or of North Carolina replied very courteously to Governor
Everett. He 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, he
had no power to interfere with the person who held her in custody. The
decision on her right to freedom, depended on another department of
the government. He promised, however, to write to the man who held
her, and solicit her release.

The remonstrances of the Governor of North 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, hastened to meet
her and congratulate her on her escape from 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 the
documents sent to North Carolina related to one Mary Smith; but the
woman whose liberty they procured, was another Mary Smith.

Governor Everett had a hearty laugh when Father Snowden told him the
happy result of his letter to the Governor of North Carolina.

The moral of this story is, that a plain, common name, is sometimes
more useful to its owner, than a more brilliant one.

[Illustration: (signature) S. E. Sewall]

NOTE.--I have endeavored to give the facts of Mary Smith's
story with exact accuracy, writing from memory only, without
the aid of anything written. It is possible I may be
mistaken in some immaterial circumstance.

Freedom--Liberty.

Freedom and Liberty are synonymes. Freedom is an essence; Liberty, an
accident. Freedom is born with a man; Liberty may be conferred on him.
Freedom is progressive; Liberty is circumscribed. Freedom is the gift
of God; Liberty, the creature of society. Liberty may be taken away
from a man; but, on whatsoever soul Freedom may alight, the course of
that soul is thenceforth onward and upward; society, customs, laws,
armies, are but as wythes in its giant grasp, if they oppose,
instruments to work its will, if they assent. Human kind welcome the
birth of a free soul with reverence and shoutings, rejoicing in the
advent of a fresh off-shoot of the Divine Whole, of which this is but
a part.

[Illustration: (signature) James McCune Smith]

NEW-YORK, Nov. 22d, 1853.

An Aspirati