The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-17


LARGE SALE OF SLAvEs.-We briefly noticed
last week, large sale of slaves at Savannah,
Georgia. They were the property of Pierce
Butler, Esq, who resides in Philadelphia, but
who was originally, we believe, from South
Carolina Above four hundred slaves were
sold, men, women, and children, varying in age
from fifteen days to fifty years. A correspondent
of the New York Tribune was present, and by
seeming to be in full sympathy with the negro
BUYERS and sellers, he was able to take copious
notes Of what transpired without being compli-
mented with coat of tar and feathers. The
reporter says:
" For several days before the sale, every no.
tel in Savannah was crowded with negro specu-
lators from North and South Carolina, Virginia,
Georgia. Alabama, and Louisiana, who had
been attracted hither by the prospects of making
good bagains. Nothing was heard for days,
in the bar-rooms and public rooms, but talk of
the great sale, criticisms of the business affairs
of Mr.. Butler, and speculationS as to the prob
able prices the stock would bring. The office
of Joseph Bryan, the negro broker who had the
management of the sale, was thronged every
day by eager inquirers in search of information,
and by some who were anxious to buy, but
were uncertain as to whether their securities
would prove acceptable. Little parties were
made up from the various hotels every day. to
visit the racecourse, distant some three miles
from the city, to look over the chattels, discuss
theirpoint and make memoranda for guidance
on the day of sale. The buyers were generally
of a rough breed, slangy, profane, and bearish,
being for the most part from the back river
and swamp plantations where the eleganceS of
polite life are not perhaps developed to their
y neglected by the petty tyrants Of the rice
fields that border the great Dismal Swamp,
their knowledge of the Injuries of our best
society comprehending only revolvers and
kindred delicacies,
The slaves generally appear to have been
| full-blooded negroes, which is always the case
on large plantations, where they remain seclu-
ded for generations from association with white
men. They had never been sold before, having
passed all their lives on the Butler plantations,
near Darien, in Georgia, or at St. Simon's
island, Immediately on the coast. It il a hope
full sign ofthe progress ofhumane ideas that hus
bands and wives were not separated from each
other, or from their small children. Still, many
distressing separations Of older children from
their parents took place. The writer in the
Tribune describes the auction scene as follows:
"The slaves remained at the race-course.
some Of them for more than week and all of
them for four days before the sale. For these
preliminary days, their she'd was constantly
visited BY spectators, The negroes were ex-
amined with as little consideration as if they
had been brutes indeed the buyers pulling
their mouths open to see their teeth, pnching
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 relative to their qualifica-
tons and accomplishments"
Mr.. Butler gave each of his former chattels
one dollar at parting with them. The sale was
made to satisfy creditors. The total sum of the
sales was $3O3,s5O. The highest price paid
for single man $3.50, the man being fair
carpenter and caulker." A woman sold for
$l,25O. She was recommended as acotton hand
and house servant