The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1859-08-10
The Richmond Slave Market.

We copy the following report of the Rich
mond slave market, from the Enquirer of the
29th July; ~ ..
In looking round at the slave sales in Rich
mond, made at the well-known marts Of Dick
inson, Hill & Co, Pulliam, Belts & Co., Hec-
tor Davis, and others, we find that active ne
groes, likely familiessas we'll as boys and girls,
command high prices, and there are several
gentlemen in market who are purchasing for
their own plantations in the South.
For the benefit of our country and" South
ern readers, we will give below the state of
our slave market and the average prices
brought by slaves in Richmond
No. men, 20 to 26 years old, from $50
to 81, 500.
Best plough boys, Il to 20 years old, i, $50
to 81 ,425.
Boys from Is to IL years old, 1850 to ST.
375.
Boys from IL o-15 years old, LOO to ST.
200.
Best grown girls. Il to 20 years old, from
1,275 to $1325.
Girls from Is to II years old, l, $50 to ST.
$50.
Girls from II to Is years old, 600 to 81:
100.
OF course the quotations only represent the
rates offered for the best class of slaves. The
Inferior grades are numerous and command
prices in accordance with the quality
None bat the most favored Of our people
can afford to buy slaves at the above ruinous-
ly high figures : but thousands under the
stimulus Of the desire to increase their slave
property, or 10 become slave owners, as the
case may be, viii anticipate their means, Dor
row money and plunge themselves IN debt to
make such investments. IF prices ranged
from three to five thousandsdollars, the.result
would be the same The negro is a necessity
to the cotton and sugar States but everybody
knows that the yield of such capital at present
ntes is not in proportion to the,inyestment.
The demand for slaves goes far beyond the
supply and will continue, as long as the. pre-
sent federal statutes prohibiting the right to
purchase in Africa, remain in force.f -
We ask every considerate Southern man to
lOok at ID deliberately, and say in all canaor,
whether it isnot preferable TO buy slaves from
IsAfrica at from $500 to $3o0a piece, than to
buy them from Yirginiaa from $l15o to $l,-'
500? The question is one Of economy which
can be easily solved.
CoNrR1BUr1oNs TO THE WAsH1NeroN Mon
sr.-Lielt. j. c. Ives, Superintendent
has, with the permission Of the Department
sent to the Postmasters Throughout the Uni.
ted States, request that they open boxes
within their respective Offices, for the reception
Of contributions to the Washington National
Monument One cent day, contributed at
each Office in the Union, would make S1o9,ooo
pei annum Assistant Postmaster General
Holt says
Its the privilege Of postmasters, and others
associated with the postal service, in common
with all other citizens, to give to this enter
prise such support as their judgment and feel
ings may prompt It is as citizens, and not as
officers, that their influence will be invoked,
and Idoubt,not that, in this laudable endeay-
OF worthily to illustrate and perpetuate the
Mme Of the Father of his Country, they will
yield to none in the pIomptness and earnest
ness Of their cooperation. ]. = -.
From the circular of Lieut.. Ives we learn
that the postmasters Of many Of the principal
4citiesof the Union, including those of New
York, Washington, Boston, Brooklyn, Balti-
more and Charleston have already expressed
their readiness to lend the proposition a cordial
cooperation.