would descend high
head
trees,
foremost, clinging to the trunk with his feet.
The
,
fearlessness and firmness of character,
which
he inherited from both father and mother, manifested
many ways. He had a lamb, whose horns were crooked, and had a tendency to turn m. His father had given it to him for his own, on condition itself in
that he should keep the horns carefully
file
filed,
He had
they should not hurt the animal.
so that
a small
on purpose, and took such excellent care of his
pet, that
soon became very
it
much
attached to him,
When
and trotted about after him like a dog.
was about into the
five or six
They
ary war.
Isaac
it
and
to
tied the feet of the
them
tame lamb, and and lambs.
in season to witness this ope-
his heart swelled
iim aside
;
The men
it !"
??Z7/
lamb,
tried to
push
but he pulled out a rusty jack-knife,
which he had bought of a pedlar
for two-pence,
cut the rope that bound the poor lamb. officer
He
with indignation.
sprang into the cart, exclaiming, ''That's
and you shan't have
ar-
custom during our revolution-
into the cart with other sheep
came up
ration,
to their
he
came
neighborhood to seize provisions for the
my, according threw
years old, British soldiers
rode up, and seeing a 1*
little
A
and
British
boy struggling so
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
10
resolutely with the soldiers, he inquired
the matter.
Isaac
;
"They've
my
stolen
" and they shan't have
^'Is it
your lamb,
my
brave
lamb It's
it.
little
"Well, they shan't have
officer.
!"
what was exclaimed
my lamb !"
fellow?" said the it.
You'll
make
a fine soldier one of these days."
So Isaac hfted
lamb from the cart, and trudgHe had always been a whig and
his
ed off victorious.
;
he became more decided than
after this adventure,
ever
in his politics.
He
often used to boast that he
would rather have a paper continental golden English guinea.
The
dollar,
than a
family amused them-
by exciting his zeal, and Polly made him believe he was such a famous whig, that the British would certainly carry him off to prison. He geneselves
was fully capable -ijf defending himself; but when he saw four soldiers approaching the house one day, he concluded the force was rather rally thought he
too strong for him, and hastened to hide himself in the woods.
His temper partook of the general strength and
vehemence of his character. Having put a small quantity of gunpowder on the stove of the schoolhouse, ter.
it
exploded, and did some injury to the mas-
One
of the boys,
who was
afraid of being sus-
pected of the mischief, in order to screen himself, cried out, "Isaac
Hopper did
punished accordingly.
it!"
—and
Going home from
Isaac
was
school, he
U
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
seized the informer as they were passing through a
wood, tied him up to a
The boy
dous thrashing.
and gave him a tremen-
tree,
threatened to
tell
but he assured him that he would certainly if
he did
;
so he never ventured to disclose
of
kill
it;
him
it.
In gei\eral, his conscience reproved him as soon as
he had done anything wrong, and he hastened to
A
make atonement. same
One
poor boy,
who
day, the spirit of mischief led Isaac to spoil the
poor child's provisions by
When
sand.
filling his
the boy opened
his dinner, the tears
very hungry.
came
it,
with
pail
into his eyes
he was
for
;
This touched Isaac's heart instantly.
but I'm sorry dinner."
little
eagerness to eat
all
*'0h, never mind, Billy," said he.
my
attended the
school, usually brought a very scanty dinner.
I
did
It
it.
"I did
Come, you
shall
it
for fun;
have half of
proved a lucky joke for Billy
;
for
from that day henceforth, Isaac always helped him plentifully
from
own
his
stock of provisions.
Isaac and his elder brother were accustomed to set traps in the
woods
to catch partridges.
when he was about
six
One
day,
years old, he went to look
at the traps early in the
morning, and
fiTnding his
empty, he took a plump partridge from his brother's trap,
put
When was
it
in his
his brother
own, and carried
examined the
it
traps,
home
as his.
he said he
sure he caught the bird, because there
feathers sticking to his trap
;
were
but Isaac maintained
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
12
were feathers sticking
that there
he went
to
bed,
his
As soon
what he had done.
as he rose
morning, he went to his mother and shall I
about it
do ?
That was Sam's
it.
from
have told a
I
my
trap
and so
;
After
to his also.
conscience scorched him for
lie,
and
I feel dreadfully
partridge.
I did
;
in the
"What
said,
took
I said I
but I put
in there
it
first."
"My
son,
a wicked thing to
is
it
"You must go
replied his mother.
and give him the
confess,
a
tell
to
lie,"
Sam
and
bird."
Accordingly, he went to his brother, and said,
"Sam,
my
trap
here's ;
but
your partridge. put
I
take
I did
out of
it
His brother
in there first."
it
gave him a talking, and then forgave him.
Being a very bright, manly boy, he was intrusted to carry grain several miles to mill,
only eight years
On
old.
he arrived just as another boy,
had alighted in before
to
who preceded
him,
me
drive
" Just let
open the gate.
you shut
it,"
have no need to get down from for
but, Isaac, without stopping to
up
his horse,
first
comer.
my
him
I shall
wagon."
to pass
The
through
thank him, whipped
arrived at the mill post haste,
and
served, because he
was
the other boy found he
was
claimed the right to be the
"and then
said Isaac,
boy patiently held the gate
when he was
one of these occasions,
When
first
compelled to wait, he looked very
much
dissatisfied,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
but said nothing. at
13
Isaac chuckled over his victory
but his natural sense of justice soon sug-
first,
gested better thoughts. He asked himself whether he had done right thus to take advantage of that
The
obliging boy?
longer he reflected upon
more uncomfortable he
felt.
At
the stranger and said frankly, "I did
up
the mill so
to
when you
you were
for
me
for it."
wrong
my
and get
who
w^ere the one
as
but fun
fast,
arrived
it,
the
he went up to
last,
to drive
corn ground,
first
;
especially
so obhging as to hold the gate open
to pass through.
when I did it. The boy was
I
was thinking
of nothing
make up with the amend
Here's sixpence to well pleased
thus honorably offered, and they parted right good friends.
At nine years Philadelphia, to
from
his
factorily,
old,
he began to drive a wagon to
sell
vegetables and other articles
farm;
father's
with the
occupied the next
which he did very
assistance of a
stall in
satis-
neighbor,
the market.
who
According to
the fashion of the times, he wore a broad-brimmed hat,
and small-clothes with
lono: stocking-s.
Beinff
something of a dandy, he prided himself upon having his shoes very clean, and his white dimity small clothes without spot or blemish.
and to
sold
them,
till
He
he obtained
caught rabbits,
money enough
purchase brass buckles for his knees, and for
the straps of his
shoes.
The
first
time he
made
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
14
appearance
his
felt his
in the city
new
with this
he
finery,
ambition concerning personal decoration com-
The
pletely satisfied.
neatness of his dress, and his
manly way of proceeding, attracted attention, and induced his customers to call him " The Little For several years, he was universal-
Governor." ly
known
market by that
in the
ly, his father
had no wish
in the sale of his
to obtain
produce
;
for
his straight-forward little son
had
ens,
been otherwise,
One
affairs.
day,
a citizen inquired the price of a pair of chick-
"My
he answ^ered, with the utmost simplicity,
father told
and
undue advantage it
would have proved a
poor agent in transacting his
when
Fortunate-
title.
if
me
to sell
them
for fifty cents if I could
not, to take forty."
"Well
done,
my
honest
"I
gentleman, smiling, the current price.
market
;
fellow!"
will give
and whenever
I
said the
you whatever
I shall look out
try to trade with you."
When
little
you
for
is
in the
see you, I shall always
And he
quite a small boy, he
kept his word.
was
sent
some
dis-
tance of an errand, and arrived just as the family
were about
to
sit
down
to
supper.
There were
him
several pies on the table, and they mvited
partake. tite,
The long wa]k had whetted
his
to
appe-
and the pies looked exceedingly tempting; but
the shyness of childhood led
thank you."
When
him
to
say,
"No,
I
he had delivered his message,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
15
he lingered, and lingered, hoping they would ask
him
But the family were Quakers,
again.
and
they understood yea to mean yea, and nay to mean
They would have considered
nay.
compliment to repeat the invitation
He
revolving the subject in his mind. to the house,
room, and
marched boldly
"1
said,
told a lie
did w^ant a piece of pie
you would ask
me
made them
smile,
ail
;
but
again."
I
I
revolutionary heroes. Philadelphia,
who
by William Penn,
here.
I
thought to be sure
This explicit avowal
and he was served with as principles led
him
garments
for
His mother had a brother
at the corner of
Second Street and
Isaac better than a his
visit to this
Nothing pleased city relative
boyish mind was
much
with watching for the famous men, of
heard so
made
General Washington, Benjamin Frank-
and other distinguished men.
there,
in
lived in a house formerly occupied
This uncle frequently cut and
Norris Alley.
ington
was
a lively interest in anecdotes concerning
to take
when
then w^alked
into the supper-
when
much pie as he wished to eat. The steadfastness of his whig
lin,
repenting of
and went nearly half of the way
his bashfalness,
back
were
so they
;
much
Isaac started for home,
silent.
a mere worldly
it
much
talk.
came there
;
and
occupied
whom
he had
Once, when General Wash-
to order
some garments, he
lowed him a long distance from the shop.
fol-
The
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
16
General had observed his wonder and veneration, and was amused by it. Coming to a corner of the street, he turned round suddenly, touched his hat, and
made a
very low bow. This playful condescension so completely confused his juvenile admirer, that he stood blush-
ing and bewildered for an instant, then walked hastily
away, without remembering to return the salutation.
The
tenderness of
spirit
was very remarkable
There
boy.
chievous
barn
in the
in
often manifested
by him,
such a resolute and mis-
an
Avas
old
unoccupied
neighborhood, a favorite resort of swal-
lows in the Spring-time.
When
he was about ten
years old, he invited a number of boys to meet him the next
Sunday morning,
They
lows.
on
set off
tions of a fine frolic
;
to
go and pelt the swal-
this expedition
with anticipa-
but before they had gone far,
Isaac began to feel a strong conviction that he
He
doing wrong.
was very
told his
cruel sport to torment and kill poor
innocent birds
especially
;
mothers, and then the starve.
was
companions he thought
as
little
it
little
they might destroy
ones would be
left
to
There was a Quaker meeting-house about a
mile and a half distant, and he proposed that they
should
all
go there, and leave the swallows
But the boys-only laughed ing,
"Come
on
!
Come
at
on!"
in peace.
him, and ran off shout-
He
looked after them
sorrowfully for
some minutes, reproaching himself
for the suffering
he had caused the poor birds.
He
LIFE OF ISAAC
HOPPER.
T.
then walked off to meeting alone ness to the light within
and
;
this incident,
joyed while
in
his faithful-
him was followed by a sweet
peacefalness and serenity of soul.
made by
17
The
impression
and the state of mind he en-
meeting, w^as one of the earliest
influ-
ences that drew him into the Society of Friends.—
When
he returned home, he heard that one of the
boys had broken his arm while stoning the swallows,
and had been writhing wdth pain, while he had been enjoying the consolations of an approving conscience.
At an early age, he was noted shot, w^ith
bow and
for being
king-birds built in his father's orchard, and sirable to get rid of
a sure
A pair
arrow, or with gun.
it
was
of de-
them, because they destroy ho-
Isaac watched for an opportunity, and one day when the birds flew away in quest of food for ney-bees.
their young,
At
m^Yand.
I
leiian
*re^;l)y
discordant. (ey will l»o (lisinisstul
lawyrr; "and
lli(^
shall
\\c p('il«'cllv
yon
if
if
you
ed," answered
and
some
promise to do
will
I
it,
been very badly treat"If the aggressor
Hopper.
Vrieiul
1o settle the a (lair,
oilri-
lulvise it," lojoincil
satislicd."
"'riicst; ccdored ])tH)pl(i luivo
wants
IIOITER.
T.
he had better go to them the
for
(M|tiiv()l('nt
Iroidde he
has,
given."
The the
luil
"When
law ycr replied,
man
for
he
a!J,ree»l
pected these snils would he dismissed, a
to
nianii-
one hundred and fdly dollars, he exol
What sum do you
part of \\w bargain.
course, as
think th(\se
people will take to withdraw them?"
Hopper
I'riend for on(>
"1 wdl
Kidgtdey
[)ay it," repTuHl is
'I'hus tht>
i'olor(>d
tlieir
money
to
it
heiMi
dollars
to
"for Colontd
were distributed among
rej>ay the
some
After
;
homi\"
the deed of manumission
l>aid lor
l'\)rty
pc^ojde,
property.
ses had
Mr. Sergeaid.
very anxious to r(>turu
was returned. \\\c
he thoU!!,ht they would do
said
hundrml and fdty dollars.
damage done
to
trifling ineidtnital ex])en-
deducted, the remainder was returntnl
the emanei[)ated
fretulom for about originally ofl'ered.
slavt*
fifty
;
who
dollars,
thus obtained
instead of the
liis
sum
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
STOP THIEF of
185
!
About the year 1826, a Marylander, by the name Solomon Low, arrested a fugitive slave in Philaand took him
delphia,
to the office of
an alderman
obtain the necessary authority for^arrying into
bondage.
ner,
they placed the colored
Mr.
Low
Some
and
Finding the magistrate gone to din-
man
in the entry, vi^hilc
companions guarded the door.
his
of the colored people soon informed Isaac T.
Hopper of these circumstances, and he hastened concluded
would be no
it
man
colored
men
difficult
a chance to escape.
at the door,
matter to give the
up
Fie stepped
and demanded
in a
in duress.
"This
is
Low
Mr.
replied,
"He
is
"Who
What
proof
can
is
tell
whether he
there that
is
that
my slave."
strange conduct," rejoined Friend
per.
to
peremptory
manner by what authority they were holding
man
to
Observing the state of things there, he
the office.
the
to
him back
Hop-
thy slave or not
you are not a band of
?
kid-
? Dost thou suppose the laws of Pennsylvania tolerate such proceedings ?"
nappers
These charges arrested the attention of Mr. Lov/ and
his
companions,
speaker. for
The
who
turned round to answer the
slave, seeing their
backs toward him
an instant, seized that opportunity to rush out
and he had run two or three rods before they missed him.
They immediately
raised the cry of
" Stop
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
186
Thief! Stop Thief!"
An
Irishman,
who
joined in
the pursuit, arrested the fugitive and brought
back to
Friend Hopper remonstrated with him
"The man
is
The ;
they said he was a
I'm sorry in as
?"
I
dy, and seized
I
him by the
is
I will
a slave,
put him
So saying,
the fugitive in custo-
sudden jerk,
collar with a
that threw
him on the pavement.
ly started,
and ran
The
slave instant-
utmost speed, again follow-
Having run some
ed by the cry of "Stop Thief!" distance,
he
found him."
man who had
at his
If
thief.
However,
stopped him.
good a condition as
he w^ent near the
and being nearly out of breath, he darted
into the shop of a
son,
"Then they
kind-hearted Hibernian replied,
for
for a
How wouldst
for liberty.
thou like to be made a slave
lied
saymg,
;
They claim him
not a thief.
and he wasTrunning
slaA^e,
him
his master.
watch-maker, named Samuel Ma-
who immediately
closed and fastened his door,
go that the crowd could not follow him. tive passed out of the
The
fugi-
back door, and was never
af-
terward recaptured.
The
disappointed master brought an action against
Samuel Mason
for rescuinsr o his
slave.
Ingersoll and his brother Joseph,
Charles
J.
two accomplished
lavryers of Philadelphia, conducted the trial for him,
with zeal and ingenuity worthy of a better cause. Isaac T. Hopper
was summoned
as a witness,
and
in
LIFE OF ISAAC
HOPPER.
T.
187
was asked what course Friends adopted when a
the course of examination he
members
of the Society of
came
fugitive slave
wilhng to answer
to
for
"Well," said Mr. in
such a case
am not
rephed, " I
"what would you do him to his mas-
Ingersoll,
Would you
?
He
them.
any one but myself."
deliver
ter?"
" Indeed
"My
I
would not
!"
answered
conscience would,not permit
would be a great crime bedience to
my own
;
because
me it
the
Friend.
to do
It
it.
would be
diso-
dearest convictions of right.
I
should never expect to enjoy an hour of peace after-
ward.
I
would do
for a fugitive slave
whatever
I
should like to have done for myself, under similar circumstances.
extend
it
to
If
him
w-as hungry, I
he asked
my
to the utmost of
would feed him.
would clothe him.
If
protection, I
my If
he needed
power.
would If
he
he was naked, advice, I
I
would
give such as I thought would be most beneficial to
him."
The cause was ington,
Judge Bushrod Wash-
tried before
nephew of General Washington.
Though a
slaveholder himself, he manifested no partiality during the
trial,
which continued several days, with able
arguments on both ant
sides.
The
counsel for the claim-
maintained that Samuel Mason prevented the
master from regaining his slave, by shutting his door,
and refusing to open
it.
The
counsel for the defen-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
188
dant replied that there was tle
much
valuable and brit-
property in the watchmaker's shop, which would
have been miscuous
liable to
robbery and destruction,
mob had been
allowed to rush
if
a pro-
Judge
in.
Washington summed up the evidence very clearly the jury,
to
who
retiring for deliberation
after
a
consideralde time, returned into court, declaring that
they could not agree upon a verdict, and probably
They were ordered
never should agree.
and kept together
till
out again,
when
the court adjourned,
they were dismissed.
At the succeeding term, the case was with renewed energy and zeal.
tried again,
But the
jury, after
being kept together ten days, w^ere discharged without being able to agree upon a verdict.
Some, who
w^ere originally in favor of the defendant,
weary of
their long confinement,
go over to the slaveholder's
side
;
named Benjamin Thaw, declared his
became
and consented to but one of them, that he
would eat
Christmas dinner in the jury-room, before he
would consent
to
such a flagrant act of injustice.
His patience held out Consequently a third
till
trial
the court adjourned.
became necessary
;
and
the third jury brought in a verdict in favor of the
watchmaker.
The expenses
of these suits
seventeen hundred dollars. limited circumstances
;
and
w^ere estimated at
Solomon
Low was
in
this expenditure in prose-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
cuting an innocent
soon
failure
man was
said to
189
have caused
his
after.
THE DISGUISED SLAVEHOLDER. A
colored
woman and
man
in East-Jersey.
phia,
who had been
her son were slaves to a
She had two sons free several years,
in Philadel-
and her pre
was unacquainted with them.
sent master
In 1827,
she and her younger son escaped, and went to live in Philadelphia.
Her owner, knowing
she had free
sons in that city, concluded as a matter of course that she
had sought
after her flight,
their protection.
Quaker costume, went
He
sons.
A
few weeks
he followed her, and having assumed to the
house of one of her
expressed great interest for the
woman,
and said he wished to obtain an interview with her for her benefit.
His friendly garb and kind language
completely deceived her son, and he told him that his
mother was then staying
which was not
far
off.
at his brother's house,
Having obtained
this infor-
mation, the slaveholder procured a constable and im-
mediately went to the place described. the son
was
sat near the
at
open door.
Fortunately,
bemg warm weather he The mother was seated a1'
home, and
it
a chamber window, and saw a constable approaching the house, with a gentleman in
whom
Quaker costume,
she at once recognized as her master.
She
gave the alarm to her son, who instantly shut the
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
190
door and fastened
it.
The
master, being refused ad-
mittance, placed a guard there, while he went to pro-
cure a search-warrant.
These proceedings attracted
the attention of colored neighbors, and a crowd soon
They
gathered about the house.
who
guarded the door, and held
woman and
him
seized the fast, w^hile
her fugitive son rushed out.
It
man the
was
dusk, and the uncertain light favored their escape.
They
ran about a mile,
and took refuge with a co-
The w^atchman soon got released from the colored people who held him, and succeeded in tracing the woman to her new reThe master treat, where he again mounted guard.
lored family in Locust-street.
returned meanwhile, and having learned the circumstances,
went
to the magistrate to obtain another
warrant to search the house in Locust-street.
At this stage of the affair, Friend Hopper was summoned, and immediately went to the rescue, accompanied by one of his sons, about sixteen years He found the woman and her son stowed away old. in a closet, exceedingly terrified.
He
assured them
they would be quite as safe on the mantel-piece, as they would be
in that closet
;
that their being found
concealed w^ould be regarded as the best evidence that they were the persons sought for.
