The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-07-27
Charles Mackay in Slave Pen.

The following is from recent letter OF
Charles Maclay to the Illustrated London
News:
On my first arrival at New Orleans, lin
gered for few moments at the open door of
slave depot, without daring to 60 in, lest |
should be suspected of espionage, or mere
curiosity, and expelled But seeing among
the company an eminent merchant of New
York, whose friendship had been fortunate
enough to make. and whom knew to be no
slave dealer or supporter Of slavery, walk
ed in and joined his parry, 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 females were disposed in their
best attire, most of them exceedingly neat
but some OF them bedizenel with ribbons of
colors more fiaring and tawdry than elegant
or appropriate | was Immediately beset
with entreatics to purchase.
Buy me, said young negress, who
spoke French and 20 English; Il am II good
cook and good needlewoman Buy me.
.Buy me, said another in the same Ian
guage II am accustomed to children, and
can make myself useful in the nursery.
felt sensation somewhat similar to that
of the first qualm Of sea sickness to be SO ad-
dressed by my fellow creatures-a feeling Of
nausea, rs ii were about to be ILL., told
the poor woman that 1 was a stranger, who
had net come to buy. But they were in
creduIouS; and when at last convinced, they
returned TO their seats with a sigh and an
expression OF deep disappointment on their
dark and good-humored features | enter
tanned such a hatred OF slavery that had it
been in my power to abolish it in one instant
off the face OF the earth BY the mere express
sion OF my will, ~ that instant slavery wod
have ceased to exist
| then walked to the male side of the slave
mart, where | was beset by similar entrca-
ties, urged in every variety of tone and
manner, and by almost every variety oil la
borer and handicraltsman Some were ac-
customed to the cotton and some to the su-
gar plantation some were gardeners, some
carpenters, some coachmen, some BARRIERS,
some waiters--but all equally anxious to be
sold One man-who to my inexperienced
eyes seemed as white as myself, and whom
| at once put down in nv own mind as an
Irishman Of the purest quality, OF the county
Of Cork-got up from his seat as ! passed
and asked me to buy him.
he, with an unmistakeatle brogue; II am
also bit of a carpenter and can look alter
the horses, and do any sort of a job about
the house.
But you are joking, said I, you are an
Irishman?'
"AIy father was an Irishman,' he said
AT this moment the sIayedealer and owner
OF the depot same up.
l., %lnu IL IL
This white man.
His mother was niger" he replied -
I'VE have sometimes much whittier men
for 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 in the open air to breathe q
purer atmosphere
IL would like to buy that man and set
him free, | said to one of our party
you would do him no good, was the re-
ply "a manumitted slave has seldom any
selt.reliance or energy. Slavery SO degrades
and cripples the moral faculties of the ne
groes that they require the crutch, even IN
freedom, and cannot walk alone. They
lind it impossible to complete with poor
whites, and If left to themselves sink into
the lowest and most miserably paid occupa
tons.
You are an Englishman and a traveller"
said the slaye!eaer, "and should be much
obliged to you if you would put any ques-
tons to the negroes.
What questions, said l. .iohal ! ask
them whether they prefer freedom or slave
ry?"
Il don't mean that lie replied ask
them whether | do not treat them we'll
whether | am not kind to them--whether
they do not have plenty to eat and drink
while they are with me 2
| told him had no doubt ofthe fact that
they looked clean and comfortable and well
fed: but--and in that but lay the whole
case, though the worthy dealer OF New Or
leans was totally incapable OF comprehend
ing it. The same feeling seems to exist all
through the Save States but more OF this
hereafter