The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-17
RECALLING A NIGHTMARE.

DR.. R. N, Todd, of this city, has an inter
esting souvenir of ante-bellum times, and a
singular reminder of the sacred institution
that once 1ourished in large portion of the
United States 1t reads as follows:
"wnereas, Two papers issued from the clerks
office OF the Fayette Circuit Court, one in the
name OF John Brown and the other in the name
of James Devins, against the estate OF Marion
Satterwhte, in the hands OF his administrator
and Richard Sharpe, deputy sheriff, for Jonn u
Richardson, sheriff Of Fayette county, having
duly received the executions aud levied the
same on negro woman by the name of Judy,
and her child by the name of Juliann. given up
of said Satterwhite to satisfy said executions,
and the said Sharpe, deputy sheriff aforesaid,
having duly advertised to sicl said woman
and child for sale, proceeded on the 28th day OF
August, 1920, to sell according to law; when
Henry Clay being the highest bidder, became
the purchaser for the sum of five hundred dol
lars, the receipt whereOfi is hereby acknowledged
Now, 1, Richard Sharpe, deputy sheriff as afore-
said, do, by virtue OF the levy and sale afore-
said, hereby SELL deliver and convey the af0re-
said negro woman and child to the said II. Clay,
his heirs and assigns forever
"Glven under my hand 9th day OF Octooer'
1920. RICH. SHARPE D. 5.
"For j. e. RICHARDSON, Sh."
On the back of this document, stained
with age the ink faded in some places to in
distinctness, and all bearing unmistakable
evidence of genuineness, is the Endorsement:
"Sharpe Rich'd, d. s. Rn of sale
III Sav' { for Judy and child.
Below this is memorandum almost
wholly effaced showing that a check was
drawn on some Branch Bank" In another
corner is the most important feature of all
In his own writing appears the following in
dorsement:
81 assign the within to Margaret Ashby for
value reed. 81 Dec, 1921. ii. CLAY"
The document is one calculated to call up
a great many reflections and suggests a
theme to be moralized upon indefinitely.
The mighty changes that have taken place
since the above dimly discernible lines were
penned, render them well-nigh incredible to
those who have grown to maturity since the
war of emancipation made imperative
through rebellion. Here is picture drawn
by master hands of the days before the war.
A mother and child looked upon as chattels,
are levied on and sold like animals. The
great commoner of Kentucky, the
imprisoned orator and statesman,
the man who boldly declared he would
rather be right than be president, bids on
and buys them. For over year they are
his, body and soul. His to do with as it
seems best or as his wishes may dictate.
His to separate and to sell, to fog and to
command, in the name of the great State in
which he lived. 1t seems like an unhealthy,
distorted dream, so unreal as to be almost
impossible. Not that it need be imputed
that Henry Clay would be brutal enough to
beat humanity, but that humanity could be
so brutalized at the will of others. 1t is
well that this document to-day is a
curiosity that will become rarer and still
rarer as the years go by. The detestable and
loathsome disease that had fastened upon SO
much of the Union has been eradicated, and
the entire nation is made better purer and
stronger. The wisdom of what once seemed
impossible is now admitted by all. So tina.
this bit of stained paper is but reminder of
a nightmare that took a deathstruggle to
shake off, but that can never come back to
plague and to estrange.