The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-21
A Virginia View
Mr.. Wise's Book
lind of an Era. -

pant, who adds eyewitness testimony to
history, performs a distinct service. His
tory as it used to be, a recital Of success
eive wars, always lacked human inter
@st and to that degree lost its collar. A
history like Carlyle's Frederick" seeks
TO restore the life of history by
reference to and quotation OF the
personal views made on the spot, and
Carlyle did succeed in this, for he OBJ
siained the scene Of a great battle better
from a schoolmaster's idle diary than
from the royal archives, here and there a
more intimate acquaintance with a royal
Parsonage from a meagre diplomatic DIS
patch than from all other contemporary
eous chronicles. John S. Wise, of Vir-
ginia, son of the governor of Virginia
from 1856 to 1860 has written an autobi-
ographic work entitled 1.-The End Of an
Era" and we imagine that when the fu-
fure Carlyle oils the shifting rods Of ais
typewriter to set about on a great his
tory Of the Civil War of America he WI
have this book at hand and will quite
from it for its vivifying powers en-
events long dead and buried in forgetful-
hess. He certainly viii, in that event, Sc
cure the Virginia view of the Civil War,
H.
its accurate, charming pictures of ante
bellun ease and luxury, and its obstinate
eartival of Virginia prejudice, for Mr..
Wise, among other things, pillorles our
John Brown and fails TO give the Monitor
victory over the Merrimac
OF slavery Mr. Wise gives many vievg
I'ie fathe' was Of the Virginia contingent
|h3 recognized the wrong # it ami hcped
10 he. nth would reach the end Of il.
'1''5ith IT. own Initiative a. q L : ire
author saw Uncle Toms Cabin" pro-
ouced IN Philadelphia, and the slave sale
scene outraged him. He had seen no such
d r'tit5 - home and doubted it. Hh,U
- returned to Richmond op3o-- unity tf-
fered for him 10 witness a sale and one of
the strongest chapters in his book is de-
voted to what he saw Part of that chan
ter is as follows:
over the place was the sign, with the
name Of the owner and the words "Auc-
ton House conspicuously painted. At
the door hung a red flag, with an adver-
uSement pasted on its side, and up and
HoWn the street a mulatto man walked
with another flag, ringing a large bell
ana shouting: oh, yea! Oh yea! Oh.
yea! walk up, gentlemen. The sale of a
line, likely lot of young niggers IS now
about to begin To these he added in
tones which were really merry, and with
an expansive smile. that they were all
sorts Of niggers, belonging to the estate
Of the late --. sold for M fauI+ b,,+
to settle the estate; and that the lot en-
braced all kinds; old ones and young ones.
men and women. gals and boys. About
and
Were grouped, some in their shirt sleeves
FOR the most part they had the appear
ance of hostlers. The place itself looked
like a livery stable within the building.
For long distance back from the street
there were no sde-lights or sky-iignts.
In the rear only was it light, where the
structure projected beyond those on
either side of it, and there the light was
ample, and the business in hand was TO
be transacted. We moved cautiously
through the dark front of the building
and came at last to the rear. where a
small platform occupied the center of the
room, and chairs and benches were dis
tributeG about the walls Another large
ToulattO man appeared to act as usher
standing near a door, through which
from time to time he furnished fresh
supplr &C slaves for sale. A large man,
with full beard, not a bad-looking fell
low but for the ratty' appearance of his
quick. Geld, small black eyes. acted as
aucti0neer. A few negroes sat on the
Bench by the door, they being the first
Flot TO be disposed of. The purchasers |
stood or sat about, smoking or chewing
tobacco while the auctioneer proceeded
80 read the decree of a chancery court in
hhe settlement of a descedent's estate, I'M
Ger which this sale was made. The law
gers representing different interests were
Fhere, as were also the creditors and dis
Rrf5utees having interest in the sale Be
sides these We're ordinary buyers in need
of servants. and slave-traders who made
living by buying cheap and selling COR
a profit. We took seats and watched and
listened intently. After reading the form
al announcement authorizing the sale,
the auc'ioneer became eloquent. He pro
ceeded to explain to his auditors that
this was no ordinary sale Of a dana ged
no-'cOunt lot of niggers where a man
buvin' a niger mout or mout not git
what he was lOol1n' fur but of one of
those rar opportunities which cum Only
once or twice in a lifetime when the
buyer is sho' that fur every dollar he
pays he's gittin a full dollars with OF
raal, genuine niger, healthy, well-raised
well hammered, respectful, obejunt and
w;liin. Why said he. gentlemen, you
k.n look over the whole gang Of niggers.
frsn the oldest 10 the youngest, and you
won't find the mark of a whip on one of
EN-. Colonel -, for whose estate
they is sold, was known to be one Of the
kin lest masters and at the same time one
of the best bringers-up of niggers in all
Virginia. These here po' devils is sold
fer no fault whatever. but simply aid
oniy because owing to the colonePs sad
den death. his estate is left embarrassed.
and it is necessary TO sell his niggers TO
pay his debts and for Distributed e
some ready money amongst MUNYON'S
'aars. OF these facts I assure you On The
honor of a gentleman Having thus
paved the way for good prices. he an
nounceJ that among the slaves to be Of
rcd we're e>Jd carriaSa drivers. garden
e-s. drIng-room Servants, farm hands.
cooks. mixers. seamstresses and washer
women and the most promisin'. CROWN.
sleek and sassy lot of young niggers he
had ever had the pleasure Of offerin'.
The sale was 10 begin with some bucks
as he facetiously called them. They were
ycung unmarried fellows from IS to ..
Ordered to mount the auction block they
stripped to the waist and bounced up.
rather amused than otherwise grinning
at the lively bidding they excited. eau
aious bidders drew near 10 them. examin- |
ed their eyes, spoke TO them to test their |