Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1858-08-04
KIscELLAyEo EoUS.
Charles HIackAy in a Slave Pen.

Charles Mackhy in q Slave Pen.
The following is from lsltsr Of Charles
AAcksy 10 the London Illustrated News:
On my frat arrival at New 0rlesns !
fingered for few moments at the open
door Of 9 slsVe depot, without daring to
70 IN, lest / should Be suspected Of espiOn
age, OF mere curiosity, and expelled. But
seeing among the company an eminent
merchant from New York, whose friend.
ship bad been fortunate enough to make,
apd whom knew to be no slave dealer or
supporter Of slavery. / walked 10 and
joined his party, drawn hither like myself,
BY curiosity. % one side Of the room
The male slaves, With clean liuen aud sbi.
ming new bats and boots, we're arranged (;
and on the other the females we're disposed
in their best attire, most Of them exceed.
ingly neat, but soma bedizeued with rib.
bOnS. Of eolon more naring and tsWdIy
than elegant OF appropriate. IwaA imme
dialsly bessl With entreaties to purchase.
Buy me, said q young uegress who
GPOks French and no English; am good
cook and a good needlewomau. Boy me-
Buy me, said another. in the same Ian
Guags. i am accustomed to children, and
can make myself useful in the nursery
felt . sensation somewhat similar to
that Of the fnt quslm Of sea sickness to
Do 80 addressed BY my fellow crsatuSes--a
feeling Of nausea, as If l we're about to be
III. Itcd the poor woman that / was a
stranger who had not come to buy. But
they we're increlulous; and when OF last
convinced they returned to their seats with
a sigh and an expression Of deep dissp.
pointment on their dark and good-hunor.
ed features, ! entertained such hatred Of
s!avery, that lad il been IN my power to
abolish it 10 one instant of the face of the
earth BY the mere expression Of my will,
at that instant slavery would have ceased
10 exist.
I than walked to the male side Of the
slave mart, where | was beset with similar
eutresties urged in every variety of tone
or manner and BY almost every variety Of
lsborer and handicrahsman. Some were
accustomed 10 the cotton and some to the
sugar plantation; some were carpenters,
s,me gardeners some coachmen, some bar.
berA some walters, but all equally anxious
10 be sold. One mau--who 10 my mex.
psriepced eye seemed as white as myself,
and whom / 1t Once put down in my own
mind as an lrishmau Of the purest quality
Of the county Of Cork. got up from his
seat rs l passed and asked me to buy him.
4 em good gardener your honor, said
be with an unmistaKSble brogue; i am al
60 a bit Of a carpenter, and can look after
the horses, aud do any sort Of JOB about
ihs house.
But you arc joking. said |, you are an
lrishmanP
NY father was an IrishmaH,' he ssidr
At this moment the slave dealer and
owner of the depot came up.
'Isthere not mistake here 7 inquired.
This Is a white man.
Ills mother Yves a nigger,' lie replied.
We have sometimes much whittier inen 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 into the open air to breathe
purer atmosphere.
4 would like to buy that man and Set
bin Free ! said 10 one Of our party.
You would DO him no good wac The
reply. "A mAnumitted slave has seldom
any self reliance or energy. Slavery so de-
grades and crippks the moral faculties Of
The negroes that they require tho cru;ch,
even in freedom. and cannot walk alone.
They 6nd il impossible 10 compste with
the poor whites. and if left TO themselves,
sink into the lowest and most miseFably
paid occupations
You are an Englishman and a traveller
said the slave dealer, and should be much
obliged to you Il you would put any ques'
tons TO the negroes
What questions?' said /. Shall I ask
them whether they prefer freedom or s!a.
ysryr
4 don't mean that he replied. ASK
them whether ] do not treat them well
whether | an mol kind to them; whether
they do not have plenty to eat and drink
while they are With mef'
I told him I had no doubt of the fact
ihat they looked clean, comfortable and
well fed; but--and 10 that "bat" lay the |
whole case--thOugh tha worthy dealer Of
New Orleans was Totally Incapable of com.
prehendingit.
The same feeling seems to exist all tbro'
the slave Ststes--but more Of this here. |
after
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