Knowing
it
was dangerous for them to remain in that house, he told them of a plan he had formed, on the spur of After giving them careful instructions the moment.
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
how
he
to proceed,
them and requested
might be opened
street door
mediately rushed case.
left
He
in,
as he
A
for him.
that the
crowd im-
had foreseen would be the
affected to be greatly displeased,
men of the house to turn all They obeyed him and among
dered the out.
191
the
;
turned out were the two fugitives.
It
and
or-
the intruders
was
number
dark, and
watchman on guard could not them among the multitude. Friend Hopper had hastily consigned them to his
in the confusion, the
distingush
son, with instructions to take
them
to his
house
;
and
the watchman, seeing that he himself remained about
the premises, took
it
for granted that the fugitiA^es
had not escaped.
As soon
as
it
was
practicable, Friend
turned home, where he found the
son in a state of great agitation.
Hopper
re-
woman and her He immediately
sent her to a place of greater safety, and gave the
son a letter to a farmer thirty miles up in the country.
was
He went afraid
to
directly to the river Schuylkill, but
cross the bridge, lest
should be stationed there to arrest him.
some person
He
ingly walked along the margin of the river
accordtill
he
found a small boat, in which he crossed the stream. Following the directions he had received, he arrived
where he had a kindly welcome, and obtained employment.
at the farmer's house,
The master being unable
to recapture his slaves,
;
LIFE OF ISAAC
j^92
called
upon Isaac T. Hopper
He
anything about them.
it
he knew
to inquire if
coolly replied, ''I believe
From what
they are doing very well.
judge
HOPPER.
T.
I
hear,
I
will not be necessary to give thyself any
further trouble on their account."
"There
is
no use
in trying to
capture a runaway
"I be-
slave in Philadelphia," rejoined the master.
them when
lieve the devil himself could not catch
they once get here." ''That
"But
is
very likely," answered Friend Hopper.
think he would have less difficulty in catch-
I
ing the masters
;
being so
much more
familiar with
them." Sixty dollars had already been expended in vain
and the
slav43-holder,
having relinquished
tracing the fugitives, finally agreed to
woman
for fifty dollars,
dollars.
and her son
manumit the citizens
and the emancipated
friendly to the colored people,
them by
of
for seventy-five
These sums were advanced by two
slaves repaid
hope
all
faithful service.
THE SLAVE OF
DR. RICH.
In the autumn of 1828, Dr. Rich of Maryland
came
to Philadelphia with his wife,
who was
daughter of an Episcopal clergyman in that the
name
upon
of Wiltbank.
her, intending to
She brought a slave remain
after the birth of her child,
city,
the
by
to wait
at her father's until
which was soon expected
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. to take place.
When
193
they had been there a few
months, the slave was informed by some colored acquaintance that she was free in consequence of being brought to Philadelphia.
She
called to consult
with Isaac T. Hopper, and seemed very
much
disap-
pointed to hear that a residence of six months
necessary to entitle her to freedom
;
was
that her master
was doubtless aware of that circumstance, and would probably guard against
it.
After some minutes of anxious reflection, she said,
"Then away
there for I
;
is
nothing
left for
am determined
me
to
do but to run
never to go back to Ma-
ryland."
Friend Hopper inquired whether she thought
would be to attend
right to leave her mistress without
upon
She replied
her,
that she felt no scruples on that point,
servants as he pleased.
made up on tions as
The
any one
in the situation she then was.
master was wealthy, and could hire as
for her
it
many
Finding her mind entirely
the subject, he gave her such instruc-
seemed suited
to the occasion.
next morning she was not to be found
;
and
Dr. Rich went in search of her, with his father-in-
Having frightened some ignorant colored people where she visited, by threats of law, Mr. Wiltbank.
prosecuting tliem for harboring a runaway, they confessed that she
T. Hopper.
had gone from
their house to Isaac
Mr. Wiltbank accordingly waited upon 9
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
194
him. and after relating the circumstances of the case, inquired whether he had seen the fugitive.
In reply,
he made a frank statement of the interview he had
and of her fixed determination to obtain
w^ith her,
The clergyman reproached
her freedom.
her with
and said she had always been treated
ingratitude,
with great kindness. ''The
woman
herself gives a very different ac-
count of her treatment," replied Friend Hopper;
"but be that as
may,
it
cannot blame her for
I
wishing to obtain her liberty."
He was
;
asked
find her, if *'I
Friend Hopper
if
knew where
and he answered that he did
you tried?" inquired
presume
Quaker.
I
"The
themselves from
could do
it
not.
she then
" Could you
he.
very easily," rejoined the
colored people never wish to secrete
me
;
they
for
know
I
am
their true
friend."
Mr. Wiltbank then
said,
"If you will cause her to
be brought to your house, Dr. Rich and myself will
come here
at eight o'clock this evening.
You
will
then hear her ask her master's pardon, acknowledge the kindness with which she has always been treated,
and express her readiness
to
go home with him."
Friend Hopper indignantly rephed, "I have no doubt that fear might induce her to profess hast said.
my
But what
trait hast
all
thou
thou discovered
character, that leads thee to suppose I
in
would
""
"
LIFE OP ISAAC
HOPPER.
T.
195
be such a hypocrite as to betray the confidence this poor
woman
has reposed in me, by placing her in
the power of her master, in the
way thou
hast pro-
?
''posed
Mr. Wiltbank then requested that a message might be conveyed to the woman, exhorting her
and promising that no notice whatever
to return,
would be taken of her offence.
"She
shall be informed of thy
message,
if
that
be any satisfaction to thee," replied Friend
w^ill
Hopper; "but
am
I
perfectly sure she will never
voluntarily return into slavery."
Dr. Rich and Mr. Wiltbank called in the eveninsr,
and were told the message had been delivered the
woman, but she refused
to return.
"She
your house now," exclaimed Dr. Rich. prove
it
and
;
commence a boring
my
if
you
don't
suit against
let
me
is
to in
"I can
see her, I wdll
you to-morrow,
for
har-
slave."
Low
resides in thy neighbor-
hood," said Friend Hopper.
"Art thou acquainted
" I believe
with him
Solomon
?
Being answered
mon Low threatened. lars,
which
perhaps spare
?
in the affirmative,
he
said,
"Solo-
brought three such suits as thou hast
They I
thou
him seventeen hundred dolheard he was unable to pay. But cost
hast
seventeen hundred
dollars
to
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
196
Dr. Rich answered that he could well afford to lose that sum.
"Very
who need
w^ould be glad to have
Finding
it
"There
rejomed his opponent.
w^ell,"
lawyers enough
it,
and
still
it."
alike impossible to coax or intimidate
About eleven
the resolute Quaker, they withdrew. o'clock at night,
Hopper
some of
house?"
When
was, he said, "It
is
do not think there
am
man
continually walking
He went
in front of the house.
and accosted him thus
I
the family informed Friend
that there w^as a
back and forth
my
are
more who
:
out
"Friend, art thou watching
the stranger replied that he
very kind in thee;
any occasion
is
but
I really
for thy services.
quite satisfied with the w^atchmen
employed by
the public."
The man answered stand, and I intend to
gruffly,
keep
"I have taken
my
it."
Friend Hopper told him he had no objection
and
;
he was about to re-enter the house, w^hen he observed Dr. Rich, w^ho was so wrapped up in a large cloak, that at
exclaimed, sible
thou
first
"Why art
night, at this cold season of the year
in
my house.
!
Is
To
I
?
pos-
it
parading the streets so late
motives of kindness,
He
he did not recognize him.
doctor, art thou here
Now,
do assure thee thy slave
th
in
frorp is
not
save thee from exposing thy health
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
by watching
at this
inclement season,
197
I will
give thee
leave to search the house."
The
doctor replied, "I shall obtain a warrant in
the morning, and search
it
with the proper officer."
"There appear to be several on the watch," said Friend Hopper "and it surely is not necessary for all If of them to be out in the cold at the same time. ;
thou wilt be responsible that nothing shall be stolen,
thou
art
This
house." ty,
welcome offer
to use
my
parlor as a watch-
was declined with
and Friend Hopper returned to
freezing his
civili-
dwelling.
Passing through the kitchen, he observed two colored domestics talking together in an under tone,
apparently planning something which
heard, foot,
made them
Judging from some words he over-
very merry.
they
that
had a mischievous scheme on
he resolved to watch their movements without
them know that he noticed them. One of them put on an old cloak and bonnet, opened the front door cautiously, looked up the street and down the street, but saw nobody. The watchers had seen letting
the dark face the
were lying
in
moment
ambusn
it
peeped
out,
and they
to observe her closely.
After
a minute of apparent hesitation, she rushed into the street
and ran
pursuit,
w^ith all speed.
and soon overtook
her.
They
joined in hot
She pretended
to
be greatly alarmed, and called aloud for a watch-
man.
The
offenders were arrested and brought back
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
198
to the house with the gh'l.
that these
men
Friend Hopper explained
had been watching
his house, suppos-
ing a fugitive slave to be secreted there
;
and that
they had mistaken one of his domestics for the person they were in search of. After laughing a little at the joke practised upon them, he proposed that
they should be set
at liberty
and they were accord-
;
ingly released.
The
next morning, a soon as
vited the w^atchers to
but they declined.
When
come
it
and
in
was
light,
he
in-
warm themselves
After sunrise, they
all
;
dispersed,
was ready, he urged telling them that one could keep guard while the other was eating. But they replied that Dr. Rich had ordered them to hold
except two.
them
to
come
in
breakfast
and partake
;
no communication with him.
Being firmly persuaded that the slave was in the house, they kept sentry several days and nights.
For fear she might escape by the back way, a messenger was sent to Mr. Warrence, w^ho occupied a building in the rear, offering to pay ble
him
for his trou-
he would watch the premises in that direction.
if
His wife happened to overhear the conversation
;
and
having a pitcher of scalding water in her hand, she ran out saying,
band
to
"Do you
propose to hire
watch neighbor Hopper's premises
away
slave
throw
this in
?
Go
about your business
vour face."
!
my
hus-
for a run-
or I will
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
When litely,
199
Dr. Rich called again, he was received po-
and the
inquiry
first
was how he had succeed-
He
ed in his efforts to procure a search-warrant. replied, *'
"The
Perhaps
magistrate refused to grant one."
Reed,
Joseph
the
Recorder, would
oblige thee in that matter," said Friend Hopper.
The answer was, "I have been
and he
to him,
declines to interfere."
was then suggested
It
that
it
might be well to
re-
tain a lawyer with a portion of the seventeen hun-
dred dollars he said he had to spare.
"I have been
"He
tor.
to
tells
Mr. Broome," rejoined the doc-
me
you understand the law
that
such cases as well as he does
;
and he advises
in
me to
the matter alone."
let
"I
my
will give thee permission to search
said Friend
Hopper; "and
that matter than
any
I
house,"
have more authority
in
m_agistrate, judge, or lawyer,
in the city."
"That "but
is
I infer
very gentlemanly," replied the doctor;
from
it
that the
woman
is
not in your
house."
He was ell
into
lavery.
again assured that she was not
your horse," said the Doctor.
me, and
;
and they
some general discourse on the subject of " Suppose you came to Maryland and lost I told
you that
I
"If you called upon
knew where he was,
but
would not inform you, would you consider yourself
200
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
"In such a case,
treated kindly ?"
myself well treated," replied Friend Hopper.
sider
" But in this part of the country, tion
between horses and men.
man
should not con-
I
we make
We
a distinc-
believe that hu-
beings have souls."
"That makes no
"You
confess that
you could
;
and
is."
"I
were so disposed
me where
difference," rejoined the Doctor.
she
same opinion,"
find
you
if
your duty to
tell
the
do
will
replied
slave
when I am of " but Friend Hopper
consider
I
my
it
it
till
;
then thou must excuse me."
The ed
fugitive
who
Hill,
was protected by a colored man nam-
soon obtained a situation for her as ser-
vant in a respectable country family, where she w^as kindly treated.
In the course of a year or two, she
returned to Philadelphia, married a steady industri-
ous man, and lived very comfortably.
One
Mr. Hill had a very revengeful temper. his colored neighbors brought
criminal
From
conduct,
that time he
complexion, and
them.
suits
against
him
of for
and recovered heavy damages.
seemed
omitted
The woman he
own
to hate people of his
no opportunity
befriended,
to
injure
when he was
in a
better state of mind, had been married nine or ten
years, and had long ceased to think of danger,
when
he formed the wicked project of making a
little
money by betraying her
to her master.
Accordingly
he sought her residence accompanied by one of those
LIFE OF ISAAC
who make
wretches
When busy
T.
HOPPER.
201
a business of capturing slaves.
he entered her humble abode, he found her
at the wash-tub.
Rejoiced to see the
had rendered her such
man who
essential service in time of
need, she threw her arms about his neck, exclaiming,
"O, uncle
how
Hill,
glad I
am
you !" She up the floor, and house good enough
to see
hastily set aside her tub, Aviped
was nothing in the for her benefactor, she went out to purchase some little luxuries. Hill recommended a particular shop, and proposed to accompany her. The slave-hunter, who had been left in the street, received a private signal, and the moment she entered the shop, he pounced upon her. Before her situation could be made known to Isaac T. Hopper, she was removed thinking there '
to Baltimore.
was she
The
lust
he ever heard of her she
in prison there, awaiting her
was
He
to
day of
sale,
when
be transported to New-Orleans.
know which was the mind to conceive of, the cruel depravity manifested by the ignorant colored man,
most
used to say he did not
dificult for his
or the unscrupulous selfishness of the slaveholder, a
man
of education, a husband and a father,
could consent to
Many more be added
;
who
use such a tool for such a purpose.
naratives of similar character might
for I think
he estimated at more than one
thousand the number of cases in which he had been
employed
for fugitives, in
9*
one
way or
another, during
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
202 his
forty years'
enough have been lence,
residence
in
Philadelphia.
But
told to illustrate the active benevo-
uncompromising boldness,
and
ready wit,
which characterized this friend of humanity. accurate knowledge of
all
His
laws connected with slave-
ry w^as so proverbial, that magistrates and lawyers
were generally averse
any
to
collision
with him on
such subjects. In 1810, Benjamin Donahue of Delaware applied to
assist
him
with whose place of
resi-
Mr. Barker, mayor of Philadelphia, to
in recovering a fugitive,
dence he was perfectly sure Isaac T. Hopper was acAfter a brief correspondence with Friend
quainted.
Hopper, the mayor said
to
Mr. Donahue,
"We
better drop this business, like a hot potato
Hopper knows more law you and I put together."
He would
such cases as
;
for
this,
Mr. than
often resort to the most unexpected ex-
Upon one
pedients.
in
had
occasion,
a
slave
case
was
brought before Judge Rush, brother of Dr. Benjamin
Rush.
It
seemed
slaveholder
;
that the judge
ment
likely to terminate in favor of the
but Friend Hopper thought he observed
wavered a
to inquire,
little.
"Hast thou not
a legal opinion, in
which
it
is
He
in
the Bible ?"
it
mo-
recently published
distinctly stated that
thou wouldst never seek to sustain a thou wert convinced that
seized that
human
conflicted with
law,
any
if
lav/
LIFE OP ISAAC T. HOPPER.
"I
did publish such a statement,"
Rush; ''audi am ready
to abide
by
203
rephed Judge it
for in all
;
law above the human."
cases, I consider the divine
Friend Hopper drew from his pocket a small Bible,
which he had brought
into
court for the express
purpose, and read in loud distinct tones the follow-
ing verses
:
"Thou
the servant which
thee
:
He
master
shalt not deliver unto his
escaped from his master unto
is
shall dwell with thee,
even among you,
in
that place which he shall choose, in one of thy gates,
where him."
it
liketh
him
best
:
thou shalt not oppress
Ueut. 23: 15, 16.
The slaveholder smiled supposing this appeal to old Hebrew law w^ould be considered as little applicable to modern times, as the command to stone a man to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. But when the judge asked for the book, read the ;
sentence for himself, seemed impressed by
it,
and ad-
journed the decision of the case, he walked out of the court-house muttering, "I believe in the old fool will let
my
him off on that ground." was discharged.
soul
And
sure enough, the slave
Friend
Hopper's quickness in slipping through
loop-holes, and dodging round corners, rendered
exceedingly troublesome holders.
He
him
and provoking to slave-
often kept cases pending in court three
or four years,
till
the
claimants were
completely
wearied out, and ready to settle on any terms.
His
SM
LIFE OF ISAAC
HOPPER.
T.
acute perception of the slightest flaw in a document, or imperfection in evidence, always attracted notice in the courts
Judges and lawyers
he attended.
ten remarked to him, "Mr. Hopper, pity
you were not educated
You have
such
for the
a judicial
it
is
of-
a great
legal profession.
Mr. William
mind."
Lewis, an eminent lawyer, offered him every facility for
''
studying the profession.
and use
my
Come
to
whenever you please,"
library
my
office
said he
;
*'or I will obtain a clerkship in the courts for you, if
you prefer
Your mind is peculiarly adapted and if you would devote your-
liat.
to legal investigation,
you might become a judge before long." But Friend Hopper could never overcome his scruples about entering on a career of worldly am-
self to
it,
He
bition.
thought he had better keep humble, and
temptations that might lead him out of the
resist
plainness and simplicity of the religious Society to
which he belonged.
As
for the colored people of Philadelphia,
they
believed in his infallibility, as devout Catholics believe in the
Pope.
them
it is
;
and
They
trusted him, and he trusted
remarkable
in
found his confidence misplaced.
how few instances he The following anec
dote will illustrate the nature of the relation ex isting
Prince
between him and that much abused Hopkins,
was claimed
a wood-sawyer
of
as a fugitive slave by
race.
Philadelphia,
John Kinsmore
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
When
of Baltimore.
205
Friend Hopper went to the
magistrate's office to inquire into the
He
the poor fellow in tears.
affair,
he found
asked for a private
in-
When
terview, and the alderman gave his consent.
they were alone, Prince confessed that he was the In the course of his narrative,
slave in question.
it
appeared that he had been sent into Pennsylvania
by up
and had resided there with a
his mistress,
his tears, for
When
was
it
relative
Friend Hopper told him to dry
two years.
of hers
in his
he returned to the
power
to protect him.
he informed the
office,
magistrate that Prince Hopkins was a free
man
having resided in Pennsylvania, with the consent of his mistress, a
much
longer time than the law re-
Mr. Kinsmore was
quired.
that the
colored
man
irritated,
and demanded
should be imprisoned
till
he
could obtain legal advice.
"Let him go and
finish the
said Friend Hopper.
"I
appearance whenever he trate will give at
my
and
main
is
wanted.
If the magis-
a commitment. Prince will call
house after he has finished sawing his wood, will
I
me
wood he was sawing,"
will be-responsible for his
send him to
jail
there, until the facts I
with
it.
He
can
re-
have stated are clearly
proved."
The
slave-holder and his lawyer
this proposition as
Hopper
an
insult.
seemed
They
to regard
railed at Friend
for his "impertinent interference,"
and
for
;
206
LIFE OF ISAAC
T.
HOPPER.
the absurd idea of trusting '*that nigger" under such
circumstances.
He you
rephed,
call
marched
''I
would rather
trust 'that nigger,' as
him, than either of you."
So
sayiiig,
he
off with the magistrate's mittimus in his
pocket.
When
Prince Hopkins had finished his job of
sawing, he called for the commitment, and carried to the jailor, w^ho
it
locked him up.
Satisfactory
evidence of his freedom was soon obtained, and he
was discharged.
The
colored people appeared to better advantage
with their undoubted friend, than they possibly could
They
have done where a barrier of prejudice existed.
were not afraid
own way, with with fun.
A
to tell
him
their experiences in their
natural pathos, here and there dashed fine-looking, athletic fugitive, telling
him his story one day, said, "When I first run away, I met some people who were dreadful afraid I could n't
take care of myself.
But thinks
I
to
myself
J
took care of master and myself too for a long spell
and
I
guess
I
can make out."
pression laughing don't look as
if
I
all
was
With a roguish
ex-
over his face, he added, "I suffering for a master
;
do
I,
Mr. Hopper?"
