The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-02-03
From the Bucyrus (Ohio) Journal.
A Phase of Slavery.


aged by young lady of about twenty.
lis daughter by quadroon, whose
complexion was lighter 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 she
should be educated, and should live as
afree woman rather than as slave,
and that she should pass as his daugh-
ter, as she'was. The planter gave bis
promise, because he had been really
attached to the dying woman, and was
greatly attached to her and his beauti-
full child. And so she grew up, radi-
antiy beautiful, receiving reasonable
education, all her father could give her,
and in time took the management of his
household. She never knew that there
was any negro blood in her veins, and
never dreamed that she was a slave.
Last fall series of misfortunes over
took the planter. His house burned
down and in it the notes, books and
papers that composed a large portion
of his fortune. His crops failed to a
great degree, and some heavy specula-
tons in which he was engagedresulted
disastrously. Added to all this, he had
lost heavily at play, the besetting sin
of Southern gentlemen, and had com
pletely exhausted all his ready means,
and found himself in terrible situa-
ton, having more money to pay than he
could possibly raise in given time.
He applied to his attorney for coun-
sci in his extremity. The attorney,
after examining the situation of his
affairs, advised him to sell off por-
ton of his negroes. The planter OBJ
jected strenuously; first Directing to
the sale of negroes, and secondly that
his force was barely sufficient to work
his plantation. But after full delibera-
ton he found this to be the only alter
native, and sorrowfully consented. A
list was made out, and every head that
could possibly be spared was put down.
After all was done, and at the most IA
vorable prices for them, the aggregate
fell SIS 900 short of the sum.
The attorney remarked quietly that
he had not included every one that
could be spared.
81 have put down all can dispense
WITH" replied the planter.
81 do not see Mary, the house
keepers name in the list," replied. the
lawyer. " She, if offered to the right
person, would make up the deficiency.
/ would give that for her myself"
At any other time the planter would
have taken the suggestion as an insult !;
but necessity is hard master, and he
grasped at the idea, and before an hour
the transaction was closed. 1t troubled
him not little to disclose the matter 10
her, but the fear of bankruptcy and
ruin drove him to it. The poor girls
horror and distress may be imagined.
She had known nothing but happiness,
and now was to be plunged into the
deepest and most hopeless misery. She
had been sold, and was then the pro-
perty, soul and body, of one who had
purchased her merely for the gratifica-
ton of his bcastly lusts. The idea was
too horrible, and she swooned, remain
ing almost delirious for several days.
There was another upon whom the
intelligence came with crushing weight.
A junior partner in a produce house in
Louisville had frequently visited the
planters house on business, and, struck
with the beauty and intelligence of the
supposed daughter, had become enam-
ored, and after presenting his suit at a
proper time, had declared his passion,
and, unknown to the father, the two
had betrothed themselves. AS soon as
possible, after her father had told her
her fate, she dispatched a messenger to
him, stating the facts, and imploring
him to save her from the doom that
awaited her. Though thunderstruck
at the intelligence that his aflianced
bride was slave, and had Just been
sold to fate worse than death, like n
true man he determined to rescue her.
2 The day she was to be transferred to
the possession of her purchaser they
fed, and in due time arrived at Cincin-
natl, where they were married. Our
hero obtained an interview with one of
the agents of the Underground Rail-
road located in that city, who immedi-
ately telegraphed instructions to the
different agents along the line to keep
strict watch, and if woman catchers
were on the watch at any point, to
telegraph back and give the fugitives
timely notice, that they might leave
the train. Accordingly they started,
purchasing tickets for Crestline.
In the meantime the lawyer, as soon
as he discovered his loss, had COM
inenced active measures to recover it.
He had no difficulty in tracing them to
Cincinnati and none whatever in ascer-
tanning that their destination was Crest
line. But having arrived several hours
after their departure, he was obliged to
content himself with telegraphing to
Crestline to the proper officers to arrest
them at that place. But unfortunately
for his prospects, the intended arrest
got wind, and when the train reached
Gallon, two citizens of that place step
ped into the car, and conversation OF
a few moments ensued, in the lowest
kind of whisper, at the close of which
the four left the ear. A carriage was
in waiting, and in two hours the fair
fugitive and her husband were domi-
ciled in the house of one of our whole
souled farmers, near Bucyrus, who had
long taken pleasure in helping fugitives
on their way to the Canadian Canaan.
= l,1 IL, ~