Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-07-19
LETTERS FROM LOUISIANA,

ports in all the West Indies
| LETTERS FROM LOUISIANA.
From a gentleman aov in TINT counfru 10 hi,
| friend IN the Village Of Springfield, Mas
sachusens.
My Dear SIR,
A few days after my arrival at New-Or
leans, walking one morning past one of the
principal coffee house, in tn" city, law a
number of people collected in front OF it..
Crossing the street, { very soon perceived
it was an auction for ne scle Human .fesh
On little platform, or bench erected for
the purpose, stood poor negro slave, who
was wlping off the tears which were trek
ling down his cheeks, with the back OF his
hand. Having always lived in that part
ofour country where slavery is unknown, |
had never seen any thing OF the kind be
| fore. need not tell you. therefore, my
dear H, that my feelings were not a
little ag:tated and stressed, as | shrunk
| back with adherence from so disgusting a
sight. Is this then, thought |, the boasted
land of liberty, which is so often echoed
| from one end of the United States to the
other? And do we here behold The flesh
and blood OF a poor unfortunate race OF tht
human family thus exposed to sale in the
public streets? Set up at auction to the
| highest bidder? Is such, alas! The cruelty
and degeneracy which poor human nature
is liable 10 fall into? Pursuing this train of
reflection for few moments, my attention
was again brought back to witness another
Of these Africans mounting the platform,
the other having been struck off for the sum
of $50 dollars. The one which the auc-
Goneer was now about TO sell. was an old
man about 80 years Of age, with something
very honest and very interesting in his APP
pearance. On getting up upon The stage,
he pulled off his hat and laid it down by
the side OF him, then looking round upon
the people, with an eye of anxiety and So
licilude, as if to invite their commisseration
and compassion. But his silent though i'm.
pressive appeal to their sensibility, had no
effect upon Them. So long hacknied in the
guilty haunts of slavery, they had no feel
inc for him. Well might this poor sable
son of Africa exclaim, at such moment as
this,
"Alas! slavery, thou artindeeda bitter cup"
But, in consequence Of his advanced age,
he brought something less than the other
He was struck off for 700 dollars The
next was his wife, apparently about 40
years of age, who assembled the platform,
and was very soon disposed OF in the same
way, though not purchased by the same
man OF course, separated probably for
ever from her husband. This woman was
succeeded by her two children, who were
next introduced by the auctioneer the
one boy about 9 years old, the other
girl about years old, who, as fortune
would have it, like their parents, were
separated in the sale. Thus you see hus-
band and wife, parents and children, torn
from each other, and every iigament of
their social and domestic happiness SUM-
dered and destroyed forever, by this rem
nant of barbarism and cruelty, which still
fingers in the christian world, which has
so long disgraced. and which continues to
disgrace many Of our southern and middle
states. The sale of these slaves was con-
,inued but | have particularly related 10
you the disposition which was made OF
this little family groupe, because it brings
to your view striking instance Of he mi
sery and unhappiness, which is so often
produced in countries where slavery is to.
lerated.
These auctions for the sale ofnegroes are
held almost every day in the week, in some
public part of the city, and are viewed by
the people OF this country with pretty much
the same kind of feeling as New England
farmer would illness the sale OF his horses
and cattle. rejoice, my dear H. that
was not born and educated in country
of this sort, TO imbibe such absurd and mon
strous principles. Another scene, as con-
sequence OF slavery, soon after occurred to
me. Taking a walk one day by myself.
and winding my way along the bank OF the
Mississippi river, found myself before
was aware, that walked so far, two o.
three miles from the city On the road lead
;aur 70 arancral cksnn,s battle gIOund.-