The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-08-27
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ria, l remember then old mas'r used to
hire me out by the year; and ono time, l
remember, came and paid him in two hun
dred dollars-every cent I'd taken. He just
looked it over, counted it, and put it in his
pocket book, and said, you are good boy,
GEORGE and gave me half a do!lar!"
81 want to know, now !" said his wife.
eyes, he did, and that was every cent
ever got Of it; and, ! tell you, was mighty
bad Of for clothes them times.''
"Well, we'll, tho Lord be praised, they're
over, and you are in free country, now ="
said the wife, as she rose thong tfully from
tho table, and brought her husband the
treat Bible. The little circle were ranged
around the stove for evening prayers.
"Henry, my boy, you must read-you are
a better reader than your father. Thank
God, that you learn early!"
The boy, with q cheerful readiness, read,
ssThe Lord is my Shepard,' and the mother
gently stiIlsd the noisy baby, to listen to
the holy words. Then all knesled, while
the father, with simple earnestness, poured
out his soul to God.
They had but Just risen-the words Of
Christian hope and trust scarce died on their
lips-whsn 10! the door was burst open,
and two men entered; and ono Of them ad-
vancing, laid his had on the fathers shoul-
der. "This is the fellow" said be.
You are arrested in the name Of the
United States !" said tho other.
"Gentlemen, what is this ?" said the poor
man, trembling.
Are you not the property Of Mr.. B., Of
Georgia 2" said the officer.
"Gsntlemen, I've been free, hard work
ing man these ten years."
"Yes but you are arrested on suit Of Mr..
B. as his slave"
Shall We describe the leave taking-ths
sorrowful wife, the dismayed children, the
tears, the anguish, that simple, honest,
kindly home, in moment SO desolated p
Alb, ye who defend this because it is law,
think, for one hour, what if this that hap
pens to your poor brother should happen to
you!
It was crowded courtroom, and the man
stood there to be tried-for life? No; but
for tho life of lifs-for liberty!
Lawyers hurried to and fro, buzzing, con-
sulting, bringing authorities-all anxious;
Jealous, engaged-for what? To save a
fellow man from bondage? No; anxious,
Jealous lest he might escape; full Of zeal to
deliver him over to slavery. The poor mans
anxious eyes follow vainly the busy course
of affairs, from which he dimly learns that
he is to be sacrifced-on the altar Of the
Union; and that his heart break and an
guish, and the tears of his wife, and tho des-
olation of his children are, in the eyes Of
these we'll informed men only the blsat of a
sacrifice, bound to the horns Of the glorious
American altar!
Again it is bright day, and business
walks brisk in this market. Senator and
statesmen, tho learned and patriotic, are
out, this day, to give their countenance TO
On edifying, and impressive, and truly Amer
lean spectacle-the sale Of q man All the
preliminaries Of the scene are there; dusky
browsd mothers, looking with sad eyes while
spectators are turning round their chill
dren, looking at their teeth, and feeling Of
their arms poor, trembling woman, help
less, half blind, whose last child is to be
sold, holds on to her bright boy with tremb-
ling hands. Husbands and wives, sisters
and friends, all soon to be scattered like the
chat of the threshing floor, look sadly on
W
among them walk briskly, glib, oily politi:
clans, and thriving men Of law, letters, and
religion, exceedingly sprightly, and in good
spirits-for why PIT isn't they that are 60
ing to be sold it it's only somebody else.-
And 50 they are very comfortable, and look
on the whole thing as quite q matter of
course affair, and, as it is to be conducted to
day, decidedly valuable and judicious ex
hibition.
And now, after 20 many hearts and souls
have been knocked and thumped this way
and that way by the auctioneer's hammer,
comes the instructive part Of the whole; and
the husband and father, whom we saw in his
simple home, reading and praying with his
children, and rejoicing in the JOY of his poor,
ignorant heart that he lived in a free coun-
try, is now set up to be admonished of his
mistake.
Now there is great excitement, and press
ing to see, and exultation and appreciation
for it is important and interesting to see
man put down that has tried to DO o free
man.
"That's he, is it? Couldn't como it,
could he 20 says one.
"No and be will never come it, that's
more," says another, triumphantly.
IL don't generally take much interest in
scenes of tbi, nature," says grave Repre-
sentative; ''but But came to-day for the
sake Of the principleH'
"Gentlemen," says the auctioneer,
"we've got q specimen here that some of
your northern abolitionists would give any
price for; but they shan't have him no
we've looked out for that. The man that
buys him must give bonds never to sell him
to 60 North again ~
"Go it" shout the crowd, "good! good!
hurrah" Gan impressive idea p says a
Senator ga noble maintaining of princi-
ple." and the man is bid off, add the ham
mer falls with last crash on his heart, his
hopes, his manhood, and he lies bleeding
wreck on the altar of Liberty!
Such was tho altar in l716 such is the