From the Archives: Newspapers:
The Bonny Brown Mare

The Erie Observer, September 26, 1857

The Bonny Brown Mare:  or the Way an Abolitionist was ‘Done Brown’ 

     About soon on the 4^th of July last, the precise hour when millions of happy freedom ________ were “going it jolly” over the good things in life, “there might have been seen,” as the novelist James has it, “a solitary horseman” riding up to a hotel in Wellsburg, in the western part of this county.  The solitary horseman was a negro and the horse he rode was a brown mare.  The negro was young and well dressed, but looked and acted as though he had seen a ghost – or, what was more likely in these “piping times of peace,” a police officer in hunt of a horse thief.  The mare, too, looked as though it had seen service, for it panted and bowed and gave evident signs of hard riding.  Presently another son of Africa made his appearance, and hard after the negroes and the mar, came a couple of farmers nearby, who, having observed the trio skulking through the woods, justly concluded the animal was stolen, and hence started in pursuit.

     Thus overtaken, _______________ was stolen, but claimed they were “fugitives from slavery,” and that they had taken it from “massa” who lived in the romantic village of Millersburg, Kentucky.  They begged the good assured republican to take the mare, and inform “massa” of its whereabouts, while they should seek on foot their way to Canada, where negroes are free.

     They had hardly got beyond the outskirts of the village, however, before a horde of “freedom seekers” from the neighboring village of Albion, prompted by a desire to show their love for “humanity,” pounced down upon them – brought them back – and amid the most exciting demonstrations, demanded the return of the mare.  To this, the landlord demurred – the negroes had acknowledged that it was stolen from their master, and he could see no difference between stealing a horse from one man and another; not so the followers of “John Charles,” the mare, according to their reasoning, was the law spoils of the negroes, and have it they would.  For a little time, it looked decidedly like a riot.  The landlord was firm, and was sustained by those of his neighbors who did not believe that a man’s property was lawful plunder, even though he was the owner of slaves.  Finally, what they could not get by force, the “shriekers” determined to obtain by strangers; and to this end one of them, more knowing than the rest, went to Esquire Trask, of Albion, and obtained a warrant for the arrest of the negroes for stealing the horse, and the “darkies” and the property were brought before him.  The Justice, who is a model of Judicial Knowledge in his way, asked them if they had stolen the “brown mare,” and having received their lesson, they promptly denied the “soft impeachment.”  This was enough – their right to the “brown mare” was proved to a demonstration – “bleeding Kansas” was satisfied, and the bloody minded Democrats, who had the impudence to think that stolen property should be returned to its owner, were silenced by the Judicial wisdom of Chief Justice Trask!  The question then arose, what should be done with the negroes and the mare.  This required a good deal of cogitation; but finally it was decided that some of __________ should buy the animal, while the “fugitives,” with the proceeds of the sale, should be sent on their way rejoicing.  At this stage of the force, no one doubted the genuine “fugitives from bondage,” and although they were dressed equal to the best, resplendent, as it were, in patent leather and broad cloth – it was boldly asserted by those who “slept with them,” in imitations of Botts with Tyler, that their backs gave evidence of the truth of their story of slavery.  The “bonny brown mare,” therefore, was not long in finding a new owner – for, according to negro authority, the animal was worth at least $500, as it was a favorite racer of “massa,” so that, when the new owner counted out into their black palms $45 in gold, he though he had achieved a glorious speculation.

     Of course, it was understood among the faithful, that one should betray the whereabouts of the animal by telegraphing, writing or otherwise giving “massa” information – and this the Democrats were whipped out – “human rights” were protected, and the law vindicated; while Uncle Tom’s boys, with the “golden eagles” in their pockets, were sent to find “freedom” under the Cross of St. George.  This momentous question of “law” ended and the negroes gone, the rural villages named above, subsided into quiet, while the “bonny brown mare” was made generally useful and as her new owner went dashing about the country, the romantic history of the animal, made both the “observed of all observers,” while the tale of “Southern oppression,” and “negro chivalry” became as familiar as household words.  But about the time of the affair, the fugitives, it appeared, had stolen the mare, together with harness and buggy, from the doctor’s door – had strolled won into the south eastern Ohio – thence to Conneaut and Springfield, where, after some trading they had disposed of the harness and buggy.  From there, they had made their way to Wellsburg, as we have already shown, and by their bold system of lying, had imposed upon the “freedom shriekers” the tale we have narrated.  We suspect there was never a sicker set of meddling abolitionists than those about Albion when these facts were brought to light, and the little German Doctor, mounted on his favorite “bonny brown mare,” disappeared from sight.  And so ends our tale of the “Bonny Brown Mare, or the way the Abolitionists were Done Brown.”  And here let us remark, that if the tale has not a moral – and we think it has, but have not time to draw it – it evidently teaches truth very appropriate to result of the Black Republican County fight this Fall, one thing is very certain – none of the candidates will ride into power on the “bonny brown mare,” for no doubt the German Doctor will keep a close watch for Republicans in the future.

Discovered by Karen James in the microfilm collection in the Heritage Room at the Blasco Memorial Library, Erie, Pennsylvania.