Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-11-15
From the Chonotype.
The Slave Mart at New Orleans.
BY GRAPHIC MANIA.

Our patience is fairly exhausted by hear
ing the sentimental whine about the insli-
,ution Of Slavery (which should not be tol-
Grated but for the sake Of benevolence. -
Bah! Mrs. Humbug, what do you know
about slavery save from the look ut your
cousin George Washington Froth's foot
mani aad you, Miss Clemen,ina Angelina
Eao ks, but from the gentle attentions Of
your aunt Bslinda's waiting maida'
Talk not TO US Of the kind care OF rich
and indepanden, Sonlherner 20 his slaves.
II you would see slavery in all Its hideous
blackness. go into the midst of it. look Il.
II in NIL its phases and bearings. talk with
the man dwarfed into brute, count his
privileges. weigh his opportunities, and
measure the span Of his existence. Alter
you have comprehended the individual. the
unit. multiply it into the millions. and then
stand and gaze long and seriously upon :he
lowering curse that lies over our land.
A few weeks since, while lounging away
a summers morning in the ro,unda o: the
st. Charles. at New Orleans, the adver-
iisement Of a sale of slaves caught our ey e.
..One hundred plantation slaves, the prop
erty of q gentleman forced to sell them 10
raise money TO meet the payment Of bis
notes then coming due IN the city. The
whole 10 be sold 10 the highest bidder, with
out reserve"
We had already. in our outward course.
looked at the slave toiiing doggedly at his
unrequiied labor; we had seen him Scared
BY the lash; we had beheld the stern glance
Of hate and heard the muttered threat, rs
he bowed grudgingly to his servitude.-
= We had even walked seven times through
: Gravier street, and wonderingly peeped
into all the warehouses where the human
; animal is fettered, gaudily decked out and
exposed for private sale. We had often
times even made pretence Of purchase for
tine opportunity Of asking questions and
getting at the thought that we knew to be
fseming under the immovable muscles of
the ~ebon visage. But here was a new
spectacle. One hundred men. women and
children were to be sold at puplic auction,
for money 10 pay notes with.
AT IL o'clock precisely, the hour ap-
pointed. | was at Hewit's Exchange, the
place of sale. The arena was already fi-
led with anxious purchasers. with cata-
.losues in their hands; most Of them SEEM
I'd gentlemen planters. in pursuit of slaves
for their own use; but among them were
several spectators, trafficers in human
flesh, without fear Of God or devil before
them. This class were conspicuous for
their particular examination Of the articles
for sale.
We noticed one hardened old sinner in
particular He had fixed mis- eye upon
Young girl OF some fifteen or sixteen sum-
mers. She was a beautifully rounded
form, and had the head and face ofa Ven
us.- She would have been queen in her
own sunny cline, but here she must choke
Sown her agony and tamely submit to in
sult. z
"Open your mouth, you slut" sternly
muttered the purchaser; and he suited the
action to the words and thrust apart the
lips and teeth Of the young girl. "Sound
teeth, ,eh! Can eat your full allowance
Of grpb. I'll be bound.' Then followed
ceriain rubs and pinches upon her arms,
shoulders, breasts and neck, such as judi.
cial horse.jockey bestows upon the animal
for which he is in treaty We hoped. for
the sake of common decency if from no
other motive, that his examination would
end here, but now we were disappointed
He was not the man to purchase COM
modify with out first fully understanding
its value. "Le,'s see your ankles, your
knees. up higher! you silly wench. -
This was too much for the poor girl. A
faint blusbing tinge crept under her dark
skin, and the tears started to her eyes.
And this hardened william had a daughter
uf his own about the sume age. What
would have heen*his rage at the suggestion
Of the same process to his own daughter!
If. anything. the delicacy of character
would probably pfeponderate in favor of
his poor enslaved girl. But she is placed
,oofi a platform. so far above the floor as. o I
,e conspicuous to all in the house.
The auciioneer possessed an indifference
efficiently brnzen TO have knocked down
Il; Paul himself to the highest bidder
.Who bids? What's offered? Fine wench;
ather delicate in appearance. but she
arae Of a good breeder; come. come. bid
r. G..j-,J Cos .6f.rsa aioht b,,p ! I