The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-10-21

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bethought me of the priest: but the Quaker
assured me that the influence of that ccclc.
siastic would avail us nothing in case
where slaves were in question. Mr.. Biug
ley, however, comfortcd mo somewhat by
the assurance, that, for the time Ellen wss
safe. He did not doubt that her captors
would really lodge her in the prison, until
arrangements could he made Tor her sale
10y auction ut the public mart in Savannah
Joel Mathcwson's cunning would prompt
him TO keep in the back ground un.:! he
could appear az the legitimate purchaser Of
the unhappy object OF his persecution. The
worthy Quaker readily consented to accom-.
pauv me to- Savannah, and promised to leave
no stone mturncd to save Ellen from the
dreadful fate to which the bigotry of the
people and the villainy Of the plotting elder
threatened to condemn her We went
down to Savannah by the evening train.
| The yellow, dusty city, with tho broad
Sound below it, where the chocolate. hucd
waters of the Savannah River were strug
CLING with the blue food of salt waves, lay
simmcriug in the heat; the pavcments were
baked with heat and dust clung 10 the pal.
mcttocs and iack-trccs. Having established
! ourselves at one of the hotels. we went
! straight to the residence of lawyer for
MnOll inc NiUdhtI ilUN NOllN esteem. nc
attorney seemed worthy Of the good opil.
ion OF Brother Boa2, but he shook his head
omnously when the case was put before
him. Frankly" said he, Il am afraid |
can do little TO aid YOU. These acts of fraud
are rare. hut not absolutely without prece.
dent and you own. gentlemen. that the
papers held by these unscrupulous persons
are we'll arranged. and have an air of au-
thruticitys To these you can but oppose
pardon mc--hearsay evidcnce-the story
told 10y the girl herself
"Good Heavens, sir" said | one
glance, one minutes conversation ought IL
he enough to rehut such an absurd state.
mcnt. Nobody could doubt. ON seeing FL
leu Ncale, that she is whito woiusn
! and -
Excuse me- interrupted the attorney
hut you arc begging the question. There
are very light muattoes, and | have seen
quadroons whom it was impossible TO know
from full-blooded whites, except hy some
very slight signs, hardly pcrccptiblc. 0ur
tribunals are not very patient OF dIspaS.
sionatc on such a subject. sir. But think
Mr. Binglcy. you spoke Of papers belonging
to the girl herself. May sec thcm?"
The few letters which Ellen had produced
before the jccring kidnappcrs, aud which
| had remained in the custody of Mr. Bngley
were shown to tho lawyer. He read them
carefully, but pronounced them insufficient
Il don't say, gentlemen" continued he
| first opening his study-door to make sure
no cavesdroppcr was behind it, D." that these
letters are not good as far as they go
| They would cause u just judge to hestitI to
itnot to decide in the poor young woman's
favor. But the partiaity Of our courts in
the South is well known. In all negro cases
Judge is timid, and disposed to follow
| public feeling, and regret to say we wan
stronger proof than you here furnish me.
will do my best, gentlemen, even at the
risk of some injury to my person or prop
crty, but ! can not hold out false hopes
Tomorrow will accompany you to til,
United States District Attorney, and we wi
! lay the papers before him"
! With this we were fain TO be content.
Before we retired to rest, we went together
to the Jail, and cndcavorcd, by bribcs and
cntrcaty, to gain an interview with the in.
| nocent captive. We were gruilly refused
Mr. Hiram Cross, it was said had especially
| forbidden that any one should have access
to his slave. His slave. The word grated
on my ears, aud almost doubted whether
the whole affair were not "a dcvilish dream.
But, alas III Christian country. and Il
free country, such things were practicable,
and it was only the accident of Ellcns
birth which enabled us to contend in her
behalf. Had she been tainted with one
drop of African blood, and born in smcri-
ca, not all the beauty and purity of which
she was possessed would have given us
the right to murmur on her behalf. As it
was, matters looked ugly enough in all con.
science. Fhc next morning, | found the
dead-walls of the city covered with fam.
ing posters announcing Grand Sale of
Negro Men and Women which was to
take place at the auytion-mart on the
following day. In the long list, in COLI
spicuous red letters, figured the name of
4" Helen, quadroon of prcpossossing ap-
pearancc, age l6, educated, fit for h0use-
keeper, governcss, or companion, the prop
erty of Mr.. Hiram Cross of Alabama to be
sold without reserve"
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.