Though
slaveholders had abundant reason to dread
Isaac T. Hopper, as they would a blister of Spanish (lies,
yet he had no hardness of feeling toward them,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. or even toward, kidnappers
hateful as he
;
the system, which produced
207
them
deemed
hoth.
In 1801, a sober industrious family of free colored people, living
Pennsylvania on the borders of
in
Maryland, were attacked
The
kidnappers.
by a band of
in the night
parents were aged,
and needed
Knowing them
the services of their children for support. that the object of the marauders off
and
them
sell
was
to carry
to slave speculators, the old father
defended them to the utmost of his power.
was wounded by a
struggle, he
pistol,
In the
and one of
his
daughters received a shot, which caused her death.
One
of the sons,
and bruised
till
who was very
ill
in bed,
was beaten But
he was covered with blood.
mangled and crippled as he was, he contrived to drag himself to a neighboring barn, and hide himunder the straw.
self
If
such lawless violence had been practised upon
any white
citizens, the
Executive of Pennsylvania
would have immediately offered a high reward the apprehension of the aggressors
;
for
but the victims
belonged to a despised caste, and nothing was done to
repair
their
Friend Hopper
wrongs.
felt
the
blood boil in his veins when he heard of this cruel :)utrage,
punished
he
said,
and ;
his first
wish was to have the offenders
but as soon as he had time to
"I cannot
find
it
in
my
reflect,
heart to urge this
subject upon the notice of the Executive; for death
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
208
would be the penalty
those wretches were con
if
victed."
There
w^ere
many
highly respectable individuals
among
the colored people of Philadelphia.
Allen,
who had been
Richard
a slave, purchased
freedom
He
married
own
with the proceeds of his
industry.
and established himself as a shoemaker in that city where he acquired considerable property, and built a
He was
three-story brick house. in
organizing the
in Philadelphia, his death,
congregation of colored people
first
and was their pastor to the day of
without asking or receiving any compen-
During the
sation.
the principal agent
latter part of his life,
he was
Bishop of their Methodist Episcopal Church.
salom Jones, a
it
respected colored man, was
when the yellow fever was was extremely difficult to procure at-
his colleague.
raging,
much
In 1793,
tendants for the sick on any terms
who would
Ab-
;
and the few
consent to render service, demanded ex-
orbitant prices.
But Bishop Allen and Rev. Mr.
Jones never hesitated to go wherever they could be useful
;
and with them the compensation was always
a secondary consideration. abated, the
mayor
sent
When the pestilence had
them a
certificate expressing
his approbation of their conduct.
But even these men, whose worth commanded respect, were not safe from the legalized curse that rests upon their hunted race.
A
Southern speculator arrested Bishop Allen,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
and claimed him as a fugitive
The
bought running. the warrant
"Mr.
spectful tone, to
fugitive,
Allen,
you
you 1
and
lator
knew
that
come down
"
;
and everybody
in
Richard Allen had been
more than twenty
living there
man
in a re-
they were seeking, had ab-
sconded only four years previous Philadelphia
said,
will soon
office, will
whom
he had
drag the good
to
and he merely
;
Alderman Todd's
The
whom
slave,
constable employed to serve
was ashamed
through the streets
209
Yet the specu-
years.
swore unblushingly that he was
his sons
the identical slave they had purchased.
Mr. Allen
thought he ought to have some redress for this outrage
;
"For," said he, "if
kindness of the
officer, I
it
had not been
for the
might have been dragged
through the streets like a felon." Isaac T. Hopper
commenced.
was
consulted, and a civil suit
Eight hundred dollars bail was de-
manded, and the speculator, being unable it,
was lodged
in the debtor's prison.
to procure
When
he had
been there three months, Mr. Allen caused him discharged
;
to
be
saying he did not wish to persecute the
man, but merely
him not
up
free
people again, ior the purpose of carrying them
into-
to teach
to take
slavery.
The numerous
!
instances of respectability
among
the colored people were doubtless to be attributed in part to the protecting influence extended over
them
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
210
by the Quakers. But even in those days, the Society of Friends were by no means all free from prejudice against color
and
;
in later times,
think they
I
have not proved themselves at all superior to other sects in their feelings and practice on this subject. Friend Hopper, Joseph Carpenter, and the few
wh
resemble them in this respect, are exceptions to th general character of modern Quakers, not the rule.
The following very characteristic anecdote shows how completely Isaac was free from prejudice on account of complexion.
a colored Quaker fervid
It is
an unusual thing to see
for the African
;
temperament
is
and impressible, and requires more exciting
David Maps and
forms of religion.
his wife, a
very
worthy couple, were the only colored members of the Yearly Meeting to which Isaac T. Hopper be-
On
longed.
the occasion of the annual gathering in
Philadelphia, they
Society to question
came with other members of the
share the hospitality of his house.
arose
in the
family whether
A
Friends of
white complexion w^ould object to eating with them.
"Leave hold.
that to me," said the master of the house-
Accordingly when the time arrived, he an-
nounced
it
thus: "Friends,
David Maps and I
like to
have
dining with
all
his wife will
dinner
come
is
w^ith
accommodated, those
them can wait
guests smiled, and
all
till
now
ready
me
and a
who
;
object to
they have done."
The
seated themselves at the table.
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
The
conscientiousness
211
observable
so
several
in
anecdotes of Isaac's boyhood was strikingly manifested in his treatment of a colored printer,
Kane.
This
man was
named
noted for his profane swearing.
Friend Hopper had expostulated with him concerning .this
One
bad
producing the least
habit, without
him
day, he encountered
forth a volley of terrible oaths,
effect.
in the street, pouring
enough
to
make one
Believing him incurable by gentler means,
shudder.
he took him before a magistrate,
who
fined
him
for
blasphemy.
He
did not see the
man
asrain for a Ions;
time
but
;
twenty years afterward, when he was standing his door,
Kane passed
touched
by
appearance
his
and poor.
feeble,
The
by.
He
;
Friend's heart for
he looked
remember me, and how swearing
I
"Dost thou
caused thee to be fined
" ?
"Yes, indeed
how many
old,
stepped out, shook hands
with him, and said in kindly tones,
for
at
was
I do,"
he replied.
"I remember
dollars I paid, as well as if
it
were but
yesterday."
" Did
it
do thee any good
;
" inquired
Friend Hop-
per.
"Never a
mad
to
have
bit,"
answered he.
my money
"It only
made me
taken from me."
The poor man was invited to walk into the house. The interest was calculated on the fine, and every
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
212
"I meant
cent repaid to him.
the benevolent Quaker
provoked thee."
;
" and
many
thy good," said
for
am
sorry that I only
Kane's countenance changed
once, and tears began to flow.
with
it
I
thanks, and
He
took the
at
money
was never again heard
to
swear.
Friend Hopper's benevolence was by no means
Wherever there was heart and hand were ready.
confined to colored people.
good
to be done, his
From
various anecdotes in proof of this, I select the
following.
^JOHN Mc GRIER. John was an yellow fever,
Irish orphan, wdiose parents died of
when he was very young.
He
obtain-
ed a scanty living by doing errands for cartmen. the year 1800, old, there
was
when he was about
a long period during
obtain
scarcely any
friends,
and
employment.
in a state of
extreme
In
fourteen years
which he could Being without
destitution,
he was
tempted to enter a shop and steal two dollars from the drawer.
He was
pursued and taken.
Isaac T.
Hopper, who was one of the inspectors of the prison
saw a crowd gathered, and went to inThe poor boy's history was soon Friend Hopper liked the expression of his
at that time,
quire the cause. told.
countenance, and pitied his forlorn condition.
he was brought up
for trial,
When
he accompanied him,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
and pleaded with the judge
neglected, and consequently he
than blamed.
said
if
he would
The judge granted in
him
tleman hesitated
way
his request,
for him.
boy bound
at first,
education and wild
all
pro-
He
to take charge of
way
He
on account of ;
till
Friend
proposed to his
to him.
of living
of tempta-
and John was
prison merely for a few days,
Hopper could provide father to have the
m
promise to place him in good
hands, where he would be out of the
placed
to be pitied
not utterly ruined.
if
the judge would allow
the lad, he would
tion.
urged
been entirely
was more
If sent to prison,
become hardened,
He
in his favor.
that the poor child's education had
bability
213
The
old gen-
his neglected
but pity for the
orphan overcame his scruples, and he agreed to take
John lived with him
him.
till
he was twenty-one
years of age, and was remarkably faithful and in-
But about two years after, a neighbor came one night to arrest him for stealing a horse. Old Mr. Hopper assured him it was not possible
dustrious.
John had done such a thing
that during
;
all
the time
he had lived in his family he had proved himself entirely honest
and trustworthy.
that his horse sold to
;
The neighbor replied
had been taken to Philadelphia and
and the ferryman from Woodbury was ready
swear that the animal was brought over by Hop-
per's John, as
bed, but
was
he was generally called. called
up
to
John was
in
answer the accusation
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
214
He
did not attempt to deny
made him do distressed.
He
come
him
to see
dreadfully
ashamed and
begged that Friend Isaac would not in prison, for
he could not look him
His anguish of mind was so great, that
the face.
when
He was
it.
money know what
but gave up the
it,
at once, and kept repeating that he did
the trial
came
on,
he was emaciated almost to into court
and
stated the adverse circumstances of his early
life,
Old Mr. Hopper w^ent
a skeleton.
and
his
exemplary conduct during nine years that he
had lived
He
in his family.
begged that he might
be fined instead of imprisoned, and offered to pay
The
the fine himself. the kind old
man
proposition
was accepted, and
took the culprit home.
This lenient treatment completely subdued the last vestige of evil habits acquired in childhood.
was humble and
steady and industrious. propriety
He
grateful in the extreme, and always
ever afterward,
He
conducted with great
and established such a
character for honesty, that the neighbors far and
wide trusted him
to carry their
produce to market,
receiving a small commission for his trouble.
Even-
own a small house and farm, where he lived in much comfort and respectability. He always looked up to Isaac as the friend who had tually,
he came to
early raised
him from a downward and
slippery path
;
and he was never weary of manifesting gratitude by every
little
attention he could devise.
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
216
LEVI BUTLER, Some one having told Friend Hopper of an apwho was cruelly treated, he caused investigation to be made, and took the lad under his own protection. As he was much bent upon going to prentice
he was placed
sea,
for sailors,
till
One
to gratify his inchnation.
employ of
this
boarding-house
in a respectable
a fitting opportunity could be found
day,
man
a
boarding-house brought a
He was
paid for the lad.
in the
to
bill
be
very ragged, but his man-
ners were those of a gentleman, and his conversation
showed that he had been
w^ell
His ap-
educated.
pearance excited interest in Friend Hopper's mind,
and he inquired into
was Levi Butler tion,
;
his history.
He
that he w^as of
said his
German
and had been a wealthy merchant
of the firm of Butler and Magruder.
name
extrac-
in Baltimore,
He
married a
wddow, who had considerable property, and several After her death, he failed in business, and
children.
gave up
all
his
own
property, but took the precau-
tion to secure all her property to her children.
creditors
pel
him
were angry, and
to
pay them with
mprisoned a long time. lature for release,
the case
His
ways to commoney. He was
tried various his wife's
He
petitioned
the Legis-
and the committee before
was brought made a report
in
his
whom favor,
highly applauding his integrity in not involving his
216
own
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. affairs
children,
with the property belonging to his wife's
who had been
Po-
intrusted to his care.
verty and persecution had broken
down
his spirits,
and when he was discharged from prison he
left
Bal-
timore and tried to obtain a situation as clerk in
He
Philadelphia.
ployment.
His clothes became thread-bare, and he
had no money tion,
did not succeed in procuring em-
new
to purchase a
some people
ment treated him state of despair
to
whom
as if he
In this situa-
suit.
he applied for employ-
were an impostor.
But when he had put some heavy stones to
make him
calling to
sink rapidly, he
him
tions,
went
to forbear
seemed
hurried
and passing by a
sailor's
him.
in his
away
to avoid ques-
boarding-house, he
and offered to wait upon the boarders
in
pocket
to hear a voice
and looking up, he saw a
;
He
man watching
In a
he went one day to drown himself.
for his
They took him upon those terms and the gentleman who had been accustomed to ride in his own carriage, and be waited upon by servants, now roasted oysters and went of errands for common seamen. He was in this forlorn situation, when accifood.
;
dent introduced him to Friend Hopper's notice.
immediately furnished him with a clothes thin.
;
for the
weather was
He employed him
to
cold,
suit
and
his
of
He warm
garments
post up his account-
books, and fmding that he did
it
in a
very perfect
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
217
manner, he induced several of his friends to employ
him
in a similar
A
way.
brighter day
was dawning
for the unfortunate
man, and perhaps he might have attained independence,
table
if his
to comfor-
health had not
failed.
But he had taken severe colds by thin clothing and
A
exposure to inclement weather.
rapid consump-
came on, and he was soon entirely unable to work. Under these circumstances, the best Friend Hopper could do for him was to secure peculiar privileges at the alms-house, and surround him with all tion
the
little
him very
visited
and
comforts that help to alleviate
his
often,
until the
sympathy and kind
illness.
day of
attentions
his
He
death,
were always
received with heartfelt gratitude.
THE MUSICAL One day when
BOY.
Friend Hopper visited the prison,
he found a dark-eyed lad with a very bright expressive
His right
countenance
that the
arm hung down
intelligent face,
side
useless.
was
palsied,
so
Attracted by his
he entered into conversation with
him, and found that he had been palsied from infancy.
He had
been sent forth friendless into the world
rom an alms-house
in
Maryland.
In Philadelphia,
he had been committed to prison as a vagrant, because he drew crowds about him in the street by his
wonderful talent of imitating a hand-organ, merely 10
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
218
by whistling tunes through his fingers. Friend Hopwho had imbibed the Quaker idea that music
per,
was a
useless and frivolous pursuit, said to the boy,
"Didst thou not know time in that
was wrong
it
manner
idle
to
spend thy
?"
With ready frankness the young prisoner replied, "No, I did not; and I should like to hear how you can prove it to be wrong. God has given you sound
my
Half of
Umbs.
possible for
me
to
body
work
God to give me a harm with it. It gives ed
ers,
my
and enables bread.
wherein
it is
I
me
is
paralyzed, an-d
as others do.
It
for music.
talent
it is
im-
has pleas-
do no
I
pleasure to myself and oth-
to gain a
should like to
few coppers
to
buy
have you show me
wrong."
Without attempting
to
do
Friend Hopper sug-
so,
gested that perhaps he had been committed to prison
on account of producing noise and confusion in the streets.
"I make no
please people by
me
rejoined the youth.
riot,"
my
tunes
begin to be noisy,
;
and
I quietly
if
"I
try to
the crowd around
walk
off."
Struck with the good sense and sincerity of these "
Thou
answers. Friend Hopper said to the
jailor,
mayest
be responsible
set this lad at liberty.
I will
for it."
The and
jailer relying
his intimacy
on
his
well-known character,
with Robert Wharton, the mayor,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
219
did not hesitate to comply with his request.
moment,
the
mayor himself came
in
At that and
sight,
Friend Hopper said to the lad, " Step into the next
room, and play some of thy best tunes
"What's crot
this?" said Mr.
a hand-organ here
"Have you
Wharton.
!"
"Yes," replied Friend Hopper; " and it
to thee.
At
It is
the
first,
come."
I
till
I will
show
quite curious."
mayor could not
believe
the
that
sounds he had heard were produced by a lad merely
He
whistling through his fingers.
thought them
highly agreeable, and asked to have the tunes repeated.
"The oflTence
lad
was committed
to prison for
no other
than making that noise, which seems to thee
so pleasant," said Friend
w^ouldst like to
make
it
Hopper.
"I dare say thou
thyself, if
thou could st.
I
have taken the liberty to discharge him."
"Very
well," rejoined the mayor, with a smile.
"You have done may go, my lad.
quite right. I shall
Friend Isaac.
You
But try
not trouble you.
not to collect crowds about the streets."
"That
I
crowds will come, when get coppers
you
by
I will try to
fusion."
"The
cannot help," replied the youth. I whistle for
collecting crowds.
them
But
I
;
and
I
promise
avoid their making any riot or con-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
220
MARY NORRIS. A
woman, named Mary Norris was
stout healthy
continually taken up as a vagrant, or committed for
was discharged from the penalty of one misdemeanor, she was committed One day, Friend Hopper, who was" for another. As soon
petty larceny.
as she
then inspector, said to her, "Well, Mary, thy time is
Dost thou think thou shalt come
out next week.
back again?" "Yes," she replied sullenly.
"Dost thou
"Why better
?
come back?"
like to
"No, to be sure "But I've no doubt month is out."
I
inquired he.
don't," rejoined the prisoner. I shall
make
dost thou not
come back
before the
a resolution to behave
" said the kindly inspector.
"What
use would
would
n't
take
would
n't
take
me me
it
into
be?" she
The
your family.
into his family.
"You
replied.
No
doctor
respectable
person would have anything to do with me. associates inust here.
If
whether
be such acquaintances as
they
steal, I
am
guilty
I
again.
make
am taken up for it no matter or not. I am an old convict, ;
and nobody believes what
come back
I
My
To
I
say.
be sure
O, yes, I shall
I shall
come back,"
she repeated bitterly.
Her
voice and
manner excited Friend Hopper's
LIFE OF ISAAC
HOPPER.
T.
221
compassion, and he thus addressed her: "If get a place for thee
where they
in
I will
some respectable family
me
will be kind to thee, wilt thou give
thy word that thou wilt be honest and steady, and try to do thy duty."
Her countenance wered, "Yes
brightened, and she eagerly an-
I loill!
And thank God and you
too,
the longest day I have to live."
He
exerted his influence in her behalf, and pro-
cured a situation for her as head-nurse at the almshouse.
She was well contented
with great propriety.
there,
and behaved
Seventeen years afterward,
when Friend Hopper had
not seen her for a long
time, he called to inquire about her, and
formed that during
all
see
him
for the quiet
in-
those years, she had been an
honest, sober, and useful vroman. to
was
She
w^as rejoiced
again, and expressed lively gratitude,
and comfortable
life
she enjoyed through
his agency.
THE MAGDALEN. Upon one
occasion. Friend
plaint against
an old woman,
an infamous house for
many
Hopper entered a com-
who had years.
presided over
She was
tried,
He
and sentenced to several months imprisonment. went to see her several times, and talked very riously with her concerning the errors of her
se-
life.
Finding that his expostulations made some impres-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
222 sion,
he asked
"Oh,
I
she
if
"But who would an honest living?
game
felt
!" she exclaimed.
can
I
do to earn
Everybody curses me,
How can
of me.
it
What
me ?
trust
amend her ways.
willing to
should be thankful to do
I
or
be a better w^oman,
makes try
if I
ever so hard?"
"I
will give thee a
replied;
"and
if
chance to amend thy
thou dost not,
it
life,"
shall be thy
he
own
fault."
He by
went round among the wealthy Quakers, and
dint of great persuasion
he induced one to
a small tenement at very low rent.
A
her
let
few others
agreed to purchase some humble furniture, and a quantity of thread, needles, tape, furnish a small shop.
The poor
overflowed with gratitude, and
and buttons, to
old creature's heart it
was her pride to There she
keep everything very neat and orderly. lived contented
and comfortable the remainder of her
became much respected in the neighborThe tears often came to her eyes when she
days, and
hood.
"God "He has
saw Friend Hopper. she would
say.
bless that
good man!"
been the salvation
of
me."
THE UNCOMPLIMENTARY A
INVITATION.
preacher of the Society of Friends
felt
im-
pressed with the duty of calling a meeting for vicious
people
;
and Isaac T. Hopper was appointed to
col-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. lect
an audience.
knocked
at the
223
In the course of this mission, he
A
door of a very infamous house.
gentleman who was acquainted with him was passing by, and he stopped to say, "Friend Hopper,
you
have mistaken the house."
"No,
I
"But
that
have not," he rephed. is
a house of notorious
ill
fame," said
the gentleman.
"I know
rejoined he;
it,"
"but nevertheless
I
have business here." His acquaintance looked surprised, but passed on
A
without further query. door.
To
the
colored
came
girl
inquiry whether her mistress
within, she answered in the affirmative. I
to the
wash to see her," said Friend Hopper.
was evidently astonished
A
The
girl
at a visitor in Qucd?:er cos-
tume, and of such grave demeanor
and did the errand.
was
"Tell her
;
but she went
message was returned that
her mistress w^as engaged and could not see any one.
