Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-03-24
A TERRIBLE FATE.
A Family Of TeuRsssessHs, from
montgomery County, Become
MsniaIs in Brazil.
White Children Sold igiO Slavery In a
Distant Part of he Empire
$500 in Gold the
Ransom.
Stall they be Redeemed 2---Fr ends
i1 Tennessee Working TO
Accomplish II.

one of the many marvellous events
growing QUITO the late war. We ehave
lust been placed in possession Of the
facts of the sad fate and misfOrtunes
of a Montgomery county family, end
ing i'm the sale into slavery of two
children iu a distant tOrTid and semi
barb8ric land. By request We with
hold the name Of the family, assuring
our readers that the circumstances are
true 10 the letter, and in every partic-
ular. Singular and adventurous as
were the facts we gave Of the VIII
Hanson county Wanderer, the details,
vici-situdes, suiieTiugs and actual fate
of the children of the family now be-
ing considered, are more so, as par
taking more of the painful and heart
rendiug. The sale into slavery of the
aImOnd-eygd, sweet-faced and blue
vained Caucasian girl to the lustful
ATusselman, under sanction Of his
crescent banner and mis- Koran, shock
ing IS Is the mOnstrOus traffic to the
Christian world, from long usage is
divesJed Of many OF the hOr-
r0rs naturally attaching to il. But
when It comes to the sale, as slaves, Of
Tennessee children and those,
too, from an adjoining county,
reared by cultivated and re-
fined parents, educated and
cared for. and surrounded by all the
comforts and eieganCes tina. make
home a little heaven and young life
ali rosy and beautiful; when it comes
10 the sale of such children to people
not many removes advanced in civil
LzatiOn beyond the African Congo, it
starts the blood with Indignation, and
crimsOus The cheek with shame. Yet
such are the facts. Before the war
there resided in Montgomery county
9 gentleman who was well known and
who was well to do. He was an edu-
Gated man, q man Of letters, and a
man Of God, being a minister of the
gospel, and one Of the principals Of the
leading female institution of the
county. His family consisted Of HIM
self. his wife and two children, both
daughters, one being near twelve and
the other near ten years Of age. The
family was a happy one. The parents
were esteemed as good and useful
members Of society, and their children
rose uu aud called them blessed. Thus
they were situated when the civil war,
with is fierce alarms, its cl8ng and
clash Of arms, burning trophies and
rivers of blood burst upon US in 1861.
Then came the time
s.When desoIati0n, srstching from the
hand
OF time tie scyuhe OF ruin, sat alOf.
or rstslked in dreadful u sjssty abr Jad.n
Tennessee was the banner State in
sending her braves TO battle for the
star gemmed bOnDy blue flag she had
flung 20 the breeze. Among those who
gathered under its folds was the min
lister and gentleman referred to. He
cIung 10 it with the devotion of love
snd the iervOr OF patriotism, through
all the four years OF blood, and storm
snd thick darkness that hOvered about
r. When Al last. in 1865, the star of
tle young COnfederacy went out in
gloom and in glory behind the hills Of
AuuOm8ttgX, and the scared veterans,
who had borne their banner bravely,
returned TO their wasted fields and
des0lsted homes, to lay down its shat
tered stan forever, the heart of our
friend siCkened at the prospect Of his
c0uutry's ruin, and sank within him.
Though bis energies were subdUed in
the struggle. his proud spirit WIS IN
conquered. While some liOn-hearted
Southerners. like Sterling Price, the
iron Butcher Of the war in the Mest,ln
gha land of the TssCa!aus, and the
valleys of COrdOva sought them
homes. some mingled as eXiles among
Europe gay capitals, and others, at
the tropics. where the breath Of mid
night burns the sand, went for refuge
10 Brazil. Among these latter were
our Montgomery friend and his fam
Ely. Converting bis available assets
into WhatTeady cash they would bring,
he gathered his family around him
aud bade his "native country adieu."
efS8me natural tears, no doubt, that
mother and those blooming children
shed as they saw for the last time"
the CLASSY Cumberland, that had so
peacefully flowed near their home.
Perhaps the father into whose soul the
iron had entered so deeply, like Childe
Harold. cared not what land his wan
deriugs bore him to, 50 they brought
him not back 70 this; or, perhaps, as
ne cast q lingering look upon ClErks-
vile, guarded by those he deemed OPP
uressors. ne felt as old Jugertha did,
when passing out the Appian way he
looked back upon the seven hilled city
of the Tiber and said, "There Is a city
TO be sold"
HtWhatever may have been their teel-
ings. they could not have looked for
ward % the sad future in store for
them. Reaching a Southern port, our
friend and family, with many Others,
took passage on an emigTant vessel for
Brazil. Pr0pitiOus gales and smooth
seas soon bore them 70 the South
American country, the delUsive Eden
OF so many. With a hopeful heart
and a stout arm, he engaged with
those who went as q colony 10 the inn
prOvement Of the locality where they
had settled and the establishment OF a
home for his wife and nestlings. EZ-
pected rewards did not bless the laLOrs
Of his hands. the climate and its un-
genial influences preyed upon the
health Of the family. Social rurrOund-
fugs were unpleasant. Accustomed TO
scenerv that t'ShenstOne might envy,
and to music that would charm Ca
gvpso ana her nymphs," the mother
and children had been transferred to
virtually a barb8ric land, uuculti-
vated by art, sunedOrned by civ
ilizstion. The surroundings were
chilling and Oppressive. MisiOr-
fupes fell thick and fast
upon them. Disguised with the cOun
try, most Of the SOutherners who went
there returned home, or went TO other
parts. The condition of our friend
aBd his family grew from bad to
worse. Business failed utterly. All
his enterprises turned to dry ashes In
his hand. When he would have re- ]
turned TO this country he could not. /
He became hOpelessiy involved and |
was a bankrupt.
His daughters had grown into e4-
p8nding young WOmanhOOd and had |
developed into fair, elastic proper /
tiOns. And now comes the sadde5t |
par OF the history Of this unfortunate /
famHy. The Brazilian laws are such |
that when a citizen becomes in debt, /
if he has no property, his children are /
sold as slaves, the prices they bring |
going 10 the payment Of the Obliga- /
tiOn. Our friend, when he reached /
Brazil, unWisely became n2turaliZed ]
and a South American citizen and /
subject to the laws, thus by his own l
volititn eXpatriating himself from his 1
native country and its protection. /
He became involved in debt to some /
BrgZiIians. His children were sold |
as slaves. his daughters, grown 10 |
young ladies, aud whose happy
girlhoOd and childhood were plea |
sanity passed with every comfort |
and home blessing in the seques'
tered shades and literary Institutions
of Montgomery county, were led by !
the merciless grip of Brazilian law tC
the slave markets and sold 10 the
highest bidder! The price Of their
bondage paid the father's debt. What
a eaneeling was thatl That bond Of
blood has its parallel in ShylOck and |
4ho Venetian merchant Vbue thoeo