The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-03-18

might enjoy that privilege, although none
Of them were sold at private sale. For
these preliminary days their shed was
constantly visited by spectators The
negroes were examined with as little con-
sideration as il they had been brutes in
deed ; the buyers pulling their mouths
open to see their teeth, pinching their
limbs to find how muscular they were,
walking them up and down to detect any
signs OF lameness, making them stoop and
bend in different ways that they might
be certain there was no concealed rupture
or wound and in addition to all this
treatment, asking them scores Of questions
relating to their qualifications and accom-
plishmen!s. All these humiliations were
submitted to without murmur, and in
some instances with good. natured cheer
fulness, where the slave liked the appear
ance of the proposed buyer, and fancied
that he might prove kind mas'r."
But all this time the sale was going
on, and the merry Mr.. Walsh, with many
a quip and Jest, was beguiling the time
when the bidding was slow The express
ion on the faces Of ak who stepped on the
block was always the same, and told of
more anguish than it is in the power Of
words to express. Blghted homes,
crushed hopes and broken hearts was the
sad story TO be read in all the anxious
faces. Some of them regarded the sale
with perfect Indifference, never making a
motion save to turn from one side TO the
other at the word Of the dapper, Mr.. Bryan,
that all the crowd might have fair view
of their proportions, and then, when The
sale was accomplished, stepping down
from the block without caring to cast even
a look at the buyer, who now held all
their happiness in his hands. Others,
again. strained their eyes with eager CLAN
ces from one buyer to another as the bid.
ding went on, trying with earnest atten-
tion TO follow the rapid voice of the auc.
lioneer Sometimes, TWO persons only
would be bidding for the same chattel,
all the others having resigned the contest,
and then the poor creature on the block
conceiyng an instantaneous preference
for one Of the buyers over the other
would regard the rivalry with the intcns.
est interest, the expression Of his face
changing with every bid, settling into a
half smile of JOY if the fayoriIe buyer per.
severed unto the end and secured the
property, and settling down into look o.
hopeless despair if the other won the vic
tory"
The sale lasted for two days, and at the
close of it, Mr.. Pierce Butler gave each
one OF his former chattcls, dollar Sun.
dry baskets of champagne were produced
and all were invited to partake, the sale
wine being at the expense Of the broker
Mr.. Bryan. The total amount Of the sale
foots up at S3o3, ,85O-the proceeds Of the
FIRST day being Sl6l ,43O, and of the sec
ond day $l42,370. The highest sun
paid for any one family was given for Sally
Walker and her five children, who wer,
mostly grown up. The price was Sc, l8O
The highest price paid for a single maj
was $ $50, which was given ior William
a " fair carpenter and caulkcr." Th,
highest price paid for woman wa
81 $50, which was given for Jane, "cot
ton hand, and house servant" Th
lowest price paid WAS for Anson and Vic
let, a grayhaired couple, each havin!
numbered more than fifty years the
f brought but $3.50 a.piece.--New lor
/ Epening Post.
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