"Where
is
she ?" he inquired.
she was up-stairs.
"I
will
The
girl replied that
go to her," said the im-
portunate messenger.
The
mistress of the house heard him, and leaning
over the balustrade of the
"What
stairs,
she screamed out,
do you want with me, sir?"
In very loud tones he answered,
"James Simpson,
a minister of the Society of Friends, has appointed
a meeting
to be held this afternoon, in
Penrose
store,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
224
Almond-street.
It is
intended for publicans, sinners,
and harlots. I want thee to be there, and bring thy whole household with thee. Wilt thou come ?" She promised that she would and he afterward ;
saw her rect
meeting melted into tears by the
at the
di-
and affectionate preaching.
THEFT FROM NECESSITY. One
day,
washing, a
buy soap
A
sell.
when
man
fat,
called at Isaac T. Hopper's house to
and was informed they had none
to
minute after he had passed out, the domes-
came running
tic
the family were in the midst of
in to
say that he had stolen some
Friend Hop-
of the children's clothes from the line.
per followed him quickly, and called out, "Dost thou
want to buy some soap-fat
Come back
?
if
thou
dost."
When the man had returned to the kitchen, he said, "Now give up the clothes thou hast stolen." The that he
culprit
" Give It will
was extremely confused, but denied *
had stolen anything. be
them up
much
in his firm
at once,
without any more words.
better for thee," said Friend Hopper,
way.
Thus urged, the stranger drew from gome small shirts and flannel petticoats. is
very sick," said he.
old,
wrapped up
in
"
his
bosom
"My
wife
She has a babe two weeks
an old rag
;
and when
I
saw
this
I
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
comfortable clothing on the take
it
except a food It
line,
A herring
in the
I
house
;
is
was tempted
We
creature.
little
tan.
little
we have
was
poor
for the
225 to
have no fuel
the last mouthful of
and when
came away,
I
broiling on the hot tan."
His story excited pity
made up
to a magistrate
and
mitment
for this
will tear
it
When
but fearing
;
up.
man.
he arrived
"Please give
said,
I will
If
he
tells
go and see
at the
it
might be
Friend Hopper took him
for the occasion,
me
a com-
a true story,
I
for myself."
wretched abode, he found
a scene of misery that pained him to the heart.
The room was and
suffering.
cold,
and the wife was
Her babe had no
in bed, pale
clothing, except a
coarse rag torn from the skirt of an old coat.
Of
course he destroyed the commitment immediately.
His next step was his acquaintance,
to call
upon the rich Quakers of
and obtain from them contributions
of wood, flour, rice, bread, and
ployment was soon he was enabled
He
warm garments. Em-
after procured for the
to support his
man, and
family comfortably.
never passed Friend Hopper in the street without
making a low bow, and
often took occasion to ex-
press his grateful acknowledgments.
,
PATRICK Mc KEEVER. Patrick was a poor Irishman in Philadelphia.
and another
man were 10*
He
arrested on a charge of burgla-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
226 ry,
/
convicted and sentenced to be hung.
rant of the details of his crime, or
why
I
am
igno-
the sentence
was not carried into execution. There were probably some palhating circumstances in his case for though he was carried to the gallows, seated on his coffin, he w^as spared for some reason, and his companion was hung. He was afterward sentenced to ten ;
years imprisonment, and this was eventually short-
ened one year.
During the
last three
years of his
Hopper was one of the inspectors, and frequently talked with him in a gentle, fatherly manner. The convict was a man of few words, and term, Friend
hope seemed almost dead within him
made no
large promises, his
;
heart
touched by the voice of kindness.
was released, he went immediately
but though he w^as
evidently
As soon to work
as
he
at his
trade of tanning leather, and conducted himself in
the most exemplary manner. capability, plish,
Being remarkable
for
and the amount of work he could accom-
he soon had plenty of employment.
He
pass-
ed Friend Hopper's house every day, as he went to his
work, and often received from him words of
friendly encouragement.
Things were going on thus
satisfactorily,
his friend heard that constables
were
when
in pursuit
of
him, on account of a robbery committed the night before.
He went
straight to the
mayor, and inquired
LIFE OF ISAAC
why
orders
T.
had been given
HOPPER.
227
arrest Patrick
to
Mc-
Keever. *'
Because there has been a robbery committed
his neighborhood,"
He
rephed the magistrate.
inquired what proof there
had been concerned
"None
at
all,"
in
"It
is
that Patrick
"But he is^ condemn him."
rejoined the mayor.
not enough,
"Thou
was
it.
an old convict, and that
Hopper.
enough
is
to
by any means," answered Friend
hast no right to arrest any citizen
without a shadow of proof against him.
by
case, I advise thee
mane
This
caution.
all
form,' his past history
He
means
man
the crime he did commit
against him.
to
In this
proceed with hu-
has severely atoned for
and since he wishes
;
to re-
ought never to be mentioned
has been perfectly honest, sober,
and industrious, since he came out of prison. think
I
know
in
his state of
mind
;
and
I
am
take the responsibility of saying that he
I
willing to
is
guiltless
in this matter."
The mayor commended Friend Hopper's volence, but remained unconvinced.
ments he
replied,
"He
is
To
all
benearo-u-
an old convict, and that
is
enough." Patrick's kind friend watched for to his daily labors,
him
as he passed
and told him that he would pro-
bably be arrested for the robbery that had been committed in his neighborhood.
The poor
fellow
bowed
228
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
down
hght vanished from his counte-
his head, the
nance, and hope seemed to have forsaken him utter-
"Well," said he,
ly.
I
my mind
must make up
my
a deep sigh, "I suppose
v^^ith
spend the remainder of
to
days in prison."
"Thou wert thou
not concerned in this robbery, wert
inquired Friend Hopper, looking earnestly in
?"
his face.
•
" No, indeed witness,
I
want
peace with
me ?
was
I
to lead an honest
Everybody
Prison, and that
will say,
is
God be my and be
life,
But what good
men.
all
"
not," he replied.
will
he has been
that
at
do
State
in the
enough."
His friend did not ask him twice
he
for
;
He
sured that he had spoken truly.
felt
as-
advised him to
go directly to the mayor, deliver himself up, and declare
his
This wholesome advice was
innocence.
He had
received with deep dejection. his
fellow-men
;
they had been to him as ene-
for
mies.
"I know w^hat
"
will put
They
me
come
will
in prison
proof against me, or not.
of
"Keep up
"Go
to the
it,"
They
an old convict
w^on't
let
me
;
he.
is
any
me
out
and who
?"
a good heart," replied Friend
mayor and speak
said
whether there
without somebody will be security for will be security for
lost faith in
Hopper
as I have advised thee.
If they talk of putting thee in prison, send for
me."
Patrick acted in obedience to this advice, and was
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
229
Though
treated just as he had expected.
there
was
not a shadow of proof against him, his being an old convict
was deemed
sufficient reason for
sending him
to jail.
"I am
Friend Hopper appeared in his behalf.
ready to affirm that I believe this man to be inno " It will be a very serious injury foi cent," said he.
him
to
be taken from his business and detained
prison until this can be proved.
upon
his
mind may be completely discouraging.
will be security for his
and
I
know very
ing
me
the slip."
The ing.
when
appearance
gratitude of the poor fellow
He
sobbed
For
discovered.
till
;
for
his strong
The
called for
;
was overwhelm-
frame shook hke a
real culprits w^ere soon after
thirty years after
his death, Patrick life
I
well that he will not think of giv-
leaf in the wind.
useful
in
Moreover, the effect
and
to the
day of
continued to lead a virtuous and
which he always thanked Friend
Hopper, as the instrument of Divine Providence.
THE UMBRELLA A young
girl,
GIRL.
the only daughter of a poor widow,
removed from the country
to Philadelphia to
earn
her living by covering umbrellas.
She was very
handsome
large beaming
;
with glossy black
eyes, and "lips like that susceptible age
wet
hair,
She was
coral."
when youth
is
just at
ripening into wo-
290
LIFE OF ISAAC
HOPPER.
T.
manhood, when the soul begins
be pervaded by
to
"that restless principle, which impels poor humans to seek perfection in union."
At a hotel near the
store for
which she worked an
English traveller, called Lord Henry Stuart, had tak-
He was
en lodgings.
a strikingly
and df princely carriage.
handsome man,
As this distinguished stran-
ger passed to and from his hotel, he encountered the
umbrella
girl,
beauty.
He
and was attracted by her uncommon easily traced her to the store,
soon after went to purchase an umbrella.
where he This was
followed up by presents of flowers, chats by the w^ayall of which side, and invitations to walk or ride were gratefully accepted by the unsuspecting rustic ;
;
for she
was
were the
as ignorant of the dangers of a city as
of her native
squirrels
merely playing a game She, with a head
full
for
He was
fields.
temporary excitement.
of romance, and a heart melt-
ing under the influence of love, was. unconsciously
endangering the happiness of her whole
Lord Henry invited her on the Fourth of July.
life.
to visit the public
In
gardens
the simplicity of her
heart, she believed all his flattering professions,
considered herself his bride elect
;
But
cepted the invitation with innocent frankness. she had no dress casion, with
a
fit
to appear in
and
she therefore ac-
on such a public oc-
gentleman of high rank,
whom
verily supposed to be her destined husband.
she
While
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
231
these thoughts revolved in her mind, her eye
was un-
fortunately attracted by a beautiful piece of
silk,
longing to her employer.
be-
Could she not take
it,
without being seen, and pay for it secretly, when she had earned money enough? The temptation conquered her in a
ed the the
first
was
moment
of weakness.
and conveyed
silk,
it
She conceal-
to her lodgings.
It
was
thing she had ever stolen, and her remorse
She would have carried it back, but She was not sure that her repentance would be met in a spirit of forgiveness. painful.
she dreaded discovery.
On the eventful Fourth of July, she came out in new dress. Lord Henry complimented her upon
her
her elegant appearance, but she was not happy. their
way
to the gardens,
he talked to her
in a
On man-
ner which she did not comprehend. Perceiving this, he spoke more exphcitly. The guileless young creature stopped, looked in his face with mournful reproach, and burst into tears. The nobleman took
her hand kindl}^, and said,
nocent
"I am,
I
am," she
"Oh, what have isk
me
"My
dear, are
you an
in-
girl ?"
replied,
with convulsive sobs.
ever done, or said, that you should such a question ?" I
The evident sincerity of her words stirred the deep fountains of his better nature. "If you are innocent," said he,
you otherwise.
"God
forbid that I should
But you accepted
my
make
invitations
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
232
and presents so
readily, that I
supposed you under-
stood me."
''What could that
Though
understand," said
I
you intended
to
make me your
"except
she,
wife ?"
reared amid the proudest distinctions of
no inclination to smile.
rank, he
felt
and was
silent.
The
He
blushed
heartless conventionalities ol
the world stood rebuked in the presence of affectionate
simplicity.
He
conveyed her to her humble
home, and bade her farewell, with a thankful consciousness that he had done no irretrievable injury to
her
future
prospects.
would soon be
to
him
With
year's butterflies.
The remembrance
of her
as the recollection
of last
her, the
wound was
deep.
In the solitude of her chamber she wxpt in bitter-
ness of heart over her ruined air-castles. dress,
which she had stolen
befittin*^ his bride
covered
!'
that
make an appearance
to
Oh, what
And would
?
And
if
she should be dis-
not the heart of her poor wi-
dowed mother break, if she should ever know her child was a thief?
that
Alas, her wretched forebodings proved too true.
The way
silk
was traced
to the store
refused
all
the fourth
to her
;
she was arrested on her
and dragged to prison.
There she
nourishment, and wept incessantly. clay,
the keeper
called
On
upon Isaac T.
Hopper, and informed him that there was a young girl in prison,
who appeared
to be utterly friendless,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
and determined
to die
233
by starvation.
The kindhearted Friend immediately went to her assistance. He found her lying on the floor of her cell, with her face buried in her hands, sobbing as if her heart would break. He tried to comfort her, but could Obtain no answer. "Leave
us alone," said he to the keeper
haps she will .speak to me, When they were alone
if
there
is
no one
"Per to hear "
together, he put back the
hau- from her temples, laid his hand kindly on her beautiful head, and said in soothing tones, child consider me as
"My
thy father.
hast done. all
about
It.
Tell
me
all
thou
If ,hou hast taken this silk, let me know I will do for thee as I would for
my
own daughter
;
and
I
out of this difficulty."
doubt not that I can help thee
After a long time spent in affectionate entreaty Mie leaned her young
head on
and sobbed will
my
grace
out,
"Oh,
I
wish
poor mother say
when
?"
his friendly shoulder' I
was dead. Whai knows of my dis
she
•'
"Perhaps we can manage that she never shall It rephed he. Alluring her by this hope, he
know
'
gradually
obtained from her the whole story of her acquamtance with the nobleman. He bade her be comforted, and take nourishment; for he would see that the silk was paid for, and the prosecution with-
drawn.
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
234
He went him the
"The
girl is
poor widow. false step, ful
immediately to her employer, and told
"This
story.
is
her
young, and she
is
the only child of a
Give her a chance to retrieve
may
and she
girl, if
"Thou
see that thou art
I will
The man
draw the prosecution, and otherwise by the
readily agreed to with-
would have
said he
he had known
all
is
dealt
the
cir-
shouldst have inquired into the
merits of the case," replied Friend Hopper. this
one
this
be restored to society, a use-
and honored woman.
paid for the silk."
cumstances.
offence," said he.
first
kind of thoughtlessness,
many
driven into the dow-nward path,
a
"By
young creature
who might
easily
have been saved."
The tel,
for
kind-hearted
man
next proceeded to the ho-
and with Quaker simplicity of speech inquired
Henry
had not yet
Stuart. risen.
The
servant said his
"Tell him
my
portance," said Friend Hopper.
business
The
lordship is
of im-
servant soon
returned and conducted him to the chamber.
The
nobleman appeared surprised that a stranger,
in the
plain
Quaker costume, should thus intrude upon
luxurious privacy.
When
his
he heard his errand, he
blushed deeply, and frankly admitted the truth of the girl's
statement.
His benevolent
visitor
took the op-
portunity to "bear a testimony" against the selfish-
ness and sin of profligacy.
Fie did
it
in
such a kind
and fatherly manner, that the young man's heart was
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
235
He excused himself, by saying that he would not have tampered with the girl, if he had known her to be virtuous. "I have done many touched.
wrong
"but thank God, no betrayal
things," said he,
my
of confiding innocence weighs on
have always esteemed is
it
The imprisonment
capable."
conscience.
the basest act of which
I
man
of the poor girl, and
the forlorn situation in which she had been found,
him
distressed
When
greatly.
Friend Hopper re-
presented that the silk had been stolen for his sake, that the girl
had thereby
lost profitable
and was obliged to return
employment,
to her distant
home, to
avoid the danger of exposure, he took out a
and offered
lar note,
"Nay," I
I see in
She
is
to
fifty dol-
pay her expenses.
"Thou
said Isaac.
presume.
notes.
it
art a
very rich man,
thy hand a large
of such
roll
the daughter of a poor widov/, and
thou hast been the means of doing her great injury.
Give
me
another."
Lord Henry handed him another and smiled as he ness well.
treat
it.
I will
you
like a
If
you ever
visit
nobly.
to
blame
I
note,
busi-
reve-
England, come to
give you a cordial welcome, and
nobleman."
"Farewell, friend," replied the
much
fifty dollar
"You understand your
But you have acted nobly, and
rence you for see me.
said,
in this affair,
Quaker.
"
Though
thou too hast behav^ed
Mayst thou be blessed
in
domestic
life,
and
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
236
no more with the feelings of poor girls not even with those whom others have betrayed and de-
trifle
;
serted."
When
the girl was arrested, she had sufficient pre-
sence of mind to assume a false name, and by that
means, her true name had been kept out of the newspapers.
did this," said she, "for
*'I
my
poor mo-
money given by Lord Stuart, she was sent home to her and paid for, was the silk mother well provided with clothing. Her name and
ther's sake."
With
the
place of residence forever remained a secret in the breast of her benefactor.
Years after these events transpired, a lady called at
Friend Hopper's house, and asked to see him.
When
he entered the room, he found a handsomely
dressed young matron, with a blooming boy of five or six years old.
She rose quickly
to
meet him, and
her voice choked as she said, "Friend Hopper, do
you know me
?"
He
"You once
helped
me when
the good missionary
many more
in distress, to
She
replied that he did not.
upon him, and
said,
in great distress."
But
fixed her tearful eyes earnestly
of humanity had helped too
be able to recollect her without
precise information.
With a tremulous
voice,
she bade her son go into the next room for a few mi-
nutes
;
then dropping on her knees, she hid her face
in his lap,
and sobbed out, "I
am
the girl
who
stole
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. the
silk.
been
for
When told
him
Oh, where should
you
now
be, if
it
had not
!"
her emotion was somewhat calmed,
she
had married a highly respectable
that she
man, a senator of in
I
237
his native
Being on a
state.
visit
Friend Hopper's vicinity, she had again and again
passed his dwelling, looking wistfully at the windows to catch a sight of
him
;
but
when she attempted
to
enter her courage failed.
"But I must return home to-morrow," said she, "and I could not ^o away without once more seeing and thanking him who saved me from rain." She recalled her little boy, and said to him, " Look at that gentleman, and remember him well for he was the best friend your mother ever had." With an ;
earnest invitation to visit her happy home, and a fer-
vent "
God
bless
you
!"
she bade her benefactor fare-
well.
THE TWO YOUNG OFFENDERS. In the neighborhood of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, there lived a
man whose temper was
badly governed.
vindictive and
Having become deeply offended
w4th one of his neighbors, he induced his two sons to
swear falsely that he had committed an infamous
crime.
One
of the lads
and the other
was about
about seventeen.
fifteen
The
fence was of so gross a nature, and
was
years old,
alleged
of-
so at vari-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
238
ance with the
character of the person accused
fair
were subjected
that the witnesses
and shrewd examination. and the flaws
ed,
to a very careful
They became
embarrass-
were very obvi-
in their evidence
They were indicted for conspiracy against an and being taken by surprise, they innocent man ous.
;
were thrown into
confusion,
and declined the
guiltj
acknowledged
thei..
They were
offer of a trial.
sentenced to two years' imprisonment at hard labor in the Penitentiary of Philadelphia.
Isaac T. Hopper, Avho was at that time one of the
happened
inspectors,
to
be
at the prison
when they
arrived at dusk, hand-cuffed and chained together, in
custody of the
appearance
good heart,
sheriff.
excited
my
It is still in
effort.
and useful men.
He
his compassion.
poor lads," said he.
trieve this one false
ble
Their youth and desolate
step, if
you
will
"Keep up a "You can rebut make the
your power to become respectaI will
help you
all I
can."
gave particular directions that they should be
placed in a tagion of profitable
ployed
room by themselves, apart from
more hardened
offenders.
To
the con-
prevent un-
conversation, they were constantly
in
From time
em-
the noisy occupation of heading nails. to time,
the
humane
inspector
spoke
soothing and encouraging words to them, and com-
mended
their
good behavior.
When
the Board of
Inspectors met, he proposed that the lads should be
LIFE OP ISAAC T. HOPPER.
recommended propriety
of confining juvenile
papers, and
it
He
on the governor,
to wait
obtain a pardon for the lads
possible.
if
siderable hesitation, the request
such persons
them was bound But
to
After con-
was granted on con
worthy men could be found, who w^ould
take them as apprentices.
ter.
When
effect.
Hopper and Thomas
the Board again met, Isaac T.
find
offenders with old
published this in the daily
produced considerable
Dobson were appointed
dition that
suc-
he wrote an article on the im-
effort,
hardened convicts.
Not
governor for pardon.
to the
ceeding in this
239
Friend Hopper agreed to
and he kept
;
his word.
One
of
other to a carpen-
to a tanner, the
their excellent friend did not lose sight of
them.
He
among
strangers,
reminded them that they were now going
and their success and happiness
would' mainly depend on their
begged of them,
if
own
conduct.
