Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-02-04
A PHASE OF SLAVERY.
AKENrucKY PLANTER SELLING HIS DAUon-
TER.

From the Bucyms fOhio) Journal
A moving incident came to our knowledge
last week, which we lay before our readers.
We suppress names for reasons obvious TO
every one
Near Louisville, Ky, lives a planter Of
wealth and standing. He was the possessor
of a hundred negroes, and he was noted for
his thrifty, money-making disposition. lie
had never been married. and was an incorrig-
ible bachelor Of fifty. His house was man
aged by young lady Of about twenty, his
daughter by quadroon, 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 daugh-
ter with its fathers solemn promise that she
should be educated, and should live as a free
woman rather than as slave, and that she
should pass as his daughter, as she was. The
planter gave this promise. because he had
been really attached TO the dying woman, and
was greatly attached TO her and his beautiful
child. And so she grew up, radiantly beau
uful - receiving a enable education,
all that her father could give, 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, a series of misfortuues overlook
tine planter His house burned down, and in
it the notes books and papers that composed
large portion of his fortune. His crops
failed to a great degree, and some heavy spec
ulations in which he was engaged resulted
di,astrously Added to all this. he had lost
heavily at play, the besetting sin Of southern
gentlemen, and had completely exhausted all
his ready means. and found himself in the
terrible situation of having more money to
pay than he could possibly raise in a given
time.
He applied to his attorney for counsel in
his extremity. The attorney, after examining
the situation Of his affairs. advised him TO
sell of a portion of his negroes. The plant
er objected strenuouslv. first objccting to the
sale of negroes. and secondly that his force
was barely sufficient TO work bis plantation
But after full deliberation, he found this to be
the only alternative. and sorrowtully consent
ed. A list was made out, and every head
that could be possibly spared was put down.
After all was done. and the most favorable
prices for them, the aggregate fell five thou
sand dollars short of the sum.
The attorney remarked quietly that he had
not included all that could be spared.
81 have put down all / can dispense with, "
replied the planter
al do not see Mary the housekeeper's name
in the list replied the lawyer. "She, if of
terod to the right person. would make up the
dcfciency.-I would give that for her myself
At another time the planter would have
taken the suggestion as an insult, but neces-
sity is a hard master. and he grasped at the
ifloa and bpf,ro o, ho7r th, travsaetfpn ,voe
closed. 1t troubled him not little to dis
close the matter to her, but the fear of bank
ruptcy and ruin drove him to it. The poor
girls horror and distress may be imagined
She was 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 gratfca-
tion Of his lusts. The idea was too horrible
and she swooned remaining almost delirious
for several days
There was another upon whom the intelli-
gence came with crushing weight A junior
partner in produce house in Louisville, he'd
frequently visited the planters house on busi-
ness, and. struck with the beauty and intelli-
gence of the supposed daughter, had become
enamored, and after prosecuting his suit a
proper time had declared his passion, and un-
known to the father the two had betrothed
themselves. As soon as possible, after her
father had told her her fate, she dispatched
messenger to him, stating the facts, and inn
ploring him to save her from the doom that
awaited her. Though thunder-struck at the
intelligence that his atiianced bride was a
slave, and had just been sold to fate worse
than death, like true man he determined to
rescue her. That night he saw her and a
plan formed for flight
The day she was transferred to the possess
sion Of her purchaser they fed, and in due
time arrived at Cincinnati, where they were
married. Our hero obtained an interview
with one of the agents of the underground
railroad located in that city, who Immediately
telegraphed instructions to the different
agents along the line to keep strict watch,
and if women-catchers were on the watch at
any point, to telegraph back, and give the fu-
gitye timely notice, that they might leave the
train. Accordingly they started, purchasing
tickets for Crcstline.
In the meantime the lawyer, as soon as he
discovered his loss, had commenced active
measures to recover it. He had no difficulty
in tracing them to Cincinnati and none what
ever in ascertaiuiug that their destination was
Crcstlino. But having arrived several hours
after their departure, he was obliged TO CON
tent himself with telegraphing to Crestline to
the proper officers 10 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
place stepped into the car, and a conversation
of a few moments ensued in the lowest kind
Of whispers, at the close of which the four
left the car.-A carriage was in waiting, and
in two hours the fair fugitive and her husband
were domiciled in the house of one Of our
whole souled farmers, near Bucyrus who
has long taken pleasure in helping fugtives
on their way to the Canadian Canaan.
When the train on which they embarked
reached Crestline, the officials were unutter-
ably chagrined at not finding the fugitives,
and more so when they learned that she had
been within four miles of them.
After lapse of two weeks they ventured
moye and went to Detroit by way of San
dusky city, and without accident reached the
Canadian shore.-They are now residing in
Toronto
RELIGION THE BEST TEsT.--Lord Buregh,
one Of the greatest statesmen of England's
most glorious epoch--the age Of Queen Eliza
beth--used to say, II will never trust any
man whose religious principles are not sound;