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LIFE AND TIMES OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS 241

night. and I may add without undue profession of timidity, an anxious night.
The morning papers brought no relief, for they announced that the government
would spare no pains in ferreting out and bringing to punishment all
who were connected with the Harper's Ferry outrage, and that papers as well
as persons would be searched for. I was now somewhat uneasy from the fact
that sundry letters and a constitution written by John Brown were locked up
in my desk in Rochester. In order to prevent these papers from falling into
the hands of the government of Virginia. I got my friend Miss Ottilie Assing
to write to my dictation the following telegram to B. F. Blackall, the telegraph
operator in Rochester, a friend and frequent visitor at my house, who
would readily understand the meaning of the dispatch:

"B. F. BLACKALL, Esq.,

"Tell Lewis [my oldest son] to secure all the important papers in my high
desk."

I did not sign my name, and the result showed that I had rightly judged
that Mr. Blackall would understand and promptly attend to the request. The
mark or the chisel with which the desk was opened is still on the drawer, and
is one of the traces or the John Brown raid. Having taken measures to secure
my papers the trouble was to know just what to do with myself. To stay in
Hoboken was out or the question, and to go to Rochester was to all appearance
to go into the hands or the hunters, for they would naturally seek me at
my home if they sought me at all. I,however, resolved to go home and risk
my safety there. I felt sure that once in the city I could not be easily taken
from there, without a preliminary hearing upon the requisition, and not then
if the people could he made aware of what was in progress. But how to get
to Rochester was a serious question. It would not do to go to New York city
and take the train, for that city was not less incensed against the John Brown
conspirators than many parts of the South. The course hit upon by my
friends, Mr. Johnston and Miss Assing, as to take me at night in a private
conveyance from Hoboken to Paterson, here I could take the Erie railroad
for home. This plan was carried out and I reached home in safety, but had
been there but a few moments when I was called upon by Samuel D. Porter.
Esq., and my neighhor, Lieutenant-Governor Selden, who informed me that
the governor of the State would certainly surrender me on a proper requisition
from the governor of Virginia, and that while the people of Rochester
would not permit me to be taken South, yet in order to avoid collision with
the government and consequent bloodshed, they advised me to quit the coun-