Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-09-04

LETTER ".
My dear SRA few days after my
arrival at New-Oreans, walking one
morning past one of the principal coffee
houses IN the city, l saw number of
people collected in front of it. Crossing
the street, very soon perceived it was
an auction for the sale of human flesh.
On little platform, or bench erected
for the purpose, stood poor negro slave,
who was wiping off the tears which were
trickling down his cheeks, with the back
of his hand. Having always lived in that
part oil our country where slavery is un-
known, had never seen any thing Of the
kind before. lneed nottell you, therefore,
my dear H, thatm lings were not
| little agitated and distressed, as shrunk
back with adherence from so disgusting
| a sight. Is this then, thought |, the boast
ed land OF liberty, which is so often
echoed from one end OF the United States
to the other? And de- we here behold the
flesh and blood Of poor unfortunate
race of the human family, thus exposed
10 sale in the public streets ?-Set up at
auction to the highest bidder3 Is such,
alas =! the cruelty and degeneracy, which
poor human nature is liable to 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 dol
lars. The one which the auctioneer was
now about to sell, was an old man about
so years of age, with something very
honest, and very interesting in his ap-
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
solicitude, as if TO invite their commise-
ration and compassion. But his silent
though impressive appeal to their SEN
sibility, had no effect upon them. So
long hacknied in the guilty haunts Of
slavery, they had no feeling for him.
Well might this poor sable son of Afri-
ca exclaim at such moment as this
"Alas slavery, thou art indeed bitter cup. ;,
But, in consequence Of bis advanced ape,
he brought something less than the other.
He was struck off for 700 dollars The
next was his wife, apparently about As
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 proba-
| bly, for ever from her husband. This
woman was succeeded by her two chill
dren, who were next produced by the
auctioneer; the one boy about 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 husband and wife, parents and
| children, torn from each other, and every
lgament of their social and domestic hap
piness sundered and destroyed for ever
| by this remnant of barbarism and cruelty,
which still fingers in the christian world,
which has so long disgraced, and which
continues to disgrace many of our south
ern and middle states. The sale of these
slaves was continued; but l have parti-
cularly related to you the disposition
which was made of this little family
groupe, because it brings to your view
a striking instance the misery and un-
happiness which is SO often produced in
countries where slavery is tolerated.
| These auctions, for the sale of negroes,
are held almost every day in the week, in
some public part of the city, and are
viewed by the people in this country,
with pretty much the same kind of feel
ings as New-Engl&d farmer would
witness the sale ofhis horses and cattle.
l rejoice, my dear H, that was not