The Enslaved In Washington's The Heroic Slave

In The Heroic Slave by Frederick Douglass, Madison Washington claims that “the ocean, if not the land, is free.” In part four, a shipmate and a man named Jack Williams have a conversation about just that - while the latter underestimates the power and strength of enslaved persons, the former makes his case about the difference between the land and the sea and how enslaved persons behave accordingly. Washington and the shipmate are correct - the ocean makes it easier for the enslaved to revolt or have a chance to become free due to the differing circumstances in the two environments. One difference between freedom on land and on sea is the support system available to both parties (the enslaved and the enslavers). The shipmate mentioned above states, “it is quite easy to talk of flogging n--- here on land, where you have the
sympathy of the community, and the whole physical force of the government, State and national, at your command” (43).
This is important because on land, there are several groups of people - the plantation owner(s), the local community, the government - that can extinguish any form of rebellion from one slave or even a whole group. The enslaved person(s) is easily outnumbered and therefore it is not usually in their best interest to risk their life and attempt to run away or something of that sort. Meanwhile, when they are on a ship, in the middle of the sea, they have a greater advantage. Not only are they underestimated, as Jack Williams believes, they are also more easily able to overpower and gain control of a ship by working together. This is because there is no backup on the ship - no form of outside or government interference to quell any attempt at insurgence. If something like that were to happen, no one would know because they are
somewhere in the ocean and most likely have no one to contact for help. The shipmate says it best when he says, “it is one thing to manage a company of slaves on a Virginia plantation, and quite another thing to quell on the lonely billows of the Atlantic, where every breeze speaks of courage and liberty” (44). Notice the mention of the “lonely billows of the Atlantic”; as written above, the idea of not having to face anyone other than those on board the ship is a lot more comforting, in a way, and gives them that encouragement and hope of “courage and liberty” that is denied to them on land. Another difference between the two environments is the state of laws and their applicability. On land (and in certain states), the law is still applicable; enslaved persons are still enslaved, they are subject to punishments and inhumane treatment for breaking laws or attempting to gain their freedom by running away. Once again, the shipmate hits Williams with the truth bomb when he says, “For the negro to act cowardly on shore, may be to act wisely; and I’ve some doubts whether you, Mr. Williams, would find it very convenient were you a slave in Algiers, to raise your hand against the bayonets of a whole government” (44). This statement implies that the majority of slaves, on land, do nothing and seem to “act cowardly” because they are faced with the threat and act of violence if they go against “the rules.” If they are in the middle of the ocean, away from the land with the laws and the boundaries, however, it is my guess that this would not be the case. They could gain control of the ship, and do as Madison did and successfully navigate the ship somewhere slavery is not allowed, where they will be recognized as free. The ocean, if not inherently free, offers the promise and possible opportunity of freedom; it is not restricting as the land and its plantations are to the enslaved people.