The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-01
Visit to the Slave Markets.

Tho Morning Star has Washington cor
respondent, probably member Of Con-
grss, perhaps from this Statc,) who has
been down among the Slave marts which
are to DO found in the cities in the vicinity
of Washington. His letter is dated Wash
ington, Jan. 7th. We make the following
extract from it
1--WE might describe, or attempt to, the
slave carts, coming into the city with FAM
ily Of dozen negrocs-it may be father,
mother, and eight or ten children, riding
together for the last time, it may be ON
earth; getting out of that cart and being
sold or hired-hther 10 one, mother to an
other, son, daughter, brother, sister, each
to another. We might tell you OF the first
private sale we witneSsed-a sister and
brother, about seventeen and nineteen years
old-sold, one to one man, and another to
another, living twenty miles apart-might
allude 10 the agony OF that sister-a sistcr
bleached almost to whitencss. We might
speak of the noble manliness and brotherly
affection of that true brother, with a broth
er's heart in him, although blackcr, tar
blacker, than the sister who stood 10y his
side, and whose father was prObablya demon
with ,rhi,e skin. We might refer to 1--WE
could not describe) the earnest, afcctionate
manner in which we overheard him say TO
that heart-brokun sister, =. Eliza, don't cry
80, / will come and SIC you; if il is twenty
miles, and if il takes me till night every day
10 do nv task, will come in the night and
sce YOU, and get back 10 my work before
morning. can do it riHdO it; ~ don't
cry 80, Eliza" All. and we might wish
that those who think "niggcrs have no souls
could have seen that earnest, thankful, in
telligcnt, but utterly indcscribable look Of
lore, which that pale but true sister gave in
return for those priceless words that fell from
the thick lips, but warm heart, Of that noble
brother.
, We might tell you ola blue-eyed boy, thir-
teen wears old, white and beautiful, whom
we took to DC boy instead of ehattle, y
until he told us that his mother was slave,
and that "he nsrer had any father
might speak of a little bit of n black boy,
whom he pointed out as his brother, who
was sold "last New Years" and whom he
or his mother had not seen before for whole
year, and the sorrowful tone in which he
added, +" 'spcct mistress will sell me to-day,
she said she would sell mellow he i'm
plored US to buy him, because he thought he
should like us for master, and how he adj
ded, 81 should rather die though than TO be
sold from my mother, but YOU know can
NOT die, but can be sold"
We might speak of noble, lady-like APP
psaring woman, about fifty years old. who
aid she was only spectator" being neith-
or "a for sale nor for hire" as her master
could not spare her--might tell YOU how she
turned her face to hide the falling tears as
abe told us that ''her husband was torn from
her and sold to 20 South twelve years ago,
and that she herself had been dead ever since |;
that they had sold all her children except
this, (patting her hand upon the head ola
girl about fourteen years old,) and that she
was nearly old enough for market-might
sneak of a young man, only twenty-five
years old. having a wife and three children,
nouruing because he WIS 80 strong and 20
,eeH, las he would have to pay more Tor him.
self than If he were weak and siekly,) and
begging 10 DO let or sold TO some one who
would let him work for hirnssD after has
daily task was done FOR his master-might
SPEAK Of a spirited fellow, who swore point
blank that he would not 20 to live with the
man who had hired him, saying, kno'e
You. sir! You are trani, SIR !. won't
work with you, sir. Then came the expos