New-York daily tribune., 1857-04-22


A friend has sent to us the business card OF q
gentleman who is engaged in mercantile pursuits IN
the City Of New-Orleans. 1t is not the custom OF
The TRIBUNE to advertise gratis, but in this case
We so far depart from our rule as to give this
pleasing announcement without charge to Mr.
benjamin Screws. II is as follows: /" BENZ.
SCREWS, Negro Broker, will keep constantly on
" hand, Field Hands, House Servants, Carpenters
"and Blacksmiths. Office, No. l59 Gravier
81 street. NewOrleans" Now, we do not intend
to abuse the enterprising Screws, as some OF our
more ardent brethren would do. We know that 1t
is the custom Of negro owners to snub and to cut
the negro brokers' but, for our own part, if hu-
man beings must be- purchased and if this two
legged locomotive merchandise be absolutely neces-
sary i'll social economy, and something without
which this blessed Union cannot be pre-
served why somebody must deal in it, and
why not Mr. Benjamin Screws as well as an-
other Our Southern friends are really too hard
upon the Skaters and the Screws. As well might
We Of the North turn up our noses at our butchers
and sneer at our bakers. As well might Wall
street gentleman in tight place hout the accommo-
dating philanthropist who let's him have the money
to pay his note wthal. You are in NewOrleans
and you want TO buy carpenter. Screws has first
rate ones constantly on hand" Your wife tells you
that Venus the cook, is really getting too DID, and
you take the superannuated piece ofgoods to Screws
and exchange her for more youthful article, pay
ing such boot as equity may demand. Who
will say that Screws is not public benehctor, and
most useful and worthy member of society We
shall defend Screws. We see him in his Office con-
stantly striving to keep full assortment. We see
him endeayoring to strengthen himself in the de-
partment of house servants, or laying in fresh
stock of blacksmiths or adding to his already large
and well selected assortment of field hands. We
see him nditng an advertisement of large importa.
tions from Virginia, which he thinks must please
the most fastidous both as to quality and price.
Now, this can be no light labor. Screws does not
his eye out, when the cOfile-gang come in he must
watch the market; he must buy to please the taste
of his customers; he must be skillful in selecting
healthy articles, and he must be artistic in picking
out the pretty ones. In addition to this, Screws,
being naturally man of tender feelings, is very
much narrowed and rasped in the genter depart
ments of his soul by witnessing painful partings
between the goods-the shreks of the prime
mother, the sobs of the warranted housemaid, the
agonies of A carpenters, and the griefs of the
superior black smiths. This renders the business
of Screws peculiar; for nobody ever saw two cot
ton bales distressed at the idea of parting and the
emotion Of separated sugar-boxes has yet TO be
observed. Screws is in precisely the position Of
soft-hearted fshwife who is obliged to fay her ecls
alive or in that of a gOod-natured butcher whose
customers are eager for lamb in the season. But
he has public duty to perform and he performs it.
1t is dscredit to human nature that after all these
services Screws should be shamefully treated.
He receives no vote of thanks, no service of pom
derous plate, no canes with inscribed heads, no
pistols with the gratitude of the donors. The GUS
TONERS of Screws pay him bis money and then in
stead of asking him to dinner tenderly squeezing
his friendly hand, they shun him as if he had the
yellow fever. hard time of it has Screws, and if
We could do ANYTHING to alleviate his woe and bring
negro brokerage into good repute, perhaps We
would. Unfortunately for Screws, we cannot.
Society has prejudices which are impregnable.
We must, however, try to remove an impression
which is totally unfounded. The prevailing opn-
ion is that Screws deals altogether il black goods
and these being considered Of low and degraded
kind, the reputation of the business has suffered
accordingly. This is all very unjust. A gentle
10
ents in this city says "If you have any prejudice
"aganst buying black carpenters or smiths,
Screws can furnish you with white ones, or those
who are nearly So Our readers will sec, there
FORE that Screws has been just as much misrepre
scnted az a man here would be who, although
gagged in wholesale business, should be repre-
sented as keeping a thread-and- needle shop.
Screws deals in white folks. He is no mere
" Niger" broker although, with commendable
modesty, he so announces himself upon his card.
In still another department Screws might be
useful The New.Orleans gentleman, to whom We
have already referred, wants wife. He had COM
nissioncd his friend in New-ferk to procure him
one. but Screws almost tempted him to withdraw
his order From some samples, he writes,
(which Mr. Screws showed me this morning,
" have been half inclined to withdraw my CON-
mission to your firm to furnish me with wife, as
Il saw one or two almost agreeable enough TO
satisfy even my fastidous taste. Price, $4,000
leach. Rut will not withdraw my commission,
.. As YOU NAV furnish me without the outlay Of SO
much ready money. Besides the two ladies
:. saw were from Virginia, and do not like the
"F.F.V.'s" Now here is an opening for Screws.
He can go into the wife-sellins business. But
alas upon further reflection we remember that he
is aready in H. nor has it enhanced his respecta-