He
they should ever get entangled
with unprofitable company, or become involved in difficulty of
any land,
come
to
He
to a considerate father. all their leisure
time,
it
was
to him, as they
invited
them
evenings at his house.
would
to spend
For a long
their constant practice to take tea with
him every Sunday, and
join the family in reading
the Bible and other serious books.
At the end of a year, they expressed a strong deSome fears were enter-
sire to visit their father.
tained lest his influence over
them should prove
in-
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
240 jurious
and that
;
l)eing
once freed from
restraint,
they would not wilUngly return to constant industry
and regular fully that
habits.
They, however, promised
faith-
they would, and Friend Hopper thought
might have a good they were trusted.
effect
He
upon them
to
know
it
that
accordingly entered into
them thinking this additional claim on their gratitude would strengthen his influence over them, and help to confirm their good resolutions. They returned punctually at the day and hour bonds
for
;
they had promised, and their exemplary conduct continued to give entire satisfaction to their employ-
A
ers.
short time after the oldest
had
his indenture, the tanner
term of
worked bought a farm, and to his former apprentice.
whom
stock and
sold his
the
fulfilled
with
he
tools
Friend Hopper took him
to the governor's house, dressed in his
new
suit of
freedom clothes, and introduced him as one of the lads
whom
he had pardoned several years before
testifying that
much
he had been a
respected by
faithful apprentice,
and
The governor
w^as
his master.
well pleased to see him, shook hands with cordially,
enough
him very
and told him that he who was resolute
to turn
back from vicious
w^ays,
into the
paths of virtue and usefulness, deserved even more respect than one
He
who had never been
tempted.
afterward married a worthy young
woman
with a small property, which enabled him to build a
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
He
neat two-story brick house.
241
always remained
sober and industrious, and they hved in great comfort
and respectability.
The younger
brother likewise passed through his
manner very
apprenticeship in a friends
;
and
at
satisfactory to his
twenty-one years of age, he also was
introduced to the governor with testimonials of his
He was united to a very respectable young woman, but died a few years after his margood conduct. riage.
Both these young men always cherished gratitude and strong attachment per.
They
^r
warm
Isaac T. Hop-
both regularly attended the meetings of
the Society of Friends, which had
become pleasantly
associated in their minds with the good influences
they had received from their benefactor. Friend Hopper was a
was
inspector,
and
it
strict
disciphnarian while he
w^as extremely difficult for the
him by any artful devices, or hypocritical pretences. But he was always in the habit of talking with them in friendly style, inquiring into
prisoners to deceive
their
and plans, sympathizing with
history
their
troubles and temptations, encouraging them to
form, and promising to assist to help themselves.
ramble
in the
It
was
them his
if
re-
they would try
custom
to take a
country with his children every Satur-
day afternoon.
All w^ho were old enough to walk
joined the troop. 11
They always
stopped at the prison,
242
LIFE OF ISAAC
and were well pleased with their
own
.their father
accustomed convicts,
whom
HOPPER.
T.
to deliver to the poor inmates,
small hands, such
had provided
comforts as
little
He was
for the purpose.
to say that there
was not one among the
however desperate they might
with
be,
he should be afraid to trust himself alone at
midnight with large sums of money in his pocket.
An
acquaintance once cautioned him against a
soner,
whose temper was extremely
vengeful, and
who had been heard
would take the
life
of
desperate fellow, and told him he
with him to hold the
light,
Soon
summoned
was wanted
a quantity of lumber in the cellar.
re-
swear that he
some of the keepers.
Friend Hopper
after this warning,
and
violent
to
pri-
the
to pile
He went down
and they remained more
than an hour alone together, out of hearing of everybody.
When
he told
this to the
man who had
cau-
tioned him, he replied, "Well, I confess you have
good courage. price of the
upon
;
"I
for I
I
would
prison and
n't all
do assure you he
have done the ground is
stands
a terrible fellow."
"but
I
knew he would
n't
kill
have always been a friend to him, and he it.
it
don't doubt he is," rejoined the courageous
inspector;
of
for the
it
What
is
7nc.
I
aware
motive could he have for harming
me?" One
of the prisoners,
who had been
convicted of
man-slaughter, became furious, in consequence of
'I
I
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
When
being threatened with a whipping.
tempted to bring him out of
243
dungeon
his
they
at-
to receive
punishment, he seized a knife and a club, rushed
back again, and swore he would
who came
near him.
in a state of
They
the
kill
first
person
Being a very strong man, and
madness, no one dared to approach him.
tried to starve
him
into submission
;
but finding
he was not to be subdued in that way, they sent for Friend Hopper, as they w^ere accustomed to do such
all
the
and
cell,
difficult
emergencies.
He went
boldly into
looked the desperado calmly in the face,
said, " It is foolish for thee to
authorities. I will
in
Thou
contend with the
wilt be compelled to yield at last.
inquire into thy case.
justly dealt by, I promise thee
If
thou hast been un-
it
shall be remedied."
This kind and sensible remonstrance had the des/red effect.
From
that time forward, he had great in-
fluence over the ferocious fellow, willing to be guided
by
his advice,
who was always
and
finally
became
one of the most reasonable and orderly inmates of the prison. I have heard Friend Hopper say that wiiile he was inspector he aided and encouraged about fifty young convicts, as n'early as he could recollect and all, except two, conducted in such a manner as to ;
satisfy the respectable citizens
to
employ them.
He was
whom
he had induced
a shrewd observer of the
countenances and manners of men, and doubtless
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
244 that
was one reason why he was not
pointed
The
in
often clisap
those he trusted.
humor
which characterized
remained with him
in
his
boyhood,
maturer years, and often
fervesced on the surface of his acquired gravity
appear
will
Upon a due
in the
man
called on
settle.
leisure.
it
and attend to
The man
and was willing to give a receipt
mind
sum were advanced. This would pay nothing
the papers of the deceased.
away,
as soon
six dol-
for the
whole
proposition excited
and the administrator decided
that he
among
it
and stated that he had need of
lars,
suspicion,
it
called again a short
after,
that
him with
Friend Hopper put
time
if
as
twenty dollars against an estate he had
saying he would examine
he had
ef-
following anecdotes.
a certain occasion, a
bill for
been employed to
as
;
till
in his
own
he had examined
Searching carefully
these, he found a receipt for the
money, men-
tioning the identical items, date, and circumstances
of the transaction
given and tor
when
lost,
;
stating that a due-bill had been
and was to be restored ^by the credi-
found.
When
the
payment, Isaac said to him, Jones,
He
I
man
called
in a quiet
understand thou hast become pious lately."
rephed
in
a solemn tone,
"Yes, thanks
the Lord Jesus, I ^^ave found out the vation."
a^ain for
way, "Friend
way
to
of sal-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
''And thou hast been dipped the Quaker.
245
I hear,"
continued
"Dost thou know James Hunter?"
Mr. Jones answered
in the affirmative.
"Well, he also was dipped some time ago," rejoined Friend Hopper; "but his neighbors say they did n't get the
crown of
his
head under water.
devil crept into the unbaptized part,
busy within him ever since.
I
get thee quite under water.
I
am
The
and has been
afraid they did n't
think thou hadst bet-
ter be dipped again."
As he spoke, he held up the
The countenance
dollars.
man became
scarlet,
receipt for twenty
of the professedly pious
and he disappeared
instantly.
A Dutchman once called upon Friend Hopper, and said, "A tief have stole mine goots. They tell me you can help me, may be."
Upon inquiring the Hopper concluded that the articles had been stolen by a man whom he happened to know the pohce had taken up a few hours previous. But being disposed to amuse himself, he
when and
the where. Friend
inquired very seriously,
was
it,
"What
when thy goods were
ceived information
time of the
stolen
?
moon
Having
re-
concerning that particular, he
took a slate and began to cipher diligently. After a while, he looked up, and pronounced in a very oracular manner, "Thou wilt find thy goods."
"Shall
I find
ed Dutchman
;
mine goots ?" exclaimed the delight-
"and where
is
de tief?"
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
216
"Art thou quite sare about the age of the moon?" Being assured mquired the pretended magician.
was no mistake on
there
that
point,
he ciphered
again for a few minutes, and then answered, "Thou wilt find the thief in the hands of the pohce."
The Dutchman went away,
evidently inspired with
Having found
profound reverence.
goods and
his
the thief, according to prediction, he returned and
asked
for a private interview.
said he,
"and
I will
pay you
"Tell
me
dat secret,"
a heap of money."
"What secret?" inquired Friend Hopper. "Tell me how you know I will find mine and where
"The
plain truth
"because office,
I
I
goots,
will find de tief ?" rejoined he. is,
I
guessed
it,"
was the reply
had heard there was a thief at the police
with such goods as thou described."
"But what for you ask about de moon?" inquired "You make figures, and den you the Dutchman. You make figures say, you wall find your goots. I go, and again, den you tell me where is de tief. find
mine goots and de
me how you
tief,
do dat, and
you
just as
I will
say.
Tell
pay you a heap of
money."
Though for a joke,
repeatedly assured that
he w^ent away unsatisfied
it :
was done only and to the day
of his death,
he fully beheved that the facetious
Quaker was a
conjuror.
When
Friend Hopper hired one of two houses
LIFE OF ISAAC
247
HOPPER.
T.
where the back yards were not separated, he found himself considerably incommoded by the disorderly
The
habits of his next neighbor.
dust and dirt daily
swept into the yard were allowed to accumulate there in a heap,
neater
which the wind often scattered over the
premises
take offence
He
The
adjoining.
house was said to be of an
mistress
irritable
of the
temper, likely to
asked to adopt a different system.
if
accordingly resolved upon a course, which he
thought might cure the
One
pute.
evil
without provoking a dis-
when he saw his neighbor in her own domestic to come out into
day,
kitchen, he called his
Pointing to the heap of
the yard.
dirt,
he exclaimed,
loud enough to be heard in the next house, "Betsy, art
thou not asham.ed to sw^eep dust and
such a heap.
yard
neighbor's
See how !
it
is
litter into
blowing about our
Art thou not ashamed of thy-
self?"
"I
sweep any
didn't
dirt there," replied
"They did it themselves." "Pshaw Pshaw don't tell me that," !
!
the
girl.
rejoined he.
" Our neighbor wouldn't do such an untidy thing.
I
wonder she hasn't complained of thee before now.
Be more
careful in future
;
for I should
be very sor-
ry to give her any occasion to say she couldn't keep the yard clean on our account."
The domestic read
his
meaning
in the roguish ex-
Dression of his eye, and she remained silent.
The
LIFE OF ISAAC
248
lesson took effect.
T.
The heap
HOPPER. of dh't
was soon
re-
moved, and never appeared afterward. Such a character as Isaac T. Hopper was of
known throughout
the city where he
course
well
lived.
Every school-boy had heard something of walked the street, everybody
doings, and as he
his re-
cognized him, from the chief justice to the chim-
His personal appearance was calculated
ney-sweep.
to attract attention, independent of other circumstan-
Joseph Bonaparte,
ces.
who then
resided at Borden-
town, was attracted toward him the
moment he
first
saw him, on account of a strong resemblance to hisbrother Napoleon. They often met in the steamboat going sions, the
down
the Delaware, and on such occa-
ex-king frequently pointed him out as the
most remarkable likeness of the emperor, that he
had ever met the
in
Europe
might be mistaken hold
He
or America.
expressed
opinion that with Napoleon's uniform on, he
;
and
if
for him,
even by his
he were to appear thus
own
house-
in Paris, noth-
ing could be easier than for him to excite a revolution.
But the imperial throne, exen
if it
had been
di-
rectly offered to him,
would have proved no tempta-
tion to a soul like his.
In some respects, his charac-
ter, as
well as his person, strongly resembled Napo-
leon.
But
his powerful will
was remarkably under was tern-
the control of conscience, and his energy
*
249
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
perod by an unusual share of benevolence.
If the
other elements of his character had not been balan-
ced by these two qualities, he also might have been a skilful diplomatist,
and a successful leader of armies.
Fortunately for himself and others, he had a nobler ambition than that of making widows and orphans
by wholesale slaughter.
The preceding anecdotes
show how" warmly he sympathized with and the erring, without
oppressed, country,
or complexion
creed,
he labored in
amount of public
how
and
;
diligently
service that he rendered,
it
not be inferred that he neglected private
Perhaps no to wafe
man was
must
duties.
ever more devotedly attached
and children than he was.
was wont
of
But from the great
behalf.
their
the poor, the limitation
His Sarah, as he
was endowed with
to call her,
qualities
well calculated to retain a strong hold on the affections
kindly disposition,
her
life,
and conscientious man.
a sensible
of
w ere
Her
and the regular, simple habits
ot
favorable to the preservation of that
"his boyish admiration. Her wavy brown hair was softly shaded by the delicate transparent mushn of her Quaker cap her face had
beauty, which had w^on
;
a tender
was
and benign expression
so clear, that
ari
much
and her complexion
old gentleman,
to the Society of Friends,
not
;
who belonged
and who was of course
addicted to poetic comparisons, used to say
he could never look 11*
at her w^ithout
thinking of the
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
250 clear pink
neat,
and had something of that
chastened coquetry in dress, which the
terize
Her
She
and white of a beautiful conch-shell.
was scrupulously
is
apt to charac-
handsome women of her orderly
sect.
drab-colored gown, not high in the neck,
was
bordered by a plain narrow tucker of fine muslin, visible
A
under her snow-white neckerchief.
under-sleeve
came
just
white
below the elbow, w^here
it
terminated in a very narrow band, nicely stitched,
and fastened with two small
by a chain.
silver buttons,
connected
She was a very industrious woman, and
remarkably systematic in her
household
affairs
thus she contrived to find time for everything, though
burdened with the care of a large and increasing
The
family.
apprentices always sat at table with
them, and she maintained a perfect equality between
them and her own
children.
She
said
it
was her
wish to treat them precisely as she would like to
have
he}'
Day
boys treated,
On Sunday
tices.
if
they should
become appren-
evenings, which they called First
evenings, the whole family assembled to hear
Friend Hopper read portions of scripture, or writings of the early Friends.
On
such occasions, the mother
often gave religious exhortations to the children and
apprentices, suited to the occurrences of the week,
and the temptations to which they were peculiarly subject.
During the
last eight
years of her
was a recommended minister of the
life,
she
Society of
LlfE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
251
Friends, and often preached at their meetings.
manners were
Her
and her conversation pecuhar-
affable,
ly agreeable to silence
young people. But she knew when was seemly, and always restrained her dis-
course within the hmits of discretion. When any of her children talked more than was useful, she was
accustomed
to administer this concise caution "My a nice thing to say nothing, when thou hast nothing to say." Her husband was proud of :
dear,
her,
it is
and always manifested great deference for her She suffered much anxiety on account of
opmion.
the perils to which he
was
often exposed in his con-
tests
with slaveholders and
kidnappers; and
many
years, the thought
familiar to her
was
for
mind
that she might one
day see him brought home a While the yellow fever raged in Philadelshe had the same anxiety concerning his fear-
corpse. phia,
less devotion to the victims
of that terrible disease,
who were dying by hundreds around them.
But she had a large and sympathizing heart, and she never sought to dissuade him from what he considered the path of duty.
When
one of his brothers was strick-
en with the fever, and the family with
whom
he
re-
sided were afraid to shelter him, she proposed to
have him brought under their
was
carefully nursed
till
own
he died.
roof, where he She was more re-
luctant to listen to his urgent entreaties that she
would
retire into the
country with the children, and
;
252
LIFE OF ISAAC
T.
HOPPER.
remain with them beyond the reach of contagion
was divided between the husband of her youth and the nurshngs of her bosom. But his anxiety concerning their children was so great, that for her heart
she finally consented to pursue the course most con-
ducive to his peace of mind
;
and he was
left in
the
city with a colored domestic to superintend his house-
hold affairs.
Through
this terrible ordeal of pesti-
lence he passed unscathed, though his ever ready
sympathy brought him
into frequent
contact with
the dying and the dead.
Besides this public calamity, which darkened the
whole
city for a time,
common private
lot
life.
tractive age,
of humanity in the sad experiences of
Several of his children died at that
when
childhood.
into
Friend Hopper shared the
the bud of infancy
is
Relatives and friends crossed the
dark river to the unknown shore.
On New
Year's
day, 1797, his mother departed from this world at ty-six years old. five
years of age.
fif-
In 1818, his father died at seventy-
His physical vigor was remarka-
ble.
When
went
to visit his eldest
in
at-
blooming
he had weathered seventy winters, he son,
and being disappointed
meeting the stage to return, as he expected, he
walked home, a distance of twenty-eight miles. that
advanced age, he could
rest
At
one hand on his
cane and the other on a fence, and leap over as easily as a boy.
He had
long flowing black hair, which
253
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. fell in ringlets it
was merely
on his shoulders
;
and when he
When
sprinkled with gray.
died,
his pri-
vate accounts were examined after his decease, they
revealed the fact that he had secretly expended hun-
dreds of dollars in paying the debts of poor people, or redeeming their furniture
when
it
was attached.
But though many dear ones dropped away from his side, as
Among
Friend Isaac moved onward in his
many remained
grimage,
to sustain
his wife's brothers, his especial friend
John Tatum, who lived This worthy
village.
pil-
and cheer him.
was
in the vicinity of his native
man had
great sympathy with
the colored people, and often sheltered the fugitives
whom
his brother-in-law
markable suffer
for his love of
wrong
;
rather than dispute.
this pacific disposition
two of
were respectable people, the families found
much
course with each other.
men deemed
He was
re-
always preferring to
The
influence of
upon others was strikingly
lustrated in the case of
of the
had rescued.
peace
in
his neighbors.
il-
They
easy circumstances, and
pleasure in frequent inter-
But
after a
few years, one
that an intentional affront
been offered him by the other.
had
Instead of good-na-
tured frankness on the occasion, he behaved in a sullen manner, which provoked the other, and the result
was that eventually neither of them would speak when they met. Their fields joined, and when they were on friendly terms, the boundary w^as marked
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
254
by a
when was
there
But
which they alternately repaired.
fence,
was feud between them, neither of them mend the other's fence. So each one
willing to
built a fence for himself, leaving a
very narrow
strip
of land between, which in process of time came be generally known by the name of Devil's Lane, allusion
the
to
bad temper that produced
it.
to in
A
brook formed another portion of the boundary be-
tween
But
their farms,
after
and was useful to both of them.
they became enemies,
if
a freshet occurred,
each watched an opportunity to turn the water on the other's land, by which ally done.
They were
so
much damage was mutumuch occupied with injur-
ing each other in every possible way, that they neg-
and grew poorer and poorer. One them became intemperate and everything about their premises began to wear an aspect of desolation
lected their farms
of
;
and decay.
At
last,
one of the farms was sold to
pay a mortgage, and John Tatum, who was then about to be married, concluded to purchase
it.
Many
people warned him of the trouble he would have
with a quarrelsome and intemperate neighbor. after
mature
reflection,
But,
he concluded to trust to the
influence of a peaceful and kind example, and ac-
cordingly purchased the farm.
Soon
away
after
he removed thither, he proposed to do
the Devil's
Lane by building a new fence on
the boundary, entirely at his
own
expense.
His
LIFE OP ISAAC
HOPPER.
r.
255
neighbor acceded to the proposition in a very
manner, and
mined
for
or
to find,
make some
But the young Quaker met
occasion for quarrel. his provocations w^ith
all
forbearance, and never missed an
opportunity to
oblige him.
Good
bulent
having nothing to excite
spirit,
subsided
finally
overcame
calmness.
into
surly-
a considerable time seemed deter-
The
evil.
In process
it,
of
tur-
gradually time,
he
evinced a disposition to be kind and obliging also.
Habits of temperance and industry returned, and during the last years of his
life
he was considered a
remarkably good neighbor. Friend Hopper's attachment to the religious society he had joined in early
life
was
quite as strong,
perhaps even stronger, than his love of kindred.
The Yearly Meeting
of Friends at Philadelphia
was
a season of great satisfaction, and he delighted to
have
On
his
house
full
of guests, even to overflowing.
these occasions, he obeyed the impulses of his
generous nature by seeking out the least wealthy
and distinguished, wbo would be
less
likely than
receive many invitations. In addition to who were often personal strangers to him, he had his own familiar and cherished friends. A day seldom passed without a visit from Nicholas Wain, who^ others to
these,
had great respect and affection and delighted
in their society.
for
He
him and
his wife,
cordially approv-
ed of their consistency in carrying out their consci-
!
