Ever since the first trouble with Auld, he had been pushing his plans
to redeem his pledge to himself that he would run away on Monday,
September 3, 1838. These were anxious days, and many small details had
to be mastered. He must carefully avoid anything in manner or word
which could excite the slightest suspicion. He had to test the
fidelity of a number of free colored people whose aid, in secret ways,
was very essential to him. Who these persons were has never been
revealed, and, in fact, it was not until many years after emancipation
that Mr. Douglass disclosed to the public how he succeeded in making
his daring escape. "Murder itself," he says, "was not more severely
and surely punished in the State of Maryland than aiding and abetting
the escape of a slave."

Young Douglass's flight had no outward semblance of dramatic incident
or thrilling episode, and yet, as he modestly says, "the courage that
could risk betrayal and the bravery which was ready to encounter death,
if need be, in pursuit of freedom, were features in the undertaking.
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