The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1859-03-24
March oath, 1859.

Early next morning IS jeffrey alert aud
hat in hand. encouraged 10 unusual freedom
By the greatness OF the stake for which he
plays, he addresses every bnver, and all who
viii listen he begs the boon of a word 10 be
spoken 10 his new master 10 encourage him
to buy Dorcss. And all the long morning
he speaks in his homely way with all who
know him that they will in,ecede to save his
sweetheart from being sold away from him,
forever. No one has the heart 10 denv a
word Of promise and encouragement TO the
poor fellow. and joyous with much kind
ness, his hopes and spirits gradually rise un-
al he feels almost certain that the wish Of
his heart will be accomplished And Dorcas
too is smiling. for is not Jetfrey's happiness
her own?
At last comes the trying moment, and
Dorcas steps up on the stand.
But now most unexpected feature in the
drama is for the first time unmasked; Dorcss
is not to be sold alone. but with family of
four others Full of dismay, Jeffrey looks 10
his master, who shakes his head, for, although
he might be induced to buy Dorcas alone he
has no use for the rest of the family. Jeffrey
reads his doom in his masters look and turns
away, the tears streaming down his honest
face.
SO Dorcas is sold, and her toiling life is
to be spent in the cotton fields of South Car
olins, while Jeffrey goes to the rice plantation
of the Great Swamp.
In another hour 1 see Dorcas in the long
room. sitting motionless a statue. with her
head covered with shawl And l see JEFF
frey, who goes TO his new master, pulls of
his hat and saws. "Ise very much obliged
mas'r, to s-berry-hard, -
and here the poor fellow breaks down entire
ly and walks away, covering his face with
his battered hat, and sobbng like child.
He is soon surrounded by group of his
colored friends, who with an instructive deli
cacv almost unlocked for. stand quiet, with
uncovered heads about him.
AN UNEXPECTED MARRIAGE
When the family of Mingo, consisting of
his wife. two sons and daughter, was called
for, il was announced by the auctoneer that
chattel No. 322, Dembo, the eldest son, age
90, had the evening before procured the ser
vices of a minister and been Joined in wed
lock to chattel No. 404, Frances and that he
should be compelled to pu! up the bride and
groom in one lot. They were called up
and to be expected, their appearance
was the signal for volley of coarse jokes
from the auctoneer. and of ribad remarks
from the surrounding crowd. The newly
married pair bore it bravely, although one
refined gentleman took hold Of Frances's
lips aud pulled them apart, to see her age.
1t was almost too much Tor endurance to
stand and sea those brutal slave drivers
push the women about, pulling their lips
apart with their not too ceanIy hands, and
committing many another indecent act. whIs
the husbands. fathers and brothers of those
" women were compelled to witness these
things, without the power to resent the out
rage.
Dembo and Frances were at last struck
off for ) $50 each, and went TO spend their
honey moon on a cotton plantation in Ala
bama.
PROCEEDS OF THE SALE
And 5, the Great Sale went on for two
long days. during which time there were
sold i29 men, women and children. There
were 436 announced 10 be sold. but fe W
were detained on the plantation by sickness
At the close of the sale, on the last dav,
sundry baskets OF champagne were produced,
and all were invited to p.rtake. the said
wine being at the expense oi the broker, Mr.
Bryan.
The total amount Of the sales foot ND
S303. .S50-the proce ds of the first day be-
ing Sl61 4SO, and of the second day S!42,-
$40.
What blessed thing it is that we live
in the only land on earth where such happily
ing. purifying and civilizing exhibitions can
be seen. How the pa,riouc heart swells
with Joy in reading these incidents OF great
and instructive display Of the ennobling ten
denotes Of Democracy. England, France,
Spain, even Turkey and Russia, have in
sanely deprived themselves of the power of
presenting such an impressive lesson Of civil
ization to their subjects. Only the Land Of
the Free and the Democracy Of the Union
are frightened with this glory.