Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-02-03
e Phase Of Slavery.
A SOUTHERN PLANTER SELLING HIS DAUGH-

A SOUTHERN PLANTER SELLING his DAUGH-
\ moving incident came to our knowl-
edge last week, which we lay before our
readers. We suppress names for rea-
sons obvious to every one.
Near Louisville, Ky, lives q planter
of wealth and standing He was the
possessor of 100 negroes. and he was
noted for his thrifty, money making
disposition. He had never been mar
ried, and was an incorrigible bacelor of
fifty. His house was managed by a
young lady Of twenty his daughter by a
quadroon, whose complexion was light
er by half than his-and in whom the
negro blood was scarcely visible. The
mother died ten years age, leaving her
daughter with its fathers solemn prom
Use that she should be educated, and
should live as free woman rather than
as q slave, and that she should pass as
his daughter, as she was. The father
gave his promise, because he had been
really attached to the dying woman, and
was greatly attached to her,a his beau
tiful child. And oshe grew up,radiantiy
notwithstanding 4 reasonable edu-
cation, all that her father could give,
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 slave
Last fail series of misfortunes over
took the planter His house burned
down, and in it the notes, books and
papers that composed large portion of
his fortune. His crops failed to great
degree, and some heavy speculations in
which he was engaged resulted disas-
trously. Added tosalI this, he had lost
heavily at play, the besetting sin Of
Southern gentlemen, and had complete
ly exhausted all his ready means, and
found himself in the terrible situation
of having more money to pay than he
could possibly raise in a 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 deliberation,
he found this to be the only alternative.
and every head that could be possibly
spared, was put down. After all was
done, and the most favorable prices for
them obtained, the aggregate fell short
$4,000 of the sum.
Inc attorney remarked that he had
not included all that could be spared.
Il have put down all can dispense
with" replied the planter.
Il do not see Mary the Aousekeeper's
name IN the list" replied the lawyer.
" She, If offered to the right person,
would make up the deficiency Iwould
give that for her myself"
At any other time, the planter would
have taken the suggestion as an insult
but necessity is a hard master, and be-
fore an hour the transaction was closed.
1t troubled him not little to disclose
the matter to her, but the fear Of bank
ruptcy 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 hope
less misery. She had been sold, and
was then the property, body and soul,
of one who purchased her merely for
the qualification of his lusts. The idea
was too horrible, and she swooned, re-
naming almost delirious for several
days.
There was another upon whom the
intelligence came with crushing weight.
A junior partner in 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 prosecuting his suit a
proper time, had declared his passion,
and unknown to the father, the two had
betrothed themselves. AS soon as pos
Gible, after her father had told her her
| fate, she dispatched messenger to him
stating the facts, and imploring him to
save her from the doom that awaited
her. Though thunderstruck at the in