CