The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-03-31

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them might enjoy that privilege. al
though none Of them were sold at pri-
vate sale. For these preliminary days
their sheds 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 mouth open to see
their teeth, p!nching their limbs to find
how muscular they were, walking them
up and down to detect and 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 ques-
tions relative to their qualifications and
accomplishments All these humilia-
tions were submitted to without MUIR
mur, in some instances with good-na-
tured cheerfulness, where the slave
liked the. appearance of the proposed
buyer, and fancied that he might prove
kind mas'r." slHE i1 81 ~sez55ia
sBut all this time the sale was going
on, and the merry Mr.. Walsh, with
many .quip and jest, was beguiling
the time when the bidding was slow.
The expression on the faces of all who
stepped on the block was always the
same, and told of more anguish than it
is in the power of words to express.
Blighted 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, and never making amotion
save to turn from one to the other at
the word of the dapper Mr.. Bryan, that
all the crowd might have a fair view of
their proportions, and then when the
sale was accomplished, stepping down
from the block without caring TO cast
even look at the buyer, who now held
their happiness in his hands. Others,
again, strained their eyes with eager
glances from one buyer to another as
the bidding went on, trying with ear
nest attention to follow the rapid voice
of the auctioneer. SOMETIMES, two
persons would be bidding for the same
chattel, all the others having resigned
the contest; and then the poor creature
on the block, conceiving an instantane-
ous preference for one of the buyers
over the other, uldregard the rivalry
with the intensest interest, the express
ion of his face changing with every
bid, settling into look of hopeless
despair if the other won the victory"
The sale lasted for two days, and at
the close of it, Mr. Pierce Butler gave
each one of his former chattels, a dol
lar. Sundry baskets of champagne
were produced, and all were invited to
partake, the said wine being at the ex-
pense of the broker, Mr.. Bryan. The
total amount of the sales foot up at
s3O3, 3,s5O-the proceeds of the first day
being Sl6I,48O, and the second day
sl42,37O. The highest sum paid for
any family was given for Sally Walker
and her FIVE children, who were mostly
grown up. The price was s6,18o. The
highest price paid for single man was
s1,75O, which was given for William,
a ''fair carpenter and chaulker.' The
highest price paid for a woman was
S1,250, which was given for Jane, a
"cotton hand and house servant" The
lowest price paid was for Anson and
Violet, gray-haired couple, each
having numbered more than fifty years;
they brought but $3.50 apiece.