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Show 238 MARY SYITll. It wns not very ca._~y, even with these reference~, to get suflkicnt cviclcnco to prove the frcc(lom and i<lcntity of an obscure person, who had been uwny from Boston for some years. A strong interest, however, "·as felt in the case wherever it bcc!l.rnc known. And Hcv. Samuel Snowden, well-remembered by the nome of Father Snowden, wit11 his usual inclomitablc energy and perseverance in nlcling persons of his own color in distress, snccccdcd i.n fwUing people in Boston who were well acquaintccl with 1Iary Smith, and recollected her having left that place to go to the south. P ursuing his inquiries with great diligence, he ascertained the place or her birth, wl1ich "·as somewhere in New Hampshire. I forget the name of tl1c town. Amclavils were now procurc111 which rstnbli;hccl tl1e pbcc of Mary Smith's birth, her residence in Boston, and the time of her departure for the south, and other circumstances to corroborate her story. ELl ward Everett, who was at this time Governor of Nassacbusclts, at the request of Mary Smith's friends, forwarded the documents they bad obtained, accomIXlllicd with an urgent ]clter from himself, clcmnnding her release from captivity, on the ground of her being a free citizen of Massachusetts. MARY SMITII. 239 The Governor of North Carolina replied very courteously to Governor E verett. lie admitted the right of the woman to her freedom, and acknowledged that no person in North Carolina could lawfully detain her as a slave. But, at the same time he said, that as Governor, be had no power to interfere with the person who held her in custody. The de· cision on her right to freedom, depended on another department of the government. lie promised, how· ever, to write to the rna' who held her, and solicit her release. The remonstrances of the Governor of N ortb Carolina proved successful. Mary Smith soon arrived in Boston. And some of her old acquaintances who had given the evidence which led to her release, has. tcncd to meet her and congratulate her on her escape fi·om bondage. At the meeting they looked on her for some moments with astonishment, for they could trace in her features no resemblance to their former companion. A speedy explanation took place, from which it appeared that all tlJC documents sent to North Carolina related to one Mary Smith; but the woman whose liberty they procured, was another Mary Smith. |