The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-07-13
From the Oberlln EyanMs


The following fact, illustrative. of.the
suftrings caused By flmily separations,
was Witnessed by The writer, then a ftsi.
dtn' of kentucky.
WEEP oppose TO develop, and illustrate
BY a fac, ona solrce OF unloId misery to
.Lne Saves Of the breeding (,r slave Sell
Ing) Safes.
I4Is very freqienlIy the case, TINT ~slavt.
holders, b wing by ii lhrlfIess culture en-
hausted their Iards in the breeding Safes,
IN. Carolina, Virginia, aud l\sntuckyO
renUvt to the newer ADD more fertile re-
gions lurlh r west or south. There is
quile a stream of emigration, especially
Of the smaller Shareholders, eastward and
southwark. The annual number can no.
he accurately stated. Each emigrant
shareholder, of the class now alIud,d to,
carries with him his gang Of %sIaves. |
is almost universally the case that slaves
mirry Hf their own plantation the hns-
boud belonging to one man, the wife 10
another. Consequently in nearly every
instance of removal, there is IA Sundering
Of slave families. Where one flmiIy goes
undivided, the bleeding fragments Of fifty
are dragged along 10 The distant home
The only consolation that is offered 10 the
hearl.broken sufferers is, that they will
soon tiGd new partners - the blllerest
mockery Of their woe.
George and Jane lived 10 the same vii,
lagr, but belonged TO different mnsters.--
They enjoyed, in a high degree, the con-
fl Ience Of their respective owners, who
were Respectable and Influential citizens.
George was the 'headman' in his mas
ter'S tannery - Jane was the principal
domestic. in her masters establishment,
the only lon of the village. They had
been married for "A number of years, and
had, both among blacks and whites, the
credit OF uncommon conjugll faithfulness.
Both were professedIy pious, and pos.
sessed more than ordinary education for
slaves, hsing able 10 read dlently. Hav-
ing lighter worR, and more inluIgent
masters than usually fall to the lot Of
%ellves, they knew comparatively liule Of
the rigors Of bondage. S1ndIy was al
ways at their disposal. Every evening,
the work of the d,y being finished, Geo.
might be seen bending his course towards
The sillage Inn. For mutual attachment
and constancy, these slaves were dIstln-
guiShrd. For many years they lived in
unbroken union, anticipating no violen.
sunderings. True, they frequently wit
nesseI The separation of husblnds& wives,
as the souI-driver went round upon his
annual circuit of horror, but they fell
assured that they were priced too highly
by their respective masters, ever TO be
sold. But a dire calamity was preparing
fr them, and when finally it broke with
the snddeuness Of a summers bolt, it scat
tered all their sociaI joys forever.
.Jdne's master had become embarrassed
in his pecuniary %aff.irs, and found it alb
%soIuteIy necessary 10 change his residence
He resolved upon going 10 The distan.
state OF Missouri, The preparations were
almost completed before Jane was inform
ed of the design, and she then learned the
determination Of her master 10 take bel
along with him. La CONSERVATION, sh,
few with the Intelligence 10 her husband
Without a moments delay, they hoslenet
together 10 the inn-keeper, and besough
him that he would allow Jane 10 find her