Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1859-01-14
SELLING mrs owN DAUGwrER.


SELLING HTs OWN DAUGHTER.
Tho peculiar horrors Of tho system Of
American slavery but seldom como 70
tho knowledge Of the poopls Of the North.
We read in tho Southern papers Of sales Of
negroes, and the price at which tliey we're
knocked down, but none can know the mis-
cry aud anguish ihpl attends these ovory
day occurrences. A moving incident caue
to our knowledge last week which We lay
before our readers We suppress names for
reasons obvious to every one.
Near Louisville, Kentucky, lives planter
Of wealth and standing. He was the pos
SCISSOR Of hundred negroes, and he Tas not
cd for his thrifty money making disposition.
lie had never been married, and was an in
corrigble bachelor Of City. His house was
managed by young lady Of about twenty,
his daughter whose complexion is winter by
half than his-and in whom the negro
blood was scarcely visible. The mother
died ten years ago, leaving her daughter
with its fathers solemn promise that sho
SHOULD Oe tlutdLGNs Nhu buOuiQ l1C US. ~
free woman, rather, than as slave, and
that she should pass as bis daughter as she
was. Tho planter gave this promise be-
cause he had been really attached 70 tho
diving woman, and was greatly attached 10
her and his beautiful child. And so she
grow up, radiently eautiful-recciving
reasonable education, all that her father
could give her and in time took the man
agcment Of his household. She never
knew that there was any negro blood in her
veins, and never dreamed that sue was a
slave.
Last fall series Of misforlunes overlook
the planter His house burned down and
in it the notes, books aud papers that com
posed large portion Of his fortune. His
crops failed TO a great degree, and some
heavy speculations in which no was cngag-
cd resulted dsastrously. Added to all this,
he had lost heavily at play, tho besctting
sin Of Southern gentlemen, and had COM
petely exhausted all his ready means, and
found himself in tho terrible situation Of
having moro money to pay than be could
possibly raise iu given lime.
lie applied TO his attorney for counsel IN
bis extremity. Tho attorney after examin-
ing the situation Of his affairs, advised him
to soil off portion Of his negroes. The
planter objected strenuously, first ohjecting
to the sale of the negroes, and secondly that
his force was barely sufficient to work his
plantation. But after full elaboration, he
found this to be the only alternative, and
sorowfully consented. 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 allowed for
them, the aggregate fell five thousand dol
lars short of the required sum.
The attorney remarked quietly, that he
had not Included all that could be spared.
al have put down all can dispense
WITH" replied the planter.
II do not see Mary, your housekeeper's
name in the list" replied the lawyer. "She,
if offered to the right persons, would make
up the deficiency. 1 would give that fol
her myself" and the eyes of the lecherous
brute sparkled with unholy passion.
At any ether time the planter would
have taken the suggestion as an insult, but
necessity is hard master, and be graspcd
} at the idea, and before an hour the trans
action closed. 1t troubled him not little
to disclose the matter to her, but the fea
J of bankruptcy and ruin drove him to it,
The poor girls horror and distress may bt
: immagined She had known nothing bu
! happiness, aud now was TO be plunged int
the deepest and most hopeless misery. She
had been sold and was then the property
soul and body, of one who had purchased
her merely for the qualification Of beastly
lusts. The idea was too horrible, and sh'
swooned, remaining almost delirous for sOv
+ eraf days.
There was another upon whom the in
+ telligence came with crushing weight.
5 junior partner in produce house in Louis
= vile, had frequently visited the planter
y house on business, and struck with tn
+ beauty and intelligence of the suppose
o daughter, had become onamorod-and nj
is ter prosecuting his suit proper time ha'
IT declared his passion, and unknown to th
d father the two bad betrothed themselves
D AS soon as possible, after her father hal
Is told her her fate, she despatched messen
q ger to him, stating the facts, and implore
is him to save her from the doom that avail
y ed her. Though thunderstruck at the il
% telligence that his affiancod bride was
m slave, and had just been sold To fate wors
a than death, like a true man, he determine
n to rescue her. That night he saw her, an
D a plan was formed for flight.
l. The day she was transferred to tho po
O. session of her purchaser, they fed, and
2, due time arrived at Cincinnati, where the
b were married. Our hero obtained an il
IS tervie0 with one of the agents Of the Vi
derground Railroad, located in that cit
IS who Immediately telcgraphed instruction
n to the different agents along the line
il keep strict watch, and if women-catche
at were on the watch, at any point, to telsgraI
n back, and give the fugitives timely motto
h. that they nigh. leave the train. Accordin
IS ly they started, purchasing tickets for Crsi
b. lina.
= In the meantime the lawyer, as soon
g, be discovered his loss, had commenced 8
ng tive measures to recoVerit He had 40
lis fculty in tracing them to Cineinus
nd aud none whatevor in ascsrtaining th
er- their destination was Crestline. But hl
ire ing arrived several hours after thoir depa
or ure, he was obliged to content himself wi
bo telegraphing to Cresuins to the proper
fcers to arrest them at that place. b