Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-08-20

hidren, and the other three were single, but
hal parents living from them. Coming near
them, perceived they were all greatly agitatedb
and, on inquiring, | found that they were all
slaves who had been born and raised in North
Carolina, and had just been sold to a Spectator
who was now taking them to the Charleston
market. Upon the shore there was number of
colored persons, women and children, waiting
the departure of the boat and my attention was
particularly attracted by two colored females Of
uncommonly respectable appearance, neatly at
tired, who stood together, little distance from
the crowd, and upon whose countenances was
depicted the keenest sorrow As the last bell
was tolling, | saw the tears gushing from their
eyes, and they raised their neat cotton aprons and
wiped their faces under the cutting anguish OF
severed affection. They were the wives OF two
of the men in chains. There, too, were moth
ers and sisters, weeping at the departure of their
sons and brothers and there, too were fathers
taking the last look OF their wives and children.
NV whole attention was directed to those on the
Shore as they seemed to stand in solemn, sub
missive silence, occasionally giving utterance to
the intensity of their feelings by sigh or sti-
fled groan. As the boat was Ioosed from her
moorings, they cast distressed, lingering look
towards those on board, and turned away in ST.
lence. MY eye now turned to those in the boat;
and although had tried to control my feelings
amidst my sympathies for those on Shore could
conceal them no longer and | found myself lit
orally weeping with those that weep | stood
near Them and when one Of the husbands saw
his wife upon the shore wave her hand for the
last time, in token of her affection, his manly
efforts to restrain his feeling gave way, and fix
ing his watery eyes upon her, he exclaimed,
This is the most distressing thing of all My
dear wife and children, farewell The hus-
band of the other wife stood weeping in silence,
and with his manacled hands raised to his face,
he looked upon her for the last time. OF the
poor women on board, three of them had hus-
bands whom they left behind. One of them
had three children, another had two and the
third had none. These husbands and fathers
were among the lhrong upon the shore, witness
ing the departure of their wives and children,
and as they took leave of them they were sit
ting together upon the floor of the boat SCI bling
in silence, but giving uterance to no complaint
But the distressing scene was not yet ended
Sailing down the Cape Fear river twenty-five
miles, we touched at the little village of Smith
port, on the south side of the river. 1t was at
this place that one of these slaves lived, and
here was his wife and five children; and while
at work on Monday last his purchaser took him
away from his family, carried him in chains to
Wilmington, where he had since remained in
jail AS we approached the wharf flood Of
tears gushed from his eyes, and anguish seemed
to have pierced his heart. The boat stopped
hut moment, and as she left, he bid farewell tc
some of his acquaintance whom he saw upon
the shore, exclaming Boys, | wish you we'll
tell Molly (meaning his wife) and the children
wish them well, and hope God will bless them.
At that moment he espied his wife on tie stooT
of house some rods from the shore, and witt
.one hand which was not in the handouts, h
pulled off his old hat, and waving it toward her
exclaimed, FAREWELL As he saw by the wa
wing nf her apron that she recognized him, h
LEANED h1ck upnm the railing, and with faltcr
ing voice repeated, Farewell, forever Ate
moments silence, conflicting passions seemed
TO tear open his heart, and he exclaimed, 'Wha
have doRe that should suffer this DOOM
Oh, my wife and children | want to live n,
longer and the big tear rolled down his cheek
which he wiped away with the palm of his un
chained hand, looked once more at the mothe
of his five children, and the turning of the boa
hid her face from him forever As looked a
round | saw that mine was not the only hear
that had been affected by the scene, but that thu
tears standing in the eyes of many of my fellow
passengers bore testimony to the influence o
human sympathy; and | could, as an American
citizen, standing within the limits Of one of til,
old thirteen States, but repeat the language @
Mr. Jefferson, in relation to the general subject
trembe when think that God is Just A
ter we left Smithpoft conversed freely with a
these persons; and ia intelligence and respect;
bility of appearance, the three men who hay
thus been torn from their families would con
pare iavorabiy with the respectable portion {
our colored men at the North. This is a spec
men of what almost daily occurs in the bushes
of the slave-trade.
Yours, in the bonds of the Gospel,
A. c."