The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-01-13
The peculiar Institution A man
Sells Ills own Dam.hIer.

the price AZ which they are knocked down
but none can know the misery and anguist
that attends these every day occurrences
A moving incident came to our knowledge
last week, which we lay befor1 our readers
We suppress names for reasons obvious K
every one
Near Loui,ville, Kentucky. lives planter
OF wealth AMI standing. He was the pos
SCISSOR OF hundred negroes, and he was no
ted tor his thrifty, money making disp >sition
lie had never been married. but was an in
corrigable bachelor Of fifty His house wa
managed by young lady of about twenty
his daughter by quadroon. whose complex
ion was lighter by half than his-and in
whom the negro blood was scarcely visible
The mother died ten years ago, leaving her
child with its fathers solemn promise that
she should be educated, and live a free wo-
man, rather than a 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 wo-
man, and was greatly attached to her auti-
tul child also. Aud SO she grew up, radiant
" notwithstanding a reasonable educa-
tlon, all that her father could give her, and
IN time took the management of his house.
hoit. She never knew that there was anv
negro blood III her veins, and never dreamed
that she was a slave
Last fall a series of misfortun3 IS overlook
the planter. His house burned down, and in
1t the notes, books and papers that constitut-
ed large portion Of his fortune, His crops
failed to great degree, and some heavy
specuatlons IN which he was engaged re-
suited disastrously. Added to this he had
lost heavily at play. the besetting sin Of all
southern gentlemen. and had completely ex-
hausted all his ready means, and found him
self in a terrible situation OF having more
money to pay than he could by any possible
means raise in a given tme.
lie applied to his attorney for council in
his extremity. The attorney, after examin
ns The situation OF his affairs, advised him
to sell off portion of his negroes The
planter objected strenuously, first oblectin :
10 the sale Of negroes, and secondly that his
torce was barely sufficient to work his plan
tation. But after full delberation he found
his to be the only alternative, and sorrow
Fully consented. 4 list was made out and
every head that could be spared was put
down. After all was done. and the most fa-
vorable prices Obtained for them, the argrc-
gate fell $4,000 short of the sum,
The attorney remarked quietly that he
mad not included ali that could be spared.
Il have put down all eau dispense with"
replied the planter.
You have not put Mary. your house
keepers name, in tie list," replied the law
yer. ''Nhe. it offered 70 the ri slt person.
would make up the deficiency. would give
chat tor her myself" Aud the eyes Of the
Iechelous brute sparkled with unholy pas
ion
taken The suggestion as an lusult. but neccs-
sIty i IA hard master, and he graSped at the
Idea, and II less than an b rur the transaction
WAS closed. Ii tro0bi-d him MT a little To
disclose Tie matter 10 her; bet the fear OF ru.
IN and bankruptcy drove hun TO it, The
poor girls horror and distress may be imar
med. Size had known nothing D,.t haop;nasS
aud no" was to be plunged into Ihe deepest
aud most hopeless misery She had been
sold, and was then the proge.ty, soul and
body, oi one who parcha>eI her mel ely for
the qualification OF It's beasty lustS The
idea was too horrible. and she swooned re-
naming almost deilt!ous for several DAYS
There was another upon whom the inteli-
geHce tel. with crushing weight. A Junior
partner IN a produce house in Louisville had
frequently visited the planters house on bus
IEes>, and struck with the beauty and intelii-
sence ot tie supposed daughter had become
eEampred and after prosecuting his suit a
proper lime, had declared his passion. and
unknown 10 tie father. the two had betro;hed
themselves As soon as possible, af er her
father had told her her fate. she dispatched
messenger to him, stating the facts, and
impioriug him 10 save her from the doom that
awaited ter. Though thunderstruck at the
intelligence that his atfanced bride was q
slave, like a true man lie determined to res
cue her. That night he saw her, and plan
was formed i3r flight.
Tie day she was transferred 10 the posses
sion ct her purchaser. they fled, 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 immedi
ately telegraphed instructions 10 the different
agents along the line to keep strict watch,
aud if woman catchcrs were on the watch, at
any point, to telegraph back, and give the
tugi,ises timely noiice. hat they might leave
the train. Accordingly they started, pur-
chasing tickets for Crestine
In the meantime the lawyer, as soon as he
discovered his loss, had commenced active
measures 10 recover 1t. He had no difficulty
in tracing them to Cincinnati, and none what
ever in aScertaining that their destination
was Crestline. But having arrived several
content himself with ;elegrsphiug TO Crest
llae to the proper officers TO arrest them ri
that place But unfortunately for his pros
poets, TIE intended arrest got wind, and W hen
the train reached Gallon. two citizens of
that place stepped into the car, and a conver-
satou al lew moments ensued. IN the low
est hlnd OF whispers, At the close of which
the tour LETT the car \ carriage v as in wait
ing aai IN two hours the lair fugitive and
her husband were domiciled in the house Of
one Of our whoiesoaea farmers, near Bacy-
rus. Who has long toek pleasure in helpin 2
ius'tises on their way 10 The Canadian Ca
Daan.
When The train on which they embarked
reached Crestiine, the officials were anulfer.
ably ehasrined at not tuding the fugitive,
and mole 80 when they learned that she had
been withia tour miles of them