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
256
entious convictions into the practices of daily
Some
life.
of Isaac's relatives and friends thought he de-
much time and attention to philanthropic missions, but Nicholas Wain always stood by him, a warm and faithful friend to the last. He was voted rather too
a true gentleman, of courtly, pleasing manners, and
Notwithstanding his w^eight
amusing conversation.
was
of character, he
so playful with the children,
were always hailed by them, as de-
that his visits
lightful opportunities for fun
and
He
frolic.
looked
beneath the surface of society, and had learned to estimate
men and things
according to their real value,
not by a conventional standard.
His wife did not
regard the pomps and vanities of the world with precisely the
same degree of indifference that he did. it would be suitable to their w^ealth and
She thought station to
have a footman behind her carriage.
This
husband
at last
w^ish being frequently expressed, her
promised to comply with
it.
Accordingly, the next
time the carriage w^as ordered,
making a
stylish call, she
man mounted.
When
was
gratified to see a foot-
she arrived at her place of
destination, the door of her carriage
the steps let the
new
down
servant
;
in a
purpose oi
for the
was opened, and
very obsequious manner, by
and great w^as her surprise and
confusion, to recognize in
him her own husband
Jacob Lindley, of Chester county, w^as another frequent visitor at Friend Hopper's house
;
and many
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
were the
lively conversations they
had
257
no opportunity, either
tioned Friends against laying too
He
much
often cau-
stress
on their
peculiar forms, while they professed to abjure^
He
forms.
had once received a
said he himself
much
son on this subject, which did him
when he was walked
in,
rain
Lindley,
!
dressed in a coat with large metal buttons,
He
consequence of a drench-
in
seated himself
who was
so
much
opposite
up
to the Friend
troubled him, and inquire
Jacob
him no good."
the congregation rose to depart, he
strained to go
to
disturbed by the glitter-
ing buttons, that ''his meeting did
When
les-
Once,
good.
seated in meeting, an influential Friend
which he had borrowed ing
and missed
in public or private, to protest
earnestly against the sin of slavery.
own
He
too^ether.
w^as a preacher in the Society of Friends,
why
who had
felt
so
con-
much
he had so grievousl}^
departed from the simplicity enjoined upon members of their Society.
The good man looked down upon
his garments,
and quietly
coat because
my own was
I did
replied,
wet
"I borrowed the
and indeed, Jacob,
not notice what buttons were on
shook his hand warmly, and ter Christian than I
He
;
am, and
it."
Jacob
said,
"Thou
I will
learn of thee."
art a bet-
same moral by relating another incident, which happened in old times, when Quakers were accustomed to wear cocked hats often used to inculcate the
turned up at the sides.
A
Friend bought a hat of
*253
LIFE OF ISAAC
this description,
T.
without observing that
As he
sat in
on, as usual, he observed
many
up
\\ith a button.
him,
He
HOPPER. it
was looped
meeting with
his hat
eyes directed toward
and some with a very sorrowful expression.
could not conjecture a reason for
happened to take off his hat and lay
As soon
this,
and
as he noticed the button, he rose
''Friends,
if
rehgion consists in a button,
give a button for
it.''
till
he
beside him.
it
Having delivered
I
said,
wouldn't
this
short
and pithy sermon, he seated himself, and resumed the offending hat with the utmost composure.
Once,
when Jacob Lindiey was
dining with Friend
Hopper, the conversation turned upon his religious experiences, and he related a circumstance to which
he said he very seldom alluded, and never without
Being seized with
feelings of solemnity and awe.
sudden and severe
illness, his soul
left
several hours, during which time he
the body for
saw
heavenly glory, not to be described. sciousness began to return, he
was obliged
to
come back
this
feel the
he had
felt
con-
grieved that he
to this state of being,
he was never after able to terrestrial things, that
felt
visions of
When
same
and
interest in
before he obtained
glimpse of the spiritual world.
Arthur Howell was another intimate acquaintance of Friend Hopper.
He was
a currier in Philadel-
phia, a preacher in the Society of Friends, charac-
terized
by kindly
feelings,
and a very tender con-
;
LIFE OF ISAAC
Upon one
science.
HOPPER.
T.
occasion, he purchased from the
captain of a vessel a quantity of
ward
259
which he
oil,
after-
Under these
sold at an advanced price.
cir-
cumstances, he thought the captain had not received so
much
as he ought to
have
;
and he gave him an
additional dollar on every barrel.
maikable
for
prophecy.
It
This
spiritual-mindedness
man was re-
and the
gift of
was no uncommon thing for him to which were happening at the mo-
relate occurrences
ment many miles
distant,
of people, or events,
and to
when
foretell the arrival
there appeared to be no
external reasons on which to ground such expectations.
One Sunday morning, he was suddenly impelled to proceed to Germantown in haste. As he approached the village, he met a funeral procession.
He had
no knowledge whatever of the deceased
him
that the occu-
pant of the coffin before him was a
woman whose
but
life
it
w^as suddenly revealed to
had been saddened by the suspicion of a crime,
The impression became very strong on his mind that she wished him to make certain statements at her funeral. Accordwhich she never committed.
ingly,
he followed the procession, and w^hen they
arrived at the meeting-house, he entered and listened to the prayer delivered
by her
customary services were rose,
pastor.
finished,
and asked permission
When
the
Arthur Howell
to speak.
"I
did not
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
260
know it
me
given
is
neighbors generally suspected her
of a crime, which she did not
weeks from
much and
to say, that she suffered
Her
unjustly.
this time,
it
commit
will be
;
made
and
few
in a
clearly mani-
A
the world that she w^as innocent.
to
fest
"But
the deceased, even by name," said he.
few
hours before her death, she talked on this subjec.
who
with the clergyman
who
is
now
present
and
;
the communication she
attended upon her, and given
is
it
made
me
to declare
him upon
to
that oc-
casion."
He
then proceeded to relate the particulars of the
interview; evident
was is,
ject
;
When
astonishment.
finished,
or
which the clergyman listened with
to
how he
he
said,
the
communication
"I don't know who
man
this
has obtained information on this sub-
but certain
is,
it
he has repeated, word for
word, a conversation which
I
supposed was known
only to myself and the deceased."
The woman
in question
had gone out
in the fields
one day, with her infant in her arms, and she turned without
it.
She
said she
had
laid
it
re-
down
on a heap of dry leaves, while she w^ent to pick a
few flowers gone.
The
;
and w^hen she returned, the baby was
fields
and woods were searched
and neighbors began mitted infanticide. dissatisfied
to
in
vain
whisper that she had com-
Then rumors
with her marriage
;
arose that she
was
that her heart re-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
mained with a young man viously engaged
her,
did
;
whom
she
was
pre-
and that her brain was affected by
;
She was never pubhcly ac-
this secret unhappiness.
cused
to
261
partly because there
and partly because
commit the crime,
it
it
was no evidence
against
v/as supposed that if she
must have been owing
to
But she became aware of the
aberation of mind.
whisperings against her, and the consciousness of
being an object of suspicion, combined with the mysterious disappearance of her child, cast a heavy cloud over her
life,
and made her appear more and
more unlike her former
This she confided to
self.
her clergyman, in the interview shortly preceding her death
man,
to
;
and she likewise told him that the young
whom
she had been engaged, had never for-
given her for not marrying him.
A
young man confessed that he had stolen the babe. He had followed the mother, unobserved by her, and had seen few weeks
after her decease, this
her lay the sleeping infant on
he gazed upon
it,
its
bed of leaves.
a m.ingled feeling of jealousy and
revenge took possession of his soul. to a
H
In obedience
sudden impulse, he seized the babe, and carried
off hastily.
He
subsequently conveyed
ant village, and placed
assumed name and alive
As
and
it
history.
The
child
well, at the place he indicated.
mother's innocence was
it
to a dis-
out to nurse, under an
made
was found Thus the
clearly manifest to the
262
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
world, as the
Quaker preacher had predicted
at
her
funeral. I often
heard Friend Hopper relate
this anecdote,
and he always said that he could vouch truth of
it
;
and
for the
for several other similar things in
connection with the ministry of his friend Arthur.
A
singular case of inward perception likewise oc-
own mother.
curred in the experience of his Diary, which
still
is
describes a visit to delphia,
me
and adds
*' :
preserved in the family, she
some of her children Soon
after this, the
that I should lose a son.
It
was
said.
intelligible
Thou
than this
wilt lose a son
still, ;
in Phila-
Lord showed
often told
me,
Nothing could he
though without sound of words.
more
In her
small voice.
and he
is
It
a pleasant
child."
Her son James
resided with relatives in Philadel-
Delaware.
On
one of these occasions, soon after his mother's
visit,
phia, and often
went
to bathe in the
who went with him sank in the water, and James lost his own life by efforts to save him. A messenger was sent to inform his parents, who lived a friend
at the distance of eight miles.
While he
staid in
the house, reluctant to do his mournful errand, the
mother was siezed with sudden dread, and heard the inward voice saying, "James is drowned." She said abruptly to the messenger, to tell
me
that
my
son James
is
"Thou drowned.
come
hast
Oh,
how
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. did
why of
happen
it
?
He was much
"
she thought so.
except that
it,
it
263
surprised,
and asked
She could give no explanation had been suddenly revealed to
her mind.
have heard and read many such
I
kers,
doubt.
They themselves
inward
light
to admit of
such cases to "the
and that phrase, as they understand
"
conveys a satisfactory explanation to their minds.
it,
I
;
refer all
Qua-
stories of
which seem too well authenticated
leave psychologists to settle the question as they
can.
'
Those who are are
acquainted with Quaker views,
w^ell
aware that by "the inward
light,"
they signify
something higher and more comprehensive than conscience. soul,
They
which
regard
will
as the voice of
always guard
guide him into truth, stillness
it
if
God
man from
in the
evil,
reverently listened
and
to,
in
of the passions, and obedience of the will.
These strong impressions on individual minds constitute their only call try,
and consecration to the minis-
and have directed them
in the
application of
moral principles to a variety of subjects, such as temperance, war, and w^ere impelled
by the
slaver]^.
interior
in-
Men and women monitor to go about
preaching on these topics, until their individual views
became what Society.
are called "leading testimonies" in the
The
abjuration of slavery
earliest "testimonies."
was one
of their
There was much preaching
264
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
against
in their public meetings,
it
and many com-
mittees were appointed to expostulate in private with
who
those
At an early
held slaves.
period,
it
be-
came an estabhshed rule of discipline for the Society disown any member, who refused to manumit his
to
bondmen. Friend Hopper used to in connection
of their
tell
an interesting anecdote
with these committees.
visits,
members, who held only one
their
He was
very old.
In the course
they concluded to pass by one of slave,
too infirm to earn his
and he was
own
living,
and as he was very kindly treated, they supposed he
would have no wish
freedom.
for
But Isaac Jack-
one of the committee, a very benevolent and
son,
conscientious man, had a strong impression on his
mind
He
that duty required
him not
how
case.
the subject appeared to him, in the inward light
of his
own
vinced.
soul.
He
The Friend was not easily conmany reasons for not
brought forward
emancipating his slave
was
that the
man was
;
and one of the strongest
too feeble to labor for his
support, and therefore freedom to
to omit this
accordingly went alone to the master, and stated
him.
Isaac Jackson replied,
thee without wages,
own
would be of no value
"He
labored for
whde he had strength, and it is Whether he would
thy duty to support him now. value freedom or not, petent to decide."
is
a question he alone
is
com-
LIFE OF ISAAC
These
T.
265
HOPPER.
friendly remonstrances produced such effect,
that the master agreed to
manumit
his
bondman,
and give a written obhgation that he should be comfortably supported during the remainder of his
by him or
his heirs.
When
life,
the papers were prepar-
ed the slave was called into the parlor, and. Isaac Jackson inquired, " Would'st thou like to be free ?"
He
promptly answered that he should.
suggested that he was
now too
The Friend
feeble to labor
much,
and inquired how he would manage to obtain a ing.
The
been kind
him the
liv-
man meekly replied, "Providence has me thus far and I am willing to trust
old to
;
rest of
my
life."
Isaac Jackson then held up the papers and said,
*'Thou
art
a free man.
Thy master
has manumitted
thee, and promised to maintain thee as long as thou
mayest
live."
This was so unexpected, that the aged, bondman
was completely overcome. remained
in
impulse, he short
For a few moments, he
profound silence fell
;
then, with a sudden
on his knees, and poured forth a
and fervent prayer of thanksgiving to
Heavenly Father,
for prolonging his life
till
his
he had
the happiness to feel himself a free man.
The master and and affected by feeling.
his adviser
were both surprised
this eloquent outburst of grateful
The poor
old servant had
seemed
so
com-
fortable and contented, that no one supposed freedom
12
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
266
was of great importance Isaac Jackson observed,
lie
to him.
alone
But, as honest
was competent
to
decide that question.
Quakers consider "the inward
light" as a guide
not merely in cases involving moral principles, but also in the regulation of external affairs
annals of their Society, are ces of dangers avoided
;
and
some remarkable
by the help of
in the
instan-
this internal
monitor.
Friend Hopper used to mention a case where a strong impression had been
made on
own mind,
his
without his being able to assign any adequate reason for
it.
A
spectable
young man, descended from Quaker family
in
a highly re-
New-Jersey, went to
South Carolina and entered into business. ried there,
and as
his wife did not
ciety of Friends, he
mar-
belong to the So-
was of course disowned.
some years of commercial went
He
After
success, he failed,
and
to Philadelphia, where Friend Hopper became
acquainted with him, and formed an opinion not unfavorable.
When
he had been in that city some
time, he mentioned that his wife lina,
owned land
which he was very desirous
to
in
Caro-
cultivate,
but
was prevented by conscientious scruples concerning slave-labor.
He
said
if
he could induce some colored
people from Philadelphia to go there and work. for
him
as free laborers,
it
would be an advantage
him, and a benefit to them.
He
to
urged Friend Hop-
267
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
per to exert his influence over them to convince
them
that such precautions could be taken, as
would
prevent any danger of their being reduced to slavery
saying that
;
he would consent to do
if
doubtless could obtain as
The
ed.
was
so,
Soon
him
in carrying
two colored men
after,
he
laborers as he want-
Hopper
plan appeared feasible, and Friend
inclined to assist
tion.
many
it
into execu-
called
upon him,
and said they were ready to go, provided he thought w^ell
Nothing had occurred to change
of the project.
man, or
his opinion of the
to excite distrust concern-
ing his agricultural scheme.
upon
mind
his
But an impression came
that the laborers
had better not go
an impression so strong, that he thought be influenced by
He
it.
had thought well of the
it
;
right to
accordingly told them he plan,
but his views had
changed, and he advised them to remain where they were. to
This greatly surprised the
employ them, and he called
subject
;
repeating
his
man who wished
to expostulate on the
statement
concerning
great advantage they would derive from entering
the in-
to his service.
"There
is
no use in arguing the matter," replied
Friend Hopper.
"I have no cause whatever
to sus-
pect thee of any dishonest or dishonorable intentions
;
but there
is
on
ger, so powerful that
my mind I
an impression of dan-
cannot conscientiously have
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
268
any agency
in
inducing colored laborers to go with
thee."
Not sncc^i^ing in his project, the bankrupt merchant went to New-Jersey for a time, to reside with his father, w^ho
was a worthy and
An
of the Society of Friends.
member
influential
innocent, good na-
tured old colored man, a fugitive from Virginia, had
some time been employed
for
to
work on the farm,
and the family had become much attached to him.
The son who had returned from Carolina was very friendly with this simple-hearted old servant, easily gained his confidence. his story,
him
ble
When
and
he had learned
he offered to write to his master, and ena-
to purchase his
freedom
sum which he The fugitive was
for a
could gradually repay by labor.
exceedingly grateful, and put himself completely in
power by a
his
full
statement of
The
false-hearted
ter
and the poor old slave was soon
;
man
and carried to Philadelphia in per was sent
I
irons.
sobs, the captive told
he had been deceived.
and so
particulars.
after arrested
Friend Hop-
and went to see him
for,
With groans and
all
did indeed write to the mas-
*'I
prison.
how wickedly
thought he was a Quaker,
trusted him," said he.
master's agent pay
in
him fifty dollars
saw
my
for betraying
me."
"But
I
Friend Hopper assured him that the deceiver was not a
Quaker
;
and that he did not beheve any Qua-
ker on the face of the earth would do such an unjust
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
He
and cruel deed. the sufferer
269
could devise no means to rescue
and with an aching heart he was com-
;
pelled to see
him
carried off into
slawy, without
being able to offer any other solace than an affectionate farewell.
The conduct
of this base hypocrite proved that
the w^^rning presentiment against himx had not been
without foundation.
wrong he had done
at the
and unoffending
Friend Hopper wrote to him as
lows-creature, low^s
Grieved and indignant
to a helpless
prison,
whom
fol-
man
''Yesterday, I visited the poor old
:
fel-
in
thou hast so perfidiously betrayed.
Gloomy and hopeless as his case is, I would prefer it Thou hast received fifty dollars as the re-
to thine.
ward of thy treachery thee
?
Canst. thou lay
;
what good can
but
down
it
do
thy head at night, with-
out feeling the sharp goadings of a guilty conscience
Canst thou ask forgiveness of thy
whom
enly Father,
by thy hypocrisy
?
Judas betrayed his master for
braid thee. sufficiently
I ;
fifty
;
and
if
thy
not seared, as with hot iron, thy com-
is
punction must be great.
any
and afterward hung himself.
hast betrayed thy brother for
conscience
Heav-
thou hast so grievously insulted
thirty pieces of silver,
Thou
sins of our
^
I feel
for
our beneficent Creator will not suffer
to be at ease in their sins.
The worthy
no disposition to up-
have no doubt thy ow^n heart does that
old
Quaker
in
Thy friend,
I.
T. H."
New-Jersey was not
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
270 aware of time
son's
When
after.
known
conduct until some
villainous
were made
the circumstances
were exceedingly morti-
to tJ^e family they
and
fied
his
afflicted.
Friend Hopper used to
another story, which
tell
forms a beautiful contrast to the foregoing painful narrative.
I
derness of
repeat
spirit,
it,
because
which has
it
illustrates the ten-
so peculiarly character-
ized the Society of Friends, and because I hope
may
like
fall
dew on
Charles Carey lived near Philadelphia,
feelings.
it
hearts parched by vindictive in
a comfortable house with a few acres of pasture ad-
A
joining. lean,
was one day
horse, apparently healthy, though
offered
him
in the
market
The cheapness tempted him
dollars.
for
young
he thought the clover of
for fifty
to purchase
would soon
his pastures
put the animal in good condition, and enable him to sell
him
at
command it
He was
an advanced price.
the required
The
of a friend.
sum
too poor to
himself, but he borrowed
horse, being well fed
and lightly
worked, soon became a noble looking animal, and
was taken
But scarcely had he
to the city for sale.
entered the market,
when
a stranger stepped up and
claimed him as his property, recently stolen. Carey's son,
who had charge
taken before a magistrate.
Charles
of the animal,
Isaac T. Hopper
was was
s«nt for, and easily proved that the character of the
young man and
his father
was above
all
suspicion.
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
271
But the stranger produced satisfactory evidence that he was the rightful owner of the horse, which was
When
accordingly delivered up to him.
Charles
Carey heard the unwelcome news, he quietly marked, "It T
am
glad the
is
me
hard for
man
money;
to lose the
re-
but
has recovered his property."
Al)out a year afterward, having occasion to go to
a tavern
room,
in
whom
who had
saw a man
Philadelphia, he
sold
in
the bar-
he at once recognized as the person
him the
He walked up
horse.
to
him
and inquired whether he remembered the transac tion.
"I
am
Being answered the
in the
man who bought
know he was
stolen ?"
affirmative, he
With
said
Didst thou
that horse.
a stupified
manner and
a faltering voice, the stranger answered, "Yes." "
Come
along with me, then," said Charles
I will put thee
where thou
w^lt not
steal
"and
;
another
horse very soon."
The
thief resigned himself to his fate with a sort
of hopeless indifference.
the magistrate's
office,
But before they reached the voice within began to
plead gently with the Quaker, and turned him from
"I
the sternness of his purpose.
am
a poor man,"
said he, " and thou hast greatly injured me.
not afford to lose will not
fifty dollars
compensate
me
;
for the
and conduct thyself honestly
The man seemed amazed.
