The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-10-27
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illustration Of American slavery.
SLAVE AUCTION IN NEW ORLEANS.


Abolitionists are accused of oversta,ing
and coloring the worst features Of the Pc
culiar institution, and thereby exciting the
feelings Of freemen against it. How much
this is the case may be learned from the fol-
lowing description Of a slave auction by
one who conlesses himself to be Gin
terested in the slave business This ac-
count is sufficiently Light and fippant, no
doubt-.marvellously so--considerng the
fearful enormity Of the crime, one Of whose
mos, detestable manifestations it processes
to describe; but, if one interested is COMPEL
ed thus to give his impressions, hiding and
smoothing over, as he evidently does, very
much OF what he witnessed, may we not
with Justice entertain the suspicion that the
most "rabid abolitionist" who has vet at
tempted to portray such scenes, has utterly
failed, from the mere inadequacy Of Ian
guage. TO convey to MS readers anything
more than very shadowy and indistinci
conception Of the reality
"'Have you ever been to the slave mar
ketP asked my friend Harris, as he took my
arm and walked with me through Camp
street. answered. Nay so we entered
Banks Arcade. We observed a sign hang.
ing out, with Slaves for Sale painted on il;
and along the front of the store. sitting on
benches, exposed to the gaze Of the pur-
chaser and the curious, were the objects Of
our search. Some Of them were large and
strong negroes, black as your hat. These
were the field or plantation hands-carmen
or draymen. This slim mulatto man is a
barber, said the slave-iealer, who, observ-
ing we were strangers. stepped up, anxious
to display and dispose Of his property
that they are property, is never questioned
in this latitude. But continued the deal
err, he's frst-rate waiter for an hotel or
steam boat A little farther along sat some
females-strong, burly wenches, for farm
work, washing, or heavy house-work; rear
by, several good looking yellow girls, with
long, straight, black hair, pearly teeth. fresh
and animated countenances. Some were
engaged in conversation--some occupied
themselves with sewing or knitting. They
are nurses, seamstresses, or waiting maids.
In the squad were some Of all ages and
colors, from the child at the breast to the
middle-aged man and father.
"'It was sale day-so we entered the
auction building. Beard and Calhoun were
the auctioneers. On platform near the
door stood the slaves to be sold; and the
auctioneer, as he cried and discoursed Of
their separate merits, walked up and down
in the rear, so as to not interfere with the
sight Of them. Ii did not require Mr..
Beard to talk long, before We knew, by the
manner in which he worried the VS. and
WIS, that he is neither native, nor so the
manor born
"'The first lot have to offer you TO-
day. said Mr.. B., is family from plan
tation-father, mother, and five children;
what will you give me for the lot, for they
must be sold together"-How kind of him.
They are fully guaranteed, ard sold under
good characters. Dick. the father, aged
ihirty-fve years, aleading man on the plan
tation; his wife, aged thirty.one years, cottor
picker; Charles, twelve years; William
ten years; Thomas, seven years; Betsy, ter
| years; Maria, five years; and am onl!
offered two thousand dollars for the who'll