My success was due to address rather than to courage, to good luck
rather than bravery. My means of escape were provided by the very
means which were making laws to hold and bind me more securely to
slavery."
By the laws of the State of Maryland, every free colored person was
required to have what were called "free papers," which must be renewed
frequently, and, of course, a fee was always charged for renewal. They
contained a full and minute description of the holder, for the purpose
of identification. This device, in some measure, defeated itself,
since more than one man could be found to answer the general
description; hence many slaves could get away by impersonating the real
owners of these passes, which were returned by mail after the borrowers
had made good their escape. To use these papers in this manner was
hazardous both for the fugitives and for the lenders. Not every
freeman was willing to put in jeopardy his own liberty that another
might be free. It was, however, often done, and the confidence that it
necessitated was seldom betrayed. Douglass had not many friends among
the free colored people in Baltimore who resembled him sufficiently to
make it safe for him to use their papers.
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