The Washington union., 1857-11-14
NAVY DEPARTMENT
Washington.
cuRIosITIEs OF SLAVERY No. z.

CURIosITIEs OF SLAVERY No. q
IIe,crs from washngtonian travelling In tile senihl
MACON Georgia. 1857
My DEAR c.: The conclusion of my last letter
was. believe concerning that abolition bugbcai, the
slave auction mart. Macon, you must know, Is one
of the principal marts for slaves in the South. Some
time ago attended the cys confines an extraordina
rly large auction Of slaves including gang Of sxtyone
from one plantation in southwestern Georgia. The prices
brought were comparatively very low as there was no
warranty Of soundness and owing very much alse to the
fact that the slaves were all sold In families and they too
extraordinarily large, as counted ty-nine negroes in
ten families To give you idea Of the prices brought
quote the following Clarindas family Clarnda,
plantation cook weakly IS years Betscy, field hand
prime, 22 years James, field hand, prime IA years
Edmond Betsey' s son. years, brought total $2,tzo
Jourdans family bright hulattocs--J Jolrdan piaek-
smith, prime 33 years Lindy, field hand prime, 90
years Mary prime, Is years; Winncy, prime IL years
Abbey prime years Elizabeth prime, years, brought
total So $50 Choes family, consisting all OF likely ne
groes the younger muattoes viz Chloe, field hand
prime SO years. classified the best Of negroes Ga
rssa field hand prime, 16 years Junius, prime years;
Francis, prime IL years Robert, prime years infant
months brought total, 50, $40.
During the sale referred to- lot put up consisting
of and her two sons enc Of whom was eplleptc
classified BY the crier 'ftti6ed was stated that
the owner would not sell them unless the epeptc boy
was taken along the nominal price OF one dollar as he
wished him provided Some Of the bidders expressed
their dissatisfaction at this and trader offered 70 give
two hundred dollars condition that the epcptc
boy should be thrown out But the temptation was nm
needed. and the poor boy was sold with his mother.
There frequent instances at tho auco-block OF such
humanity as this on the part of masters.
Facts like these should teach us, my dear q, that
when that feature even which all confess to be the
worst in our negro slavery is relieved by many in
stances Of humane and consideration on the part
of Shareholders our peculiar institution the virtues
OF which qualify its defects and Of peculiar merit
But will leave off sermonizing and give you what
promised-a simple, home picture of slavery
must tell you. next to Aunt Dcbby, who figured in
my last letter OF Uncle, Gcorge"Od Bones, as we
boys used to call him. In young days per
petually either teasing OF trading with the old fellow
who was the head gardener and kept constantly ON
the lookout by onr depredations his vines. Or
when we got few cents from grandpa, or obtained
leave to give away "old clothes, how we used TO
buy from him. surreptitiousy, little noggns OF muddy
cider Years ago. when left home e was then almost
dccrept old age, but his aearce and kcenncss at
trade with his s'young rs the same ms ever
He was a queerlooking old fellow never would wear
hat and with his immense shock Of hair white as
leather gallses (s,speners) he made singular pic
ture in our boyisll recoections
All how many times in years Of exile from my native
land recalled the image OF this old slave with the
picture Of the old brick garden with its walks and
It's cherry trees and the gentle mound in the corner
that saddes sweetest spot on Garth ha father grave
Bows are never very thoughtful notwithstanding I'm
Gle George respectabty and good nature, we used to
worry him very much and constantly on the alert
- n Tu.a \ 1. uraa
difficult to accomplish Qucksilyered cents, which
used to cunningy offer to him by protesting that we
had just found them, would not go with him, J
remember WELL when We went out hunting four bro
Tiers, with old flint how, after shooting a few
peckcwoods in the orchard, would go down to the
garden and banter Uncle George to shoot at mark Tor
fourpenccapcnny He very proud Of doing this and
enioyedthc privilege Of shooting gun with the same
zcst as school-boy But he discovered our
tricks at asthow the gun loaded for him without
shot and with five fingers Of powder, kicking him
most unercfuly and showing the least sign ON
the target
If you should visit oakridge" my dear g., you
be prepared for grand reception by Uncle George
who is quite Beau Hickman in his way He is ayery
gentecl beggar He makes 1t point to oil the vs
tors who to home and he has the ugly habit
of secretly waylaying them and begging them 10 IRE
member him. You must have half-a-dolar for him
when you come. think promise that you will
not be quite heatIos to his appeal for place in your
memory gentleman from the North, ga friend
of humanity y who lately partook of hospitality On
his leaving Uncle George usual exercised his privi-
lego of bringing the horse TO thc rack = and after as
sistng the gentleman to mount begged that ''massa
would remember the old nigger '0h yes, replied tho
friend of humanity he rode of, ~ viii not forget
you, my good fellow will think of yon and hope you
viii be elevated into better condition. But he never
gave him dime TO be elevated with
On the morning following my return home after years
of absence was told that Uncle George who too
decrep from age to UP TO the house, wanted me TO
come to the negro quarter to see him. BE under
stood that had been in that gold country (he meant
California; and he wanted TO his young massr very
particularly inmstng very clearly that he expected
handsome present. found the old fellow very con-
fortably situated He had grown old gently; he had
any hard service; and not only now IN ms
old age was he not required to do any work but Win
that regard commonly exhibited toward the slave when
stricken with age he had every attention in the ovenms
Of his life His meals were sent out to him from our