The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-01-05
80 From. the N o. TIN. Delta.
A White Girl nearly sold into slavery.

4
A white Girl nearly sold into slavery.
One of the most revolving, and, at the same time,
touching scenes it has ever been our lot To Witness
occurred yesterday in the Auction Store of Mr.. n.
Vignie, on St. Louis street. The estate of Mr.
Benvenuto Duran lately deceased, consisting chief
" of slaves was to be sold for the benefit of the
creditor The negroes were brought up as is usu-
ally the case, one by one, and exhibited to the by
ISLANDERS, before being put to the hammer. On the
presentation of the third, advertised as f'Madeline
an orphan quarteroon, aged about nine years. evs
cry one was horrifed to behold paraded before
tlien lovely girl delicately formed, white as the
purest Circassirn race, her face buried in her
hands, and her slender form convulsed with sobs.
There was pause of some minutes. The crowd
could not realize that one of their own race could
be thus led up among negroes to be passed in
to a life long bondage. Amazenlent was succeed
ed by indignation, as several gentlemen set about
inquifing as to the in which the child had
beenthrust into such degrading associations.
Mr. Duran, it appears, was Spaniard by birth,
was some years since in afinence in this city; but
latterly, his circumstances declining, he moved from
the First to the Third Municipality where he kept
a small grocery store and struggled through COM
parative poverty. None of the negroes knew any
thing of the early history of the girl except one old
man, who said her mother was a white woman, but
dying, when her child was yet but an infant, Mr..
Duran took the orphan in charge to rear as an
adopted child. This was when he was in prosper
ity. For some years after the death Of the mother
a lady was in the habit Of visiting Mr. Duran's
house. regularly to sec the child and continued her
visits until about the time he moved into the Third
Municipality, since when four or FIVE years ago, she
has never been seen.F Whether this lady was a
relative or friend of the mother, interested in the
fate Of her offspring, the old man knew not; +; nor
did he know who the lady was, or whence she
came
Upon this information the sale was stopped, and
Madeline was taken possession of BY Mr. Charles
Lovenskiold, to whose human exertions in her be-
half she is perhaps indebted for her liberty Mr.
l. has kindly installed her in his family, and
viii bring her up member of it, if the law does
not defeat his benevolent intentions The girl tho
of late years mingling almost exclusively with the
negroes of Mr.. Duran's household is intelligent be-
yond her years, speaks both Fre1ch and Spanish
huently, and understands English, y $50
The affair speedily obtained public notoriety in
the lower part of the city, and created intense
excitement Several free persons of color inter
ested themselves in the case, and IN a few hours
collected among their own class, nearly two hun
sred dollars to buy the girl out of the estate and
bestow upon her, her freedom This has not beer
permitted, however, and from present appearances
there is but little probability of her subiecton to
the degradation ofbeing included in the chattles O
the succession. Mr.. Duran has left no heirs, and
dying intestate his property escheats to the State
after satisfaction to the creditors There is but one
creditor, and his feelings were as deeply affected
Yesterday, as those of any person present. Mr.
Lovenskiold and others, who have taken the girl
cause in hand, however, have determined upon al
entire publication of the girl and fitbe practicable
will bring the case before the courts in such man
ner, that jury shall pass upon her blood