The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1843-12-29

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rarely loses his hilarily-and if he can
but manage to be sold at a price below
his real value, he is abundan,ly con,enicd.
Where Il not lha, the better feelings of
ones nature suffer SO rude shock at
these marts of human flesh. the contest
that is constantly between he auc,iuneer
and slave. the seller and se'lee. would he
sufficiently amusing To bring price
10 stand his master IN a sum so small that
he shall feel no necessity to oveItask his
labor. is the constant object of the party
being sold i; while the seller is equally
strenuous To gain the highest offer The
one of course recOmmends--,he other de-
preclaies--,he former extols the capacity
and excellence. she honesty and virtues of
the slave he offers. while the latter meets
him at every step with the har,es, contra
dlc,ions.
Here gentlemen cries the auc,ioneer,
'herc is something you don, often see !
Look nj this man aud woman, and Just
see these children They are the finest,
To-, ever offered for sale What will
you give'
The last words are no, more than out
of his mouth. when tls men, women and
children cry out. simultaneously
'Aint fine lot-aint fine lot!
well, gentlemen,' continues the ave
tioneer--'come give us bid This is a
prime fellow !
'Aint prime fellow !
why, yes you are a prime fellow CO.
sar =
No ain, prime fellow, either
What's the reason you are not prime
fellow What's the matter
Got lame leg, aud never able 20 FIN
ish my task in time, sir. Massa knows
me amt prime fellow
oh pshsw ! nonsence, Cesar. You
are lazy, that's sll the difficulty. VIVA!
will you give, gentlemen One hundred
dolars-only one hundred dollars--only
one hundred dollars for this prime lot of
negroes !
'Ains prime lot-ain. prime LOTT
One hundred dollars-one hundred
and fifty, fifty, ffly-one hundred and
hf'y dollsrs--only one hundred and fifty
why, gentlemen, you don. know what
you are losing! Look a, tina, woman ism.
SHE a prime wench! Only one hundred
and fifty dollars a piece for this prime lot
of negroes
'Aint a primo wench--aint prime
wench--aint Il prime lol'-comes up in
tones 30 shrll and rapid from the parties
to be sold, that the auctioneer is often
times forced 70 cease his recommended
tons. and to cry only the price that may
be offered.
In this contest between the seller and
the slave, i. often happen,s that the latter.
by insisting upon his defects, gains the
advantage and is sold below his real value.
Then the congra,ula,ion of his fellows
upon his success; after he has left the
stand, knows no bounds. and the fnrlu-
nate chal,el becomes the hero of the morn
ing.
remember stepping, last summer, into
the 'VenGue Range (ihe chief marker
for slaves in Charlcs,on) whsle a sale Of
plantation hands were gong IN, 10 look
upa person whom ! wanted to see. As
| came within the inclo-ure an old man
had just been put upon the stand Tor sale.
NV attention was drawn towards him
from the extreme dlsrrlp,,ude he manifest
ed, ~ he stood, wilhrrrd, bowed dnwn.
and almost he ple,s upln The sable of the
auctlonecr. A shuddcr seemed 10 run
through the crowd Of buyers, in seeing
50 aged 4 prrsun exposed for sale and
even TIE aGcli"peer himself, little acrus-
toned II manifest any sympathy Tor
hIs victims, seemed shocked as he relucl-
an,y cried out, Well, gentlemen what
Will you give for this old man I!
A moments silence followed. when
gentleman, taking compassion upon the
fellow, said, III give ten dollars for him
Knock him off--knock hin Off, cried
several voices, don't keep the old wan up
there and the aucloneer Knocked him
down at ten dollars. No sooner had the
hammer struck the board, and the word
'sold--,ake him down. fallen on the old
mans ear, than a perfect metamorphosls
took place in his whole appearance.
Strengthening himself up, with a nod of
gratitude 10 the buyer-Good, good, me
have an easy time now '--and with an
agility tina, moment before would have
seemed miraculous, sprang from the stand
TO the ground and running 10 corner of
the Range, received the congratulations