I
can-
but to prosecute thee loss.
Go thy way,
in future."
He
stood for a
mo-
272
LIFE OF ISAAC
merit, hesitating
and confused
away.
But
and
"Where can I find to make restitution
after taking a
done
;
few
then walked slowly
steps,
you,
said,
be able
HOPPER.
T.
he turned back
if I
should ever
wrong
for the
I
have
r
Charles replied, "I trust thou dost not intend to jest with
me, after
all
the trouble thou hast caused
me?" "No, indeed
I
do not," answered the stranger.
"I hope to repay you, some time or other."
"Very
well," rejoined the Friend, "if thou ever
hast anything for me, thou canst leave
T. Hopper,
at
About a year on
Walnut and Dockmet again. Friend Hopper found a letter
parted, and never
after.
his desk, addressed to Charles
was delivered
came from
to him,
the
with Isaac
corner of
the
Thus they
streets."
it
Carey.
man who had
A
other letter containing the
same sum, was
Not long
after,
enclosing twenty dollars sufficient to
it
;
few months
it
and
stolen the horse,
contained twenty dollars.
same way.
When
he was surprised to find that
later,
an-
left in
the
a third letter arrived,
the whole forming a
sum
repay both principal and interest of the
money which
the kind-hearted
Quaker had
lost
by
his dishonesty.
This
last
letter
stated
that
the
writer had no
thoughts of stealing the horse ten minutes before he did
it.
After he had sold him, he
was
so haunted
by
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
remorse and fear of detection, that
273
became a
life
burthen to him, and he cared not what became of
But when he was
him.
arrested,
and so unexpect-
was taken
edly set at liberty, the crushing weight
He
from him.
felt
sustained by the hope of
fresh courage, and
making some atonement
He made
what he had done. improve
by
inspired
He was
and succeeded.
his condition,
for
strenuous efforts to
then
teaching school, was assessor of the township w^here
he resided, and no one suspected that he had ever
committed a dishonest action.
The good man, ed, read
it
w^ith
to
whom
moistened eyes, and
ward of righteousness For many years
is
spirit
prevailed
was address-
felt that
the re-
peace.
after Isaac
Society of Friends, a
communion
this epistle
T. Hopper joined the
of peace and of kindly
No
among them.
sect has
ever arisen which so nearly approached the character
of primitive
Christianity,
in
all
relations
each other and with their fellow men. as the early christians tion,
;
and so
nying
spirit
tended
w^ith the
at the outset
world
it
Having become established
and respected by the world, the humble and
which
as soon
were relieved from persecu-
they began to persecute each other
was with the Quakers.
But
with
self-de-
renounced and con-
gradually departed.
Many
them were rich, and not unfrequently their fortunes were acquired by trading with slave-holders.
of
12*
274
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
Such men were well of their spiritual
over
among
forefathers
against
slavery read
themselves, at stated seasons
sympathy with those of
felt little
who
have the testimonies
satisfied to
considered
freely with all
it
but they
;
their cotemporaries,
a duty to remonstrate publicly and
who were connected with
the iniqui-
tous system.
A
by the name of
strong and earnest preacher,
Elias Hicks,
made himself more
respect.
in -this
He
offensive than others
appears to have been a very
and conscientious man, with great reverence
just
God, and exceedingly
Everywhere,
in public
for
little
and
made by
He
lifted
up
his
would eat no
have been produced by
In a remarkable manner, he showed
"ruhng passion strong
this
to
for
authority.
and wear no gar-
slaves,
ment -which he supposed unpaid labor.
he
in private,
voice against the sin of slavery.
sugar that was
human
A
in death."
few hours
before he departed from this v/orld, his friends, seeing
him
felt
of
it
effort to
shiver,
push
it
He
placed a comfortable over him.
with his feeble hands, and
away.
When
made a
strong
they again drew
it
up
over his shoulders, he manifested the same symp-
toms of abhorrence.
One
of them,
who began
to
conjecture the cause, inquired, *'Dost thou dislike it
because
it is
made
of cotton?"
gone to speak, but he moved sent.
When
his
He was
head
in
too far
token of as-
they removed the article of slave pro-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
275-
duce, and substituted a woolen blanket, he remained quiet,
and passed away
He was
accustomed
in peace.
to say,
**
It
takes live fish to
swim up stream ;" and unquestionably he and his friend Isaac T. Hopper were both very much alive. The quiet boldness of this man was altogether unmanIn Virginia or Carohna, he preached more
ageable.
earnestly and directly against slavery, than he did in
New-York that
it
or Pennsylvania
seemed
to be
,
for the simple reason
more needed
of these occasions, a slaveholder
him from
curiosity, left the
there.
Upon one
who went
meeting
to hear
in great wrath,
swearing he would blow out that fellow's brains ventured near his plantation.
When
if
he
the preacher
heard of this threat, he put on his hat and proceeded In answer to his
straightway to the forbidden place. inquiries, a slave
informed him that his master was
then at dinner, but would see him in a short time.
He
seated himself and waited patiently until the
planter entered the room. fied
With a calm and
manner, he thus addressed him
:
digni-
"I understand
thou hast threatened to blow out the brains of Elias Hicks,
if
he comiCS upon thy plantation.
I
am
Elias
Hicks."
The Virginian acknowledged
that he did
such a threat, and said he considered tifiable to
do such a deed, when a
preach rebellion to his slaves,
it
make
perfectly jus-
man came
to
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
S76
"I came
to
preach the Gospel, which inculcates
forgiveness of injuries upon slaves as well as upon
"But
other men," replied the Quaker.
thou canst,
how
me,,
tell
if
Gospel can be truly preached,
this
the slaves that they are injured,
without showing
man
and thus making a
of thy sentiments feel as
if
they were encouraged in rebeUion."
This led to a long argument, maintained
most friendly
in the
At parting, the slaveholder
spirit.
shook hands with the preacher, and invited him to
come
again.
months
after, the
When called
His
were
visits
renewed,
Virginian emancipated
and
six
all his slaves.
preaching in the free states, he earnestly
upon
all
to
abstain from slave-produce, and
wash
thus in a measure
their
own hands from
parti-
cipation in a system of abominable wickedness and cruelty.
His zeal on
his brethren, but
they could not
ble to discipline for
annoyed some of
this subject
it
;
for these
make him am en a views were in ac-
cordance with the earliest and strongest testimonies of the Society of Friends
been discreditable offence. in
to
;
moreover,
it
would have
acknowledge such a ground of
But the secret
dissatisfaction
showed
a disposition to find fault with him.
were brought against
his doctrines.
He was
itself
Charges accused
of denying the authority of Scripture, and the
di-
vinity of Christ. Tt
was a departure from the
original basis of the
277
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
Society to
assume any standard whatsoever con-
cerning creeds.
It
is
true that the early
wrote volumes of controversy against prevailing opinions of their day
;
Quakers
many
of the
such as the doctrine
of predestination, and of salvation depending upon faith,
rather than upon worlis.
All the customary
external observances, such as holy days, baptism,
and the Lord's Supper, they considered as belonging to a less spiritual age,
for
them
there
to be
and that the time had come
done away.
Concerning the Trinity,
appears to have been difference of opinion
among them from the earliest time. When George Fox expressed a fear that William Penn had gone too far in defending "the true unity of God," Penn replied that he had never heard any one speak more plainly concerning the manhood of Christ, than George Fox himself. Penn was imprisoned in the Tower for "rejecting the mystery of the Trinity," in a book called " The Sandy Foundation Shaken." He afterward wrote "Innocency with her Open Face," regarded by some as a compromise, which
procured his release. doctrines naturally
But though various popular
came
in
their
way, and chal-
lenged discussion, while they were endeavoring to introduce a
new
feature of their
order of things, the characteristic
movement was
attention to practical
righteousness rather than theological tenets. did not require their
members
They
to profess faith in
any
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
278
They had
creed.
and that was the
but one single bond of union
man
belief that every
ought to be
guided in his actions, and in the interpretation of
by the
Scripture,
light within his
own
soul.
Their
history shows that they mainly used this light to
guide them in the application of moral principles.
Upon
the priesthood, in every form, they
sparing warfare
;
believing that the gifts of the Spirit
ought never to be paid with money.
committees to destitute,
The
and
made un-
visit
They
appointed
the sick, the afflicted, and the
to superintend marriages
and funerals.
farmer, the shoemaker, the physician, or the
merchant, followed his vocation diligently, and whenever the Spirit
The
did so. called
moved him
to exhort his brethren, he
"First, and Fifth
Day"
of the week,
by other denominations Sunday and Thurs-
day, were set apart by
Women
them
for rehgious meetings.
were placed on an equality with men, by
being admitted to this free Gospel ministry, and appointed on committees with men, to regulate the affairs of the
Society.
They
abjured war under
all
circumstances, and suffered great persecution rather
than pay military taxes.
They
early discouraged
the distillation or use of spirituous liquors, and dis-
owned any grain.
of their
members who
distilled
Protests against slavery were
most earnest testimonies, and rule of discipline that
it
was
them from
among their made a
early
no member of the Society
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. KOPPER.
When
should hold slaves. it
was a custom
in
279
the Quakers
England, as
it still
is
arose,
first
on the con-
tinent of Europe, to say thou to an inferior, or equal,
They saw in this custom an infringement of the great law of human brotherhood and because they would "call no man master," they and you
to a superior.
thou to every
said
To
rank.
person, without
distinction of
the conservatives of their day, this spirit-
ual democracy seemed like deliberate contempt of authority
ment.
;
and as such, deserving of severe punish-
More strenuously than
all
denied the right of any set of creed for others.
other things, they
men
to prescribe a
Tlie only authority they recog-
nized was ''the light w^ithin
;"
and for freedom to
follow this, they were always ready to suffer or to die.
On
all
these subjects, there could be no doubt
that Elias Hicks
stamp.
But he
was a Quaker of the
differed
of his theological views.
from many
He
old genuine
otiiers
in
some
considered Christ as
"the only Son of the most high God;" but he denied that "the outivard person,^'' which suffered on
Calvary was properly the Son of God. less
importance to miracles, than did
brethren. soul,
He
said he
He
attached
many
had learned more of
of his
his
own'
and had clearer revelations of God and duty,
while following his plough, than from
he had ever read.
He
all
the books
reverenced the Bible as a
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
280
record of divine power and goodness, but did not consider a knowledge of
essential to salvation
it
Hindoo
for he supposed that a
or an African,
who
never heard of the Scriptures, or of Christ, might
become
truly a child of God,
cerely followed the
every
human
divine
if
he humbly and
light
sin-
within, given
to
measure of
its
soul, according to the
faithfulness.
Many
whose views assimilated him of having departed from the principles of early Friends. But his predecessors had been guided only by the light of his
brethren,
more with orthodox
within
opinions, accused
and he followed the same guide, without de-
;
cidmg beforehand precisely how This principle,
him.
sistently applied,
if
of
all
coming ages.
might lead
lead to large and
for the progressive
It w^as so
be the one definite
it
sincerely adopted and con-
would obviously
liberal results, sufficient
far
growth
generally admitted to
bond of union among early
Friends, that the right of Elias Hicks to utter his
own
convictions,
whether they were
in
accordance
with others or not, would probably never have been questioned,
if
some
ty had not assumed to
them
;
members of the Sociemore power than was delegated
influential
thereby constituting themselves a kind of
ecclesiastical tribunal.
It is
the nature of such au-
thority to seek enlargement of
croaching more
its
boundaries, by en-
and more on individual freedom.
i
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
The
friends of Elias
Hicks did not adopt
or the views of any other
On
ion.
the
281
man
his
views
as a standard of opin-
subject of the Trinity, for instance,
there were various shadings of opinion
The probabihty seems
among them.
to be that the influence of
Unitarian sects, and of Orthodox sects had, in the
course of years, gradually glided in kers,
and more or
less
among
the Qua-
fashioned their theological
opinions, though themselves
were unconscious of
as w^e all are of the surrounding air
we
it
are constant-
ly inhaling.
But
it
was not the Unitarianism of Elias Hicks
that his adherents fought for, or considered
sary to adopt. to express his rity of
it
any man, or body of men,
to judge his preach-
ing by the assumed standard of any creed. fore, the real
with
it.
opinions It
There-
ground of the struggle seems to have
been resistance to ecclesiastical power logical
neces-
They simply contended for his right own convictions, and denied the autho-
;
unavoidably became
was a new form of the old
though theointertwisted battle,
per-
petually renewed ever since the world began, be-
tween authority and individual freedom.
The
agitation,
which had
heaving under the surface,
for is
some time been
said to
have
beeni
brought into open manifestation by a sermon which
Ehas Hicks preached duce, in 1819.
A
against the use of slave pro-
bitter
warfare followed.
Those
282
who
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
refused to denounce his opinions were accused
of being infidels and separatists
and
their accusers bigoted
;
and they called
With regard
intolerant.
to disputed doctrines, both claimed to find sufficient
authority in the writings of early Friends side charged the other with mutilating
;
and each
and misrepre-
As usual in theological controversies, the skein became more and more entangled, till there was no way left but to cut it in two. senting those writings.
In 1827 and 1828, a separation took place in the
Yearly Meetings of Philadelphia, New- York, and other
several
were divided
Thenceforth,
places.
into
two
distinct sects.
the
members
In some places
the friends of Elias Hicks were far the more nu-
merous.
In others, his opponents had a majority.
Each party claimed
to
be the genuine Society of
Friends, and denied the other's right to retain the title.
The opponents
of Elias Hicks called them-
selves ''Orthodox Friends," and
"Hicksites."
The
named
his adherents
latter repudiated the
title,
be-
cause they did not acknowledge him as their stan-
dard of
belief,
though they loved and reverenced
character, and stood by
of liberty of conscience.
him
his
as the representative
They
called themselves
"Friends," and the others "the Orthodox."
The
was the genuine Society of Friends was more important than it would seem to a mere looker on; for large pecuniary interests were question which
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
involved therein.
form a
It
well
is
known
283
that
Quakers
commonwealth by themselves, within commonwealth by which they are governed.
sort of
the civil
They pay the public school-tax, and in addition build their own school-houses, and employ teachers of itheir own Society. They support their own poor, while they pay the same pauper tax as other zens.
They have burying grounds
citi
apart from others,
because they have conscientious scruples concerning
monuments and epitaphs. Of course, the question which of the two contending parties was the true Society of Friends involved the question who owned the meeting-houses, the burying grounds, and the
The
school funds.
friends of Elias
Hicks offered
divide the property, according to the relative
bers of each party
;
but those called Orthodox refused
Lawsuits were brought
to accept the proposition.
in various parts of the country.
of animosity existed fact that the
to
num-
may
"Orthodox"
What
a bitter state
be conjectured from the in Philadelphia refused to
allow "Hicksites" to bury their dead in the ground
belonging to the undivided Society of Friends.
On
the occasion of funerals, they refused to deliver up the key
;
in vain,
they forced the lock.
I
and
believe
after their opponents
in
almost
had remonstrated
every instance, where the
"Hicksites" were a majority, and thus had a claim to the
larger share of property, they offered to di-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
284
vide in proportion to the relative
After the separation in Nev\^-York, they re-
parties.
newed
numbers of the two
this offer,
which had once been rejected
and
;
the " Orthodox" finally agreed to accept a stipulated
sum
for their interest in the property.
numbered
called "Hicksites"
in the
The
Friends
whole more than
seventy thousand.
Quakers
England generally took part against
in
Some, who were styled
Elias Hicks and his friends.
''The Evangelical Party," went brethren
in
of
nations
their
conformity with the prevailing denomiChristians
ture essential to salvation
by water
;
Orthodox.
called
them considered a knowledge of baptism
much beyond
;
Many
of
of the letter of Scrip-
and some even approved
a singular departure from the
total abrogation of external rites,
which characterized
William and Mary known and highly popular Enghsh were born members of this religious Society.
Quakerism from the beginning. Howitt, the well writers,
In an
article
concerning the Hicksite controversy,
written for the
mer says:
London Christian Advocate, the
"My
opinion
is,
for-
that Friends will see
cause to repent the excision of that great portion of their
By
own body, on
sanctioning
partially
it,
the plea of heretical opinions.
they are bound,
if
they act im-
and consistently, to expel others also
heterodox opinions.
This conies of violating the
cred liberty of conscience
;
for sa-
of allowing ourselves to
285
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
be infected with the leaveij of a blind zeal, instead Is there no of the broad philanthropy of Christ. better alternative
William Penn
we
while
?
to
;
To
Yes.
adopt the principle of
allow freedom of opinion
permit the Evangelical party to hold
favorite notions, so long as they consent to to our
and
;
tlieir
conform
system of public worship, to confess that
we
have acted harshly to the Hicksites, and open our
arms
to all
in their
who
are sincere in their faith, and orderly
conduct."
As the adherents of Elias Hicks
time
at that
represented freedom of conscience, of course Isaac
T. Hopper belonged to that party, and advocated with characteristic zeal.
In fact, he seems
been the Napoleon of the
battle.
It
was not
nature intentionally to misrepresent any
in
man
it
have
to
;
his
and
even when the controversy was raging most furiously, I
believe there never
was a time when he would
not willingly have acknowledged a mistake the mo-
ment he perceived
it.
such, that w^herever he justice, or
freedom was
an adversary
till
But
temperament was
his
deemed a at stake,
principle of truth,
he could never quit
he had demolished him completely,
and convinced him that he w^as demolished he often
felt
;
though
great personal kindness toward the indi-
vidual thus prostrated, and
was always
render him any friendly service.
He
that his resistance in this controversy
willing to
used to say
was
principally
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
286
roused by the dispositioii^ which he saw manifested
"to crush worthy, innocent Friends,
ence of opinion
;"
foj;
mere
differ-
and no one, who knew him welJ,
could doubt that on this subject, as on others, he was
But
impelled by a sincere love of truth and justice.
neither he nor any other person ever entered the lists
of theological controversy without paying dearly
for the encounter.
turbed his
own
Perpetual
spirit,
strife
grieved and dis-
while his energy, perseverance,
and bluntness of speech, gained him
many
Wherever
schism was
troduced,
this unfortunate sectarian it
in-
divided families, and burst asunder the
bonds of friendship. to
enemies.
For a long time, they seemed
be a Society of Enemies, instead of a Society of
Friends.
In this respect, no one suffered more acute-
ly than Isaac T. Hopper.
very strong friendships
;
It
was
and
his nature to
at this
form
painful junc-
many w^hom he had long loved and trusted, parted from him. Among them was his cousin Joseph Whitall, who had embraced Quakerism at the same period of life, who had been the friend of his
ture,
boyhood, and the cherished companion of later years.
They had no
personal altercation, but their intimacy
off, and they became as strangers. had encountered other difficulties also, at a
gradually cooled
He
former period of his lay across his path. after his
marriage,
life,
the shadows of which
About twelve or his health
began
still
fifteen years
to
fail.
His
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
vigorous frame pined
away
2S7
a mere shadow, and
to
he was supposed to be in a consumption.
same
time, he found himself involved in pecuniary
the burden of which weighed very heavi-
difficulties,
ly
At the
upon him,
justice
it
many
His strong sense of
reasons.
painful for
He had
not pay. others,
for
made
him
owe debts he could
to
an exceeding love of imparting to
and these pecuniary impediments tied down
his large soul
with a thousand
He
lilliputian cords.
had an honest pride of independence, which chafed under any obligation that could be avoided.
His
strong attachmitit to the Society of Friends rendered
him
sensitive to their opinion
were exceedingly
their rules
their
and
;
strict
at that
period
concerning any of
members, who contracted debts they were una-
ble to pay.
People are always ready to censure a
man who
unprosperous in worldly
is
his character is is all
the
more
affairs
;
and
if
such as to render him prominent, he likely to be
these trials Friend
Of
handled harshly.
Hopper had a large
they disturbed him exceedingly ness of upright intentions kept
;
share,
and
but the conscious-
him from sinking un-
der the weight that pressed upon him.
He was
always a very industrious man, and what-
ever he did
was well done.
