Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-06-27

brillmnt urray. AT the same time there is lax.
ness in the domestic code, which is peculiar to
the circumstances of the place and the Institutions
of the country. Ii is true that you may walk the
streets Mt night without the degraded objects COM
mon elsewhere but the evil only exists in an
other form. The adjoining buildings, lit up with
brilliant light and filled with the sound of music,
would explain the apparent anomaly There is
another and more systematic form Of immortality
in the system of cUncubnage, which is purely
owing to public opinion, assisted by law. The
offspring of whites and muattoes, called quarter
cons, are often MS beautiful in form and feature as
captivating in manners; and while their educa-
ton prevents them from marrying with the color
ed race, the law prevents al! union with The
whites. The result is perfectly natural.
The ascendency OF the white race over the col
ored, in this city, is as complete as il can he under
the institution of slavery. The code noir of the
State is very severe aud exercises absolute
mastery over the person Of color, whether free
or in bondage AT eight o'clock in the evening of
the winter, and nine in that ofthe summer months
a gun is fired, after which all found abroad who
IRE uDprovided with free papers, or pass from
their masters, are committed to the common gao
until morning 1t is difficult, consequently, for
free negroes, whether from the British colonies or
the northern States, to live in New Orleans with
out considerable risk A case came within my
own knowledge Of free ran Of color being ia
ken up after guntre, who had his free papers on
board the ship he belonged to, and was yet com
PEELED TO pay some fifteen dollars and suffer
nights Imprisonment before he was discharged.
! must say, however, % far as outward appearan-
90, there are few evidences of the tremendous
evil and injustice of slavery. With the exception
OF the chain-gangs, of convict, and unclaimed
slaves on the Levee the laughing face which
shines in every individual OF the race if by n
special providence against life of unrequited toll
are not evidences of misery. Their grievances
are many, hut their grlels are few
From his hotel the stranger hurries TO the auc-
lion mart, to see men sold like goods to the high
est bidder. Such a scene | saw; and, beneath
the shadow of tall model OF The Bunker-h
Monument, over the auctioneer's box, stretched
the flag, with Webster's memorable words insert
bed thereon. The devil in his wal; round the
world, might have fingered on the monument, and
gbbered with delight as he looked on the scene
below and surveyed in 1.-THE inconsistency of man,
his lights and shadows, his vain uDgings and far
| shortcomings. " Now them" said the auctioneer
Sukey, tumble up here. Gentlemen, | have
now to offer you u real bargain. The negress
Sukey, twenty-six years old, good washer and
roner, and free from vices and malades City
qualifications and came OF remarkably fine
family, gentlemen. Can sew and get up linen
What shall say? She speaks French and Eng
lish." The bidding began for Sukey, with three
hundred dollars, aud went on ill it reached six
hundred and fifty, when the hammer fell us the
All this while the dull, black face of the woman
seemed as lieless as piece of mahogany, and on
y lighted up for moment as she looked ut her
new master. The next lot was whole family q
father, mother, and four children, the last in arms.
My heart beat hard, and my throat swclled at this
wrongng OF the innocent and helpless 1t SEEM
ed all earnest of the perpetuaon as well as per-
mission of an accursed institution. The infant
was laughing unconsciously in lis mothers face
while It's rights were being bartered away, while
the bargain was made which was to consgn it to
a long life of toll The other children were grave
or frightened, and kept their arms crossed upon
their breasts. The whole family was disposed of,
10 one who appeared a negro trader, for seven
teen hundred dollars, ana the sale terminated.
Leaving such sad and humlliatnr passages, let
me recall some Of the lighter and more interest.
my recollecous OF my stay in the crescent city
They were not few under It's laughing SKY, and
bright spring. The mornings were incomparably
the most delightful period of the day. We rose
at six and sailed out TO the market, tnkng the ca
thedra by The way. No costly edifice, no gilt
tering fame ofying stone without, and lofty prayer
| breathing aises within, is the humble shrine,
| where, almost alone among the churches OF The
Union, black and white, bend the knee TO the Scar
| cher of hearts. | well remember my first visit,
| when we stole quietly in through side door, and
| stood before huge throng, as varied and unlike,
as The first gathering of Christians in the days OF
! the apostles. 1t was during one of The pauses in
the mass; and, as the eye glanced over u sea OF
human heads, it fell on colors heterogeneous as
| head dresses g. attires of every fashion could make
| them. The negress was there, with her bright
bandana the Quarteroon with veil FALLING over
face aud bust which might have graced Juno
| the graceful Frenchwoman, yelled or bonneted in
| the equlste tasle which art and study had attain
ed. Many strangers were there There was The
lrshman bending his knee, like a Turk on hi:
carpet, in that wrapt devotion have ever seen in
l,l,o. IL, l..
| Enllshman, looking on with wonder and respect
and the intellectual, cold-hearted Scotsman curl
ing his lips in lofty pride. There every de-
gree of intelligence in those crowded aises, from
the benighled negress, counting her beads TO The
refined and cultivated lawyer, The acute and sen
sible merchant. When the priest mounted th
pulpit, and poured forth river of eoquence in hi
flexible and impassoned tongue, forgot that W,
were standing on the damp borders of the Missis
: Sippl, beneath dngy roof supported by plain
brick columns. thought of Peter the hermit, o
his burning words, and OF his fixed and rivee'
audience. Time rolled back lis long waves ono
more.
visited the church often. One day, as | pas
, sed through, was attracted by the entrance OF
Creole lady, of exquisite beauty, richly clad, ant
D attended by little slave, about four years Old
} She approached one of the shrnes and becam
absorbed in her devotons. All this while the lit
tie child knelt by her side looking all round, wit
ms large brght eyes, IN chlidlsh wonder. AS
S looked at this strangely matched group, though
I how differently their separate lot upon earth wa
G cast: how bright was the existence of one, love
Il and honored most likely, with the rough paths G
: coming age surrounded by troops OF friends
c That Of the olher how dark, how gloomy, an
= how uncertain. 1t was a sal contrast that, Of til
}, lady and the slave.
If The cathedral of New Orleans fronts a lurl
a square, the Place Armes, which is surrounde
e by locust trees, and has fountain in the centr
IF 1t was favorte promenade during The cool mo
II ming hour before breakfast. When the sun cam
e up out of the low horizon of marsh it lighted u
n The fountain and the dark face of the church viii
% the air came from the gardens across the river Ii
n den with the rich perfumes of the grunge flow
IS ers. 1t was the pleasantest period during Il
lr lwenty-iour hours. AS we returned home, "
d past the market, with its cries in English al
Is French, and the fruits and flowers on the stall:
Is ard, while passing the huge blocks of ice lying
N the hotel DOORS forgot that the cir was yet TO glo