The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-06-23
WASHINGTON. June 10Th. 1882


over thirty years ago, are given, not
for the purpose Of reviving old preju-
dices, but simply as matters of history.
The writer of this is indebted to Hon.
Lewis Clephane, on old resident Of
Washington, who has national repu-
tation, has held important offices, and
was for several years associated with
DR.. Bailey in the publication of the
National Era, then widely known
journal throughout the northern states.
Before the prohibition of the slave
trade in the district of Columbia in
| 1850, there were two "slave pens" so
called, in this city. One of them was
on the corner of 14th street and n. Y i.
avenue, Of which a slave dealer, by
the name of Hill, was the owner; hence
it was called Hills pen. The other
slave pen was ON 9th street, one block
south of the Smithsonian, called Bush
pen, that being the name of the pro-
| prietor. Both Hill and Bush were
wealthy slave dealers, and stood high
among the Washington aristocracy.
The negroes for the supply Of the trade
were procured chiefly from Maryland !;
they were always brought into the city
on foot in droves. The older ones
were coupled together by twos, with a
small chain and clasps around the
wrists. The children followed behind
without letters; the driver on horse
back, with whip in hand, brought up
the rear. Precisely as herd of cattle
were the negroes driven, except cattle
are not manacled, as the negroes were.
The slaves were driven to the pens,
where they were offered for sale, and
buyers came to look over and examine
the lot. 1t was often said in extenua-
tion of the slave dealers that they made
it point not to separate families.
Mr.. Clephane says it is not true that
family ties were particularly regarded
if the purchaser desired to buy the
wife without the husband, or the lat
ter without the wife, or the son
or daughter without the parents, the
obstacles were seldom such as to pre-
vent bargain. The scenes witnessed
on the separation of families were of
course the same as in other slave mar
kets, and have been so often described
they need not be repeated here. When
the cry of anguish of those who were
being separated, probably forever, be-
came too annoying to the traders, the
whip was brought into requisition, to
quelI the outbursts of dispair. The
slaves who were found slow Of sale in
the Washington pens were usually sent
to Alexandria, in Virginia, six miles
from this city, to be sold at auction,
where was the largest slave mark ct
in all the South.
HOW FREE NEGROES WERE REDUCED
TO SLAVERY.
For long time the barbarous prac-
tice prevailed of arreSting and COM
hitting to Jail free negroes on ficti-
tious criminal charges. After being
in prison for a time, they were brought
into court, and, no tangible evidence
appearing against them, they were ac-
quilted of the charges, but held to pay
the jail fees; being poor and money
less, they were sold in pursuance of an
existing law to pay expenses. The
slave dealers were of course the buyers,
and the poor victims were, in most
cases, doomed to hopeless servitude
Mr.. Clephane says twice as many free
negroes were reduced TO slavery in this
way as ever escaped from their owners
to Canada or elsewhere north. The
better class of citizens in Washington
were indignant at this inhuman bust
ness, but endured its progress, dreading
to come in conflict with the slave pow
er. At length legislation was secured
which put this villainous kind of spec
ulation to stop. What a strange cap
ital of freedom was Washington less
than forty years ago? Here American
orators proclaimed to all mankind that
here, and here only, was found liberty
and equality unalloyed. These patri.
otto civilizations were echoed from
shore to shore, and waited across the
sea, while the rafting of the chains Of
the enslaved might have been heard
only few blocks away from the ma
tiOnal Capitol. Perhaps some will say,
this defamation on the wrongs of
slavery comes too late; slavery is
abolished, let it be forgotten" Never
theless it is history. If all the wrongs
in history ought to be forgotten then
half of all the books in the world
should be gathered together and
burned.
CONGRESS TALKING ABOUT ADJOURN
MENT.
Considerable progress has been made
by our national legislature the past ten
days; but it cannot be said Congress is
pursuing the even tenor of its way"
for there is enough rough and smooth
sailing to give abundance Of variety.
There is an evident desire on both
sides to reach the close of the session
at as early day as possible. The 18th
of July is now spoken of as the time
for terminating the business of the
two Houses, but the experience of past
years shows that the time first desig-
mated for final adjournment has almost
invariably been reconsidered and
later fixed upon. Some of the import
ant appropriation bills have not vet
been finally considered, but there will
be less debate on these bills than for
merly, for the reason there happens to
be plenty of money in the Treasury,
and Congress is evidently in mood
to vote money freely, if not lavishly.
CONTESTED ELECTION CASES.
There were at the beginning of the
present session twenty-five contested
election cases before the House; five
of these have been settled, and the
rightful claimants given their seats.
Seven more of these cases have been
reported on by the committee, but not
acted on by the House. The Republi-
can members have been blamed for
not proceeding more rapidly in these
cases, and giving the lawfully elected
candidates their seats. 1t must be re-
membered that the Republicans have
only nominal majority, and not re-
liable voting majority in the House
therefore progress in matters of this
kind is necessarily slow. The Green
back members have aided the Republi-
cans in accomplishing what has been
done in displacing fraudulently elected
members and putting legally elected
members in their places. f.