Ch. 11 : Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Douglass was somewhat disdainful of the very public discourse surrounding the Underground Railroad. He was pleased that slaves found their way to freedom, but thought that the "open declarations are a positive evil to the slaves remaining, who are seeking to escape." In 1838 Douglass was becoming restless, wondering why he needed to keep giving the contents of his purse to his master. He believed he should try and hire himself out in order to save more money for his escape. When Master Thomas came to town, Douglass inquired if he would hire Douglass out, but the man refused, calling it a "stratagem by which to escape" and encouraged Douglass to remain content with his situation.