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           Iamapoorcoloredman—oneofadown-troddenanddegradedrace,whosehumblevoicemaynotbeheededbytheoppressor —butknowingthetruth,andwithafullsenseofmyaccountability,Idosolemnlydeclarebeforemen,andbeforeGod,thatanychargeorassertion,thatIconspireddirectlyorindirectlywithanypersonorpersonstosellmyself;thatanyotheraccountofmyvisittoWashington,mycaptureandimprisonmentinWilliams’slavepen,thaniscontainedinthesepages,isutterlyandabsolutelyfalse. IneverplayedontheviolininWashington. IneverwasintheSteamboatHotel,andneversawThornorShekels,tomyknowledge,inmylife,untillastJanuary. Thestoryofthetrioofslave-tradersisafabricationasabsurdasitisbaseandunfounded. Wereittrue,IshouldnothaveturnedasideonmywaybacktolibertyforthepurposeofprosecutingBurch. Ishouldhaveavoidedratherthansoughthim. Ishouldhaveknownthatsuchastepwouldhaveresultedinrenderingmeinfamous. Underthecircumstances—longingasIdidtobeholdmyfamily,andelatedwiththeprospectofreturninghome—itisanoutrageuponprobabilitytosupposeIwouldhaverunthehazard,notonlyofexposure,butofacriminalprosecutionandconviction,byvoluntarilyplacingmyselfinthepositionIdid,ifthestatementsofBurchandhisconfederatescontainaparticleoftruth.