New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-09
e1er.ed his utmost strength to make the blow tell upon


had time 20 lose II would be night before bis task
was ended, and he had to hurry himself.
Fast and thick the blows fen upon the two young
slaves George gave but little sign proof OF his suf-
! ferings Caroline long before a hundred blows had
been dealt her. had ceased to scream, or to wall but
hung insensibe by her hands to the post which sus-
tanned her lacerated body And long before her two
hundred and fifty lashes had been bestowed, not only
her dress had been ridded and cut to pieces by the
thong Of Rotinsons whip but her whole back was cut
! into deeJlgashes; blood flowed pentifuly down her
| back, and every time the lash touched her body It
sank deeply into the soft, mashed and laeeated nesh
| Of lis victim.
| Caroline had already ceased to feel. She was for
few moments beyond the power of her masters rage.
/ She had tainted BY Richards orders, she was united
from the stake and several Of the elder slaves carried
her iuseneibe body back TO the hut where they left
her to best -he might; a. they We're afraid
to offer her any assistance, lest they themselves might
| excite the wrath Of their master.
George still remained tied to the stake. He had yet
| one hundred and fifty blows to endure.
| As Robinson resumed BIS bloody task, the poor
wretch could endure it longer and broke out into
! "Ob. Master Richard, don't, don't whip me any
| more. I'm most gone !" said he, frantically.
! LAY it on the scoundrel lay it on, Richard per-
| emptoriy commanded Robinson, who Obeyed him with
| aacrity
! Blow fell after blow. The body of George was by
this time covered with and cuts and wets. The
blood flowed freely. His sobs and grOans alternated
with the heavy blows of Robinsons whip. BY the
time bis allotted four hundred lashes had been inflicted
his shirt had been cut entirely away and the flesh OF
bis back actually hung in strips from his bones. George
too had tainted. His nature strong and vigorous AZ It
was, had sunk beneath the mighty agony of that fierce
struggle between fendish wrath on the one hand and
enduring cOnstancy on the other The four hundred
stripes had been told and ROblnsOns execrable and
damnable work was done.
Georges body was covered with blood Richard
Dudley approached him and examined his wounds,
while Robinson stepped back to sit down upon log
and rest himself from his long toll. Richard, seeing
a. hon
back took out his iackkne from bis pocket and amid
the screams of his victim lust returning again to con-
scousness he actually cut off the strips of flesh and
threw the pieces from him away to the hogs IN the
barnyard which ate that human flesh with avidity.
When this had been done. he commanded George 10
be united. The poor wretch fell Immediately to the
earth. He could not stand, and groaning and moan
ing in his great agony, ne too, cap!rie by the
orders of Richard to his quarters among the save-huts
A still more terrible picture is presented in the
description of the flight Of George, who makes an
Intellectual attempt to gain his freedom, and of the
closing scene in which the victim at last yields to
his fate under circumstances of agonizng horror.
1t is easy to say that such appalling descriptions
are mere creations of the fancy. But do not the
facts exist in which they find their proof and just
fcation At any rate, they do but bring to burn
ing focus the evils which are inherent in Slavery,
though they may seldom be reduced tosuch tragic
unity in the actual experience of the plantation.
The volume, we think is adapted to make deep
and wholesome impression on the public mind. No
one can read it without fresh conviction of the
"perilous stuff in the institution, the character
of which it aims 10 illustrate. Its defects are the
too frequent interruption of the main story by
episodica narratives, and an occasional excessive
indulgence Of mOralizing vein. The author
would have done better, had he trusted entirely
to his graphic and truly effective descriptions,
which are so powerful in themselves as to render
comment superfuOus.
"Tbe Rag Picker" appears to have been sug-
gested by the success of 1.-THE Lamplighter," and
las several points in common with that excellent
story. The resemblance ceases, however, with the
progress of the narrative, although the heroes a
both belong to the same class of characters, and
are equally well-adapted to the purpose OF felton,
The old rag-picker from whom the story derives Its
name soon disappears from the foreground, and Is
eclpsed by the presence of far less worthy charac-
tiers. BY not unskillful transition, the scene
which opens in Boston, is shifted with the capture
of a fugitive slave to the State of Tennessee
|
brought into full play. The purpose Of the authors
effected less by the description of hideous incidents,
than by the illustration of the fraud deception, and
pecuniary ruin which grow out OF the system OF
! domestic slave-trading. One of his most lively
sketches occurs in the account of the abduction OF
fugitive from Boston, at time prior to the present
legal facilities for accomplishing the same object.
| Long before the hour liked upon by Taskem for his
final departure from Boston, the name of the slave
hunter was upon the lips of hundreds OF the residents
Of the west end of the town and the Guard OF vigil
ance that had been hastily organized among the col
ored residents was augmented, by very considerable
| numbers before nghtfal
| While this body of men were IN secret conclave IN
retired house in Beknap street-a gathering, winch,
for the safer carving of the interests of those who
were clandestnely engaged in its Objects was denon-
| mated a yer-meetng-there stood at the door OF
| the APARTMENT where they were assembled, stout
negro WHO scanned the faces OF each and every one
| who came and went, receiving the second password
from all incomers, did another sable gentleman tue
| frst sign at the outside entrance.
| One after another of the friends" entered, and
each in his turn gave the cOutergn and passes TO the
| sturdy ushers. single lamp burned dmly at the
side of the large low room, but careful observer
could readily discover as be gazed about the apart
ment that Il the skins of the assembage there were
darker than ordinary there also the flashing eye,
the finn lip and the ardent bearing of more than three
scores of men, whom il would be dangerous TO oppose
in hsnd-to-hand struggle. RIGHT was upon theT
! side and thew did not lose sight of this fact.
gray-headed, well-dressed negro presided, and he
| offered an earnest prayer TO Him who created all
men equal craving the blessing OF Almighty God
| upon their doings. And then q hymn succeeded III
which the throng united as with single voice, exc
cutting peculiarly meodous and touching chaupt, ap-
| uropriate 10 the words chosen and unlike anything
else-soul-srrng and beautiful in the highest degree.