From the Richmond Dispatch, 3/27/1855, p. 1, c. 2

UNDERGROUND OPERATIONS. – The abolitionists are yet at work in our city, removing slaves from the State, by their underground operations. On Thursday night last a valuable negro man, named John, the property of Mr. A. Inloes, made his escape and has not since been heard of. We have little or no doubt, that this fellow has made his way to land by the Rappahannock, York, or Pamunkey rivers, where he will endeavor to secure passage on some of the small wood craft and thereby effect his escape to the North. The people in those sections of the country should keep a look out for strange servants, and arrest them whenever they make their appearance.

We have in our midst a number of abolition emissaries, who are enticing slaves to leave their homes, where they are well fed, clothed and attended to in sickness, to flee to the North to have the privilege of starving, as thousands of fugitives are now doing – not for any love they have for the negroes, or any desire to see them free – but for the almighty dollar which these ignorant creatures earn, in various ways, while under the control of their masters. Slaves in Virginia, and in Richmond particularly, are the happiest class of laborers in the Union. They have no cares for the morrow – no families to provide for, no notes to pay, no responsibilities to meet – nothing but their regular duties to perform – to eat, drink and be merry – and would never think of leaving their happy homes but for the serpent tongued emissaries, who whisper hopes in their ears that can never be realized, and who induce them to commit crime to raise means to get them to the North, where they have the glorious privilege of starving in damp cellars and in the open air. Would that these satanic agents could be detected, and made to feel the hardships their mercenary acts are imposing on ignorant slaves, by inducing them to flee to the North, and all for the almighty dollar.

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