Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1858-08-05
ST. CLAIRSvILLE, OHIO, THURSDAY. AUGUST lS5S
Charles Mackay in a Slave Pen.

Charles Mackay in a Slave Pen.
The following is from recent letter OF
Charles Macksy to The London illustrated
Ne,cs:
On my first arrival at New Orleans, |
fingered for few moments at tie open
door of slave depot, without daring to go
in, les: should be suspected of espionage,
or mere curiosity, and expelled. But, see-
ing among the company an eminent mer-
chant of New York, whose friendship had
been fortunate enough to make, and whom
l knew to be no slave dealer or supporter
of slavery, l walked in and joined his party,
drawn thither like myself by curiosity. On
one side of the room, the male slaves, with
clean linen and shining new hats and boots,
were arranged; and on the other the fe-
males were disposed in their best sttire,
most of them exceedingly neat, but some
bedizened with ribbons, of colors more far
ing and tawdry than elegant or appropriate.
| was Immediately beset with entreaties to
purchase. ..--
"Buy me-" said young negress, who
spoke French and no English; 81 am good
cook, and good nsedlewoman. Buy me. -
"Buy me-" said another, in the same Ian
guage; 81 am accustomed to children, and
can make myself useful in the nursery"
felt sensation somewhat similar to
that of the first squalm of sea-sickness to
be SO addressed by my fellow creatures
feeling of nausea, as if | were about
to be i'll. | told the poor woman
that was stranger who had not come
to buy. But they were incredulous;
and when at, last convinced, they re-
turned to their seats with a sigh and an
exoression of deep disappointment on their
dark ard good -humored features. l enter
tanned such hatred for slavery that, had
| it been in my power to abolish it in one
instant off the face of the earth by the
mere expression of my will, at that instant
slavery would have ceased to exist.
then walked to the male side of the
slave mart, where was 0eset by similar
entreaties, urged in every variety of tone
and manner, and by almost every variety
of laborer and handcraftsman Some were
accustomed to the cotton, and some to the
sugar plantation; some were carpenters.
some gard enders some coachmen some bar
bers, some waiters-but all equally anxious
| to be sold. One man--who to my mex
perienced eyes seemed as white as myself
and whom | at once put down in my own
,vI Trsc aF ho tty
of the county OF Cork-got up from his
seat as passed, and asked me to buy him
81 am good gardener, your HONOR
sais he, with an unmistakeable brogue; 81
am also bit of carpenter, and can look
after the horses, and do any sort of a job
about the house."
"But you are joking" said l, "you are an
| irisirman!''
"My father was an Irishman," he said.
At this moment the slayeGealer anG
owner of the depot came up.
"Is there no, mistake here!" l inquir.
ed. This is white man.
"His mother was ngger." he replied
ave have sometimes much whittier men fol
sale than he is. Look at his hair and lips
There is no mistake about him"
Again the sickness came over me, and
longed TO get into the open air to breathe
a purer atmosphere.
81 would like to buy that man and SCI
him free," said to one Of our party.
"You would do him no good" was the re-
ply. ga manumitted slave has seldom any
self.reliance or energy. Slavery so de-
grades and cripples the moral faculties o
the negroes that they require the crutch
even in freedom, and cannot walk alone
They find it impossible to compete with
the poor whites, and if left to themselves
sink into the lowest and most miserable
paid occupations"
"Youaare an Englishman and a traveller ,
said the slavedealer, sand should be much
obliged to.you if you would pu: any ques
tions to the negroes.
"What questions" said l. "Shall ash
them whether they prefer freedom o.
slavery!"
81 don't mean that" he replied. "Asl
them whether | do not treat them well
whether I am not kind to them, whether
they do not have plenty to eat ard crinl
while they are with me?"
told him had no doubt of the fact
they looked clean, comfortable, and wei
fed; but, and in that word "but" lay thu
whole case. though the worthy dealer o
New Orleans was totally incapable of com
pretending it. The same feeling scenes
to exist all through the Slave States; bu
more of this hereafter.