The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-02-02
From the Bucyrus (Ohio) Journal.
A PHASE OF SLAVERY.
A Kentucky Planter Selling his own Daughter

A Kentucky Planter Selling his own Daughter.
A moving incident came to our knowl-
edge last week which we lay before our
readers. We suppress names for reasons
obvious to every one.
Near Louisville, KY, lives planter OF
wealth and standing. He was the posses
sor of a hundred negroes, and he was
noted for bis thrift y, money-making DIS
position. He had lever been married,
and was an incorrigble bachelor of fifty.
His house was managed by a young lady
of about twenty. his daughter by qua
droon, whose complexion was lighter by
half than his-and in whom the negro
blood was scarcely visible. The mother
died ten years ago, leaving her daughter
with the fathers solemn promise that she
should be educated, and should live as a
free woman rather than as a slave, and
that she should pass as his daughter, as
she was. The planter gave his promise,
because he had been really attached to
the diving woman, and was greatly at
tached to her aud his beautiful child
And so she grew up radiantly beautiful /
receiving reasonable education, all that
her father could give her, and in time
took the management Of his household.
She never knew that there was any negro
blood in her veins, and never dreamed
that she was slave.
Last fall series of misfortunes over
took the planter. His house burned
down and in it the notes, books and pa
pers that composed large portion of his
fortune. His crops failed to great de-
gree, and some heavy speculations in
which he was engaged resulted disas-
trously. Added to all this, he had lost
heavily at play, the besetting sin of South
ern gentlemen, and had completely ex-
hausted all his ready means, and found
himself in a terrible situation Of having
more money to pay than he could posi-
bly, raise in given time.
He applied to bis attorney for counsel
in his extremity. The attorney after ex-
aiming the situation of his affairs, advis
ed him to sell off a portion of bis negroes.
The planter objected strennously, first OBJ
jecting to the sale of negroes, and second
ly that his force was barely sufficient to
work his plantation. But after full de-
liberation, he found this to be the only
alternative, and sorrowfully consented.
A list was made out, and every head that
could be possibly spared was put down.
After all was done, and the most fayora-
BILE prices for them, the aggregate fell
$4,000 short of the sum.
The attorney remarked quietly that he
had not included all that could be spar
ed.
81 have put down all 1 can dispense
with" replied the planter.
~ do not see Mary the housekeeper's
name in the list," replied the lawyer.
She, if offered to the right person, would
make up the deficiency. | would give
that for her myself.
AT any other time the planter would
have taken the suggestion as an insult,
but necessity is hard master, and he
grasped at the idea, and before an hour
the transaction was closed. 1t troubled
him not little to disclose the matter to
her, but the fear Of bankruptcy and ruin
drove him to it. The poor girls horror
and distress may be imagined. She had
known nothing but happiness, and now
was to be plunged into the deepest and
most hopeless misery. She had been sold
and was then the property, soul and
body, of one who purchased her merely
for the qualification of his beastly lusts.
The idea was too horrible, and she swoon-
ed; remaining almost delirious for several
days.
There was another upon whom the ia
tell;gence came with crushing weight. A
junior partner in produce house in Lou
siville had frequently visited the planter
house ON business, and, struck with the
beauty aud intelligence Of the supposed
daughter, had become enamored, and af-
ter prosecuting his suit proper time had
declared his passion, and, unknown to
the father, the two had betrethed them
selves, AS soon as possible, after her
father had told her her fate, she dispatch
ed a messenger to him, stating the facts,
and imploring him to save her from the
doom that waited her. Though thun-
derstruck at the intelligence that his af-
fianced bride was slave, and bad Just
been sold to fate worse than death, like
true man he determined to rescue her.
That night he saw her, and a plan was
formed for flight.
The day she was transferred to the pos
session of her purchaser they fled, and in
due time arrived at Cincinnati, where
they were married. Our hero obtaired
an interview with one of the agents of
the under ground railroad located in
that city who Immediately telegraphed in
structions to the different agents along
the line to keep strict watch, and if woman
catchers were on the watch at a point, to
telegraph back, and give the fugitives
timely notice, that they might leave the
train. Accordingly they started, purcha-
sing tickets for Crestline.
In the meantime the lawyer, as soon
as be discovered his loss, had commenced
active measures to recover it. He had
no difficulty in tracing them to Cincinnati
and none whatever in ascertaining that
their destination was Crestline. But hav-
ing arrived several hours after their depart
ure, he was obliged to content himself
with telegraphing to Crestline to the prop
er officers to arrest them at that place.
But unfortunately for his prospects, the
intended arrest got wind, and when the
train reached Gallon, two citizens of that