But the
fact was, the
claims upon his tim.e and attention were too numer-
ous to be met by any one mortal man. large family to support, and during
many
He had
a
years his
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
288
house was a home
from
and near.
far
for
poor Quakers, and others,
He
had much business to trans-
which he was then
act in the Society of Friends, of
an
for
He
member.
respected
and highly
influential
was one
of the founders and secretary of a society
employment of the poor
the
;
for colored children
Benezet school
overseer of the ;
teacher, with-
out recompense, in a free school for colored adults inspector of the prison, without a salary of a fire-company
;
member
guardian of abused apprentices
;
;
the lawyer and protector of slaves and colored people,
upon
all
occasions.
When pe^lence was
he was devoted to the
ing,
continually calling upon
him
sick.
The poor were
to plead with importu-
nate landlords and creditors.
He was
not unfre-
quently employed to settle estates involved in culties,
which others were
He
to exert influence over
When
the insane, for which he had peculiar tact.
man
diffi-
afraid to undertake.
had occasional applications he heard of a
rag-
beginning to form habits likely to
prove injurious to himself or his family, he would go to him,
whether
his
rank were high or low, and have
He would
private conversations with him.
some him
story, or
feel,
in that
"Thou
art the
He
man."
way, and the exertion of
sonably recalled those ous paths.
tell
suppose some case, and finally
who were
it
him
make
had a great
gift
sometimes sea-
sliding into
danger
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
When
one
upon the time that must have
reflects
been bestowed on
289
these avocations, do his pecu-
all
niary embarrassments require any further explanation
?
A member
of his
own
summed up
Society
the case very justly in few words.
Hearing him
censured by certain individuals, she replied,
whole amount of
is
it
this
:
—the
to love our neighbor as well as ourselves
Isaac has loved
them
"The
Bible requires us ;
and Friend
better."
These straitened circumstances continued during the remainder of his residence in Philadelphia his
and
;
family stood by him nobly through the
trial.
Household expenses were reduced within the smallHis wife opened a tea-store, as
est possible limits.
an available means of increasing their income.
The way
simple dignity of her manners, and her pleasing of talking, attracted
who
many
ladies,
even among the
handsome Quaker matron, while they were purchasing house-
fashionable,
hold stores.
The
liked to chat with the
elder daughters taught school,
took upon themselves double duty
in the
How much
large family of younger children.
and
charge of a they
loved and honored their father, was indicated by their zealous efforts to assist and sustain him.
neard him slipped
tell,
with
much
emotion,
some of her earnings
he slept in his arm-chair.
I
have
of
them
into his pocket, while
She
w^as anxious to save
him from the pain of being unable 13
how one
to
meet necessary
290
LIFE OF ISAAC
HOPPER.
T.
same time
expenses, and at the
keep him ignorant
to
of the source whence rehef came.
His
spirit
.
of independence never bent under the
He was
pressure of misfortune.
w^ilhng to deprive
himself of everything, except the simplest necessaries of
life
but he struggled manfully against incurring
;
obligations.
There was a Quaker fund
education of children
tuitous
urged to avail himself of
but
;
for the gra-
when he
w^as
he declined, because
it,
he thought such funds ought to be reserved for those whose necessities were greater than his own.
The government added cuniary annoyances
;
but
its it
exactions to other pe-
had no power
the inflexibility of his principles.
He
refused to pay the militia tax, because, in
with
conscientious
all
wrong
to
warp
had always
common
Quakers, he considered
to do anything for the support of war.
seems no more than just that a
sect,
it
It
who pay a who
double school-tax, and a double pauper-tax, and
almost never occasion the state any expense by their crimes, should be excused for believing themselves
bound
to
for evil
obey the injunction of Jesus,
;
to return
good
but politicians have decided that practical
Christianity
of citizens.
is
not always consistent with the duty
Accordingly,
when Friend Hopper
re-
fused to pay for guns and swords, to shoot and stab his fellow
The
men, they seized
articles
his
goods to pay the
chosen were often of
much
tax.
greater value
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
291
than their demand, and were sacrificed by a hurried
and careless outfit
His wife had received a handsome
sale.
from her
father, at the time of her
marriage
but she was destined to see one article of furniture after another seized to
were
pay the military
alike abhorrent to her heart
Among
these articles,
fines,
which
and her conscience.
was a looking
glass,
of an
unusually large and clear plate, which was valuable as property, and dear to her as a bridal gift from her
parents. to
officer,
She could not see it carried off by the meet the expenses of military reviews,
without a sigh
woman
a
—perhaps
a tear.
But she was not
ever to imply a wish to have her husband
compromise
his principles.
Thus bearing up bravely against the pelting storms of life, he went on, hand in hand with his beloved Sarah. But at last, he was called to part w^ith the steady friend and pleasant companion of his brightest
and
She passed from him
his darkest hours.
into
the spiritual world on the eighteenth of the Sixth
Month, (June,) 1822, age.
severe dyspepsia
;
bled her to endure to
in the forty-seventh
year of her
She suffered much from the wasting pains of but religious hope and faith enaall
her
trials
with resignation, and
view the approach of death with cheerful serenity
of soul.
Toward
of her complexion
ing
;
the close of her
was
life,
the freshness
injured by continual suffer-
but though pale, she remained a handsome
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
292
woman
During her long
to the last.
illness,
she re-
ceived innumerable marks of respect and affection for she was beloved by from friends and neighbors ;
who knew
all
A
her.
short time before her death,
she offered the following prayer for the dear ones she
was
"O
leave;
so soon to
Lord, permit
Thy
thy blessing for this family. than
all
favor
me
to ask
is
better
For want of keeping
the world can give.
my soul has often been pierced my weakness. Look thou from
close to thy counsel,
Pity
with sorrow.
heaven, and forgive.
nuiew
my
fluence of thy
me
in the
Holy
Spirit, as to
hour of temptation.
how prone
I
am
to err
tender minds.
!
O
for
beseech thee, to
keep
Thou
Lord,
Lead them
rightness, for thy name's sake.
honor
I
it.
alone knowest
visit
in the I
blessed truth."
She
left
and
re-visit
paths of up-
ask not riches nor
them; but an inheritance
but six years old, to
Preserve
on the right side and on the
Bless the children
left.
tlieir
Enable me,
covenant, and so to live under the in-
in
thy ever-
nine children, the youngest
mourn
the loss of a most tender
careful and self-sacrificing mother.
While her bereaved husband was
still
under the
sliadow of this great grief, he was called to part with his son Isaac,
lowed
was
who
in little
more than a
his mother, at the early
age of
year, fol-
fifteen.
He
a sedate gentle lad, and had always .been a very
pleasant child to his parents.
His father cherished
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER. his
memory with
293
great tenderness, and seldom spoke
him without expressing his conviction that if he had hved he would have become a highly acceptable of
minister in the Society of Friends
;
would have been more agreeable
a destiny which to
his
parental
feehngs, than having a son President of the United States.
Soon went
Maryland, to
He
there.
melancholy event, Friend Hopper
after this
to
two was accompanied in
wife's brother,
visit
David Tatum.
sisters
this
who
resided
journey by his
At an inn where they
stopped for refreshment, the following characteristic incident occurred
A colored girl brought in a pitcher
:
"Art thou a slave ?" said Friend Hopper. she answered in the affirmative, he started up
of w^ater.
When
and exclaimed, "It
is
against
waited upon by a slave."
my
principles to be
His more timid brother-
in-law inquired, in a low tone of voice, whether he
were aware that the mistress was within hearing.
"To
be sure
I
am," answered Isaac aloud.
would be the use of saying hearing
He then
?"
went out
it,
"WTiat
she were not within
if
emptied the pitcher of water, and
to the well to re-fill
it
for himself.
Seeing
the landlady stare at these proceedings, he explained to her that
he thought
unpaid labor.
it
wrong
to avail himself of
In reply, she complained of the in-
gratitude of slaves, and the hard condition of their
masters.
"It
is
very inconvenient to
live so
near a
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
294
"I bad sixteen slaves; but them have run away, and I expect tJTe rest
free state," said she.
ten of
will soon go."
"I hope they will," said would run away, if I were a At first, she was disposed
Isaac.
"I
am
sure I
slave." to be offended
;
but he
reasoned the matter with her, in a quiet and friendly
manner, and they parted on very
Tatum
often used
returned
am
David
sure
they
generally added, "I never
home; and he
for I
;
terms.
to tell this anecdote, after
Southern state with brother
ag-ain will travel in a
Isaac
civil
it
would be
at the risk of
my
life."
Time
soothes
dearly loved
more
all
afflictions
and those who have
;
companion are sometimes
their first
likely than others to
for the simple reason that
form a second connexion
;
they cannot learn to do
without the happiness to which they have been ac-
customed.
There was an intimate friend of the fami-
a member of the same religious Society, named Hannah Attmore. She was a gentle and quiet per-
ly,
son, of
an innocent and very pleasing countenance.
Her father, a worthy and tender spirited man, had been an intimate friend of Isaac T. Hopper, and always sympathized w^th
A
his efforts for the oppressed.
strong attachment had likewise existed between
her and Friend Hopper's wife
quent
visits to
the house,
it
;
and during her
was her pleasure
fre-
to vol-
;
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
295
unteer assistance in the numerous household cares.
The
fact that his
Sarah had great esteem
for her,
was His
doubtless a strong attraction to the widower.
was favorably
suit
received,
and they were married
on the fourth of the second month, (February) 1824.
She was considerably younger than her bridegroom but vigorous health and elastic spirits his youthful
grave deportment,
mas,
made her seem
older than she
She became the mother of four
really was.
two of
had preserved
appearance, while her sober dress and
whom
died in early childhood.
who ended
children,
Little
his brief career in three years
The and
a
was always remembered by his parents, and other members of the family, as a remarkably bright, half,
precocious child, beautiful as an infant angel. It
has been already stated that the schism in the
Society of Friends introduced cerning
the
much
theological opinions
controversy conof
its
founders.
There was consequently an increased demand their writings, felt
and the branch called "Hicksites"
the need of a bookstore.
Friend Hopper's busi-
ness had never been congenial to and of late years it had become
A
for
his
character,
less
profitable.
number of his wealthiest customers were " Orthodox ;" and when he took part with Elias Hicks, they ceased to patronize him. He was perlarge
fectly
aware that such would be the
whenever
it
was necessary
to choose
result
;
between
but his
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
296
principles and prosperity, he invariably followed
He was
he behoved to be the truth. suitable person to store,
what
considered a
superintend the proposed book-
and as the state of
his financial affairs render-
ed a change desirable, he concluded to accede to the
For that purpose, he
proposition of his friends.
moved
to the city of
In the
New-York
re-
in 1829.
autumn of the following
some
year,
disput-
ed claims, which his wife had on the estate of her maternal grandfather in Ireland, made for
him
fully
him
that
necessary
Experience had pain-
to visit that country.
convinced
it
controversy
theological
sometimes leads to personal animosity
and that few
;
mode
people were so open and direct in their pressing hostility, as he himself was.
of ex--
Therefore,
before going abroad, he took the precaution to ask letters
from citizens of various classes and sects
Philadelphia
;
and he found no
them from the most respectable and
Matthew
Carey,
wrote as follows
:
the "
known
well
As you
monial concerning your character, I
distinguished.
philanthropist
are about to visit
native country, and have applied to
ply with your request.
me
my
for a testi-
I cheerfully
com-
have been wxll acquainted
with you for about thirty-five years, and that, during the
in
difficulty in obtaining
I
can testify
whole of that time, you have been a
perfect pest to our Southern neighbors.
gentleman could scarcely
visit
this
A Southern city,
without
297
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
having his slave taken from him by your instrumentahty
;
so that they dread you, as they do the devil."
After enjoying a mutual laugh over this epistle, another
vi^as
written for the public, certifying that he
had known Isaac T, Hopper
many
for
years as "a
useful and respectable citizen of the fairest character."
When many many
Friend Hopper arrived
he found
untrue stories
in circulation, as
he had expect-
Sometimes, when he visited public places, he
ed.
would overhear people saying voice, "That's
letter
Isaac
T. Hopper, who
low
has given
much
was copied and circulated his disadvantage.
It
in all directions, greatly to
represented him as a
man
of
but wholly unworthy of cre-
sanctified appearance, ;
to each other, in a
A private trouble in America." from an " Orthodox" Quaker in Philadelphia
Friends so
dit
in Ireland,
of the Quakers prejudiced against him, and
that business of a pecuniary nature
pretence to cover artful designs
was
a
mere
his real object be-
;
ing to spread heretical doctrines in Ireland, and thus
sow
dissension
among
Friends.
this visit to a foreign land, Friend is
astonishing
They have been informed
can find stolen goods, and such occasions.
make them
:
"It
what strange ideas some of them have
concerning me.
to
In his journal of
Hopper says
I
think
believe 13*
me
it
am
that I
often applied to on
would be no hard matter
a wizard."
This was pro-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
298
bably a serious version of his pleasantry with the
Dutchman about
finding his goods
by calculating the
age of the moon.
Many
of the Irish Friends had formed from hear-
say the most extravagant misconceptions concerning the Friends
them
called
They supposed
"Hicksites."
to be outright infidels,
immoralities were tolerated
and that the grossest
among them
;
that they
pointed loaded pistols at the "Orthodox" brethren,
and drove them out of
their
own meeting-houses by
One of them expressed great surprise when Friend Hopper informed him that they were in main
force.
the constant habit of reading the Scriptures in their families,
and maintained among themselves the same
discipline that
had always been used
in the Society.
Sometimes when he attended Quaker meetings during the
early portion
of his
visit,
the
ministers
preached at him, by cautioning young people to be-
ware of the adversary, who was now going about cunning serpent, in which form he was far more dangerous, than when he assumed the appearance of a roaring lion. But after a w^hile, this tendency was rebuked by other preachers, who inculcatlike a
ed forbearance in judging others
;
reminding their
hearers that the spirit of the Gospel always breathed
peace and good will toward men. self,
As
for Isaac
he behaved with characteristic openness.
him-
When
d stranger, in Quaker costume, introduced himself,
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
299
and invited him to go home and dine with him, he
am
repUed, "I
bad
man
the
hospitality
and
;
represented by some people as a veryI
do not wish to impose myself upon of strangers, without letting
know who I am." The stranger assured him who he was, and cared not
that he
them
knew very
well
a straw what opinions
they accused him of; that he was going to have a
company of Friends
at dinner,
He
verse with him.
who wished
to con-
was
went accordingly, and
re-
ceived wdth true Irish hospitality and kindness.
Upon another occasion, a Quaker lady, who did know he was a^Hicksite," observed to him, "I suppose the Society of Friends are very much thinned in America, since so many have gone off from not
He
them." did.
I
belong to the party called Hicksites,
and schismatics
whom
always best to be can-
replied, "It is
and
;
I
to
thou hast alluded as having gone off from the
Society.
I should like to talk
the separation in America
misrepresented.
on business, and
But I
I
;
for
came
have no
with thee concerning
we have been
and
for a
greatly
to this country solely
w^ish to
thing that can unsettle the mind, or ings of any Friend. ed,
deists,
suppose they are the ones
say or do any-
wound
She seemed very much
the feelsurpris-
minute or two covered her face with
her hands.
But when the company broke up, some
hours
she followed him into the entry, and cor-
after,
300
LIFE OF ISAAC
T.
HOPPER.
him to visit her. " What canst thou the company of a heretic ?" he exclaimed.
dially invited
tolerate
!
She replied with a
smile,
"Yes, such a one as thou
art."
In self
fact,
w^herever he had a chance to
make him-
known, prejudices melted away under the
Some
ence of his frank and kindly manners.
influ-
people
of other sects, as wxll of his ow^n, took an interest in
him
for the
dislike
very reasons that caused distrust and
in others
him
as the
who
considered
;
viz
:
because they had heard of
champion of perfect
liberty of conscience,
men by any
unnecessary to bind
it
creed whatsoever.
Among
these, he mentions in his
journal. Professor Stokes of Dublin,
who
relinquish-
ed a salary of two thousand eight hundred pounds a year, because he could not conscientiously subscribe to the doctrine of the Trinity.
dismiss
manded
him from the
It
was proposed
college altogether
;
to
but he de-
a hearing before the trustees and students.
This privilege could not be denied, without ing the laws of the institution
;
infring-
and deeming that
such a discussion might prove injurious, they concluded to retain him, on a salary of eight hundred
pounds. is
Friend Hopper describes him thus:
"He
an intelligent and liberal-minded man, and has a
faculty of exposing the errors and absurdities of the
Athanasian Creed to
good
spirit,
and
I
much
was much
purpose.
He was
gratified with his
of a
com-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
He
pany.
insisted
301
upon accompanying me home
the evening, and though I remonstrated against
me
on account of his advanced, age, he attended the door of
During treated
my
Hopper
Ireland, Friend
vras
many
great hospitality and respect by
and many who v^ere not weal-
vs^ho vrere vrealthy,
thy
to
lodgings."
this visit to
vs^ith
in it,
by members of the Society of Friends, and of
;
He
various other religious sects.
formed a high
estimate of the Irish character, and to the day of his
warm
always spoke with
death,
friends he found there.
alludes with pleasure to the children he
where he
families
of the
affection
In his journal, he often
visited
with, in
he was always ex-
for
;
met
Speaking of a
tremely partial to the young.
visit to
a gentleman in the environs of Dublin, by the of Wilson, he says:
name
rose early in the morning,
''I
and the eldest daughter, about ten or eleven years old,
very politely invited
rambled about
me
walk
to
in the pastures,
and through beautiful
groves of oak, beech and holly.
The
little
amuse me.
She
told
tried her very best to
We
w^ith her.
creature
me
about
the birds and the hares, and other inhabitants of the
She inquired whether
woods.
much
"How
to see I
I
did not want very
wife and children
;
and exclaimed,
should like to see you meet them
give you so girl in
my
much
pleasure
another family,
!
"
He
!
It
would
speaks of a
little
who seemed very much
at-
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER.
302
tracted toward him, and finally whispered to her father,
"I want
to
go and speak
She
to that Friend/'
was introduced accordingly, and they had much pleasant chat together.
In one of the families where he visited, they told
him an
instructive story concerning a
Quaker who
by the name of Joseph Torrey. One day when he w^as passing through the streets, he saw a man leading a horse, which was evidently much diseased. His compassionate heart was pained by the sight, and he asked the man where he was resided in Dublin,
He replied, "The horse has the staggers, am going to sell him to the carrion-butchers." "Wilt thou sell him to me for a crown !" inquired Joseph. The man readily assented, and the poor
going.
and
I
animal was led to the stable of his
careful treatment soon restored
beauty.
him
in
One
day,
new friend, where
Suitable remedies and
he w^as most kindly tended.
him
to health
when Friend Torrey was
and
riding
Phoenix Park, a gentleman looked very ear-
nestly at the horse, and at last inquired whether his
owner would be willing
to sell him.
would," replied Joseph, "if
I
"Perhaps
I
could get a very good
master for him."
"He
so strongly resembles a favorite horse I once
had, that I should think he
was the same,
if I
didn't
know he was dead," rejoined the stranger. "Did he die in thy stable?" inquired Joseph.
LIFE OF ISAAC T. HOPPER
The gentleman
replied,
gers very badly, and
1 sent
303
"No. He had the staghim to the carrion-butch-
ers."
"I should be sorry
who would send him
to sell an
animal to any man,
to the carrion-butchers because
he was diseased," answered Joseph. ill,
how wouldst thou
like to
"If thou wert
have thy throat
cut, in
stead of being kindly nursed ?"
With some
surprise, the
gentleman inquired whe-
ther he intended to compare replied Joseph;
as
human
disease,
him
beings
;
"No,"
to a horse.
"but animals have
feelings, as well
and when they are
afflicted
with
they ought to be carefully attended.
consent to
sell
If I
thee this horse, I shall exact a pro-
mise that thou wilt have him kindly nursed when he is
sick,
and not send him to have his throat cut."
The gentleman
readily promised
all
that
was
re-
quired, and said he should consider himself very for-
much resembled
tunate to obtain a horse that so old favorite.
When
plete the bargain, he inquired
whether forty guineas
The
w^ould be a satisfactory price.
conscientious
Quaker answered, "I have good reason the horse w^as once thine
;
and .
store I
him
to thee
his
he called the next day, to com-
am
I
.
to believe
w411in