Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-03-19
From the N. Y. Tribune.
A Slave Auction in Virginia.

publishers Of The Tribune an account of Slave
Auction he attended in Richmond. Believing
that its publication will do good, and in its ul-
innate consequences tend strongly to perpetu-
ate and harmonize that Union which patriots
so reverence, we give it place in our columns
as follows:
RICHMOND, Va, Thurs. March 3, 1853.
Since left New York have seen the origi-
nal Declaration of Independence, and have seen
it "illustrated here in this place. Oh, my
God oh, my Country
have been an eye witness to scenes such as
never have been described, and never can
You and have been told by some of the dough
faces Of the North that the evils Of Slavery are
exaggerated. But they have not been hall
told, and have neither the ability nor the heart
to describe the scenes have this moment come
from witnessing.
have spent two hours nt the public sales of
Slaves. There are four of them, and all in the
same street, not more than two blocks from
the Exchange Hotel, where we are staying
These Slave depots are in one Of the most fre
quented streets Of the place, and the sales are
conducted in the building on the first floor, and
within view of the passers by. There are
small screens behind which the women of ma
turc age are taken for inspection but tho men
ard the boys are publicly examined in the open
store, before an audience of full one hundred.
These examination arc carried on by various
persons interested, and are enough to shock the
feelings Of tho most hardened. You really
cannot conceive that men in human form could
conduct themselves so brutally; each scar or
mark is dwelt upon with great minutcness-
its its age,ts general effect upon the health,
SC. &c.. are questioned and readily answered.
saw full twenty men stripped this morning
and not more than three or four of them had
what they termed "clcan backs" and some of
them-I should think full one quarter of them
were Scared with the whip to such an extent
as to present a frightiul appearance; one in
particular was so cut that l am sure you could
not lay your finger on any part of his back with
out coming in contact with a scar. These scars
wcie from the whip and were from two inches
to one foot in length. These marks damaged
his salci although only about As to 80 years
old he only brought S4eO; but for these marks
he would have brought $3.50 to $500.
saw several children sold the girls brought
the highest price. Girls from IL to IS years
old brought from $500 to $500.
Imust say that the slaves did not display as
much feeling as / had expected, as general
thing-but there was one noble exception-God
bless her and save her too ! as hope he will
in some way, for If he does not interpose, there
were no men there that would.
She was a fine looking woman about % years
old, with three beautiful children. Her chill
dren as well as herself were neatly dressed
She attracted my attention at once on entering
the room, and took my stand near her to learn
her answers to the various questions put to her
by the traders. One of these traders asked her
what was the matter with her eyes. Wiping
away the tears, she replied, Il s'pose / have
been crying" Why do you cry' "Bccause I
have left my man behind. and his master won't
let him come along" "Oh, If buy you, l
will furnish you, with much better hus-
band. or man as you call him, than your old
one" ~ don't wan any better and don't want
any other as long as he lives" "Oh, but you
will though, if buy you" "No, Ma''a, God
helping me, / nerer piA."
Did Mrs. Stowe exaggerate he spirh in the
slavei No, no. l saw "Cassie's" character
in this woman fully and fairly sticking out
Her answers to other inquiries, put by another
man, were quito as "liberty loving as these
Indicated The most indecent questions were
put to her, all of which, after little hesitation,
she answered.
But when asked, II she thought she could
turn out child year, she relied, /" No, Massa,
I nsrer haze any more, and sorry got these"
Just before she was put up left the room,
for am sure l could not have stood the scene,
and should have betrayed myself
A scene occurred in this last room which
"may yet be heard FROM" Just before the
sale commenced, young we'll dressed gentle
men, entered the room, placing himself in one
corner Of the room, began to take SIX etch, and
had proceeded quite far before he was noticed
by any one but myself-at last ho attracted the
attention of some of the by-standers-until full
twenty or moro were looking over his shoulder
They all seemed pleased with what he was do
ing, so long as the sketch was a nero outline
but as he began to finish up the picture, and
form his groups of figures, they began to sec
what he was about, and then some one went up
privately to the auctioneer (who had by this
time got one or two sold) and informed him
what the man was doing. He came down from
the stand went and overlooked what was doing
for moment and saw himself written down
for perhaps the first time in his lifc." lie in
quired of the man what he was doing. The re-
ply was--"I do not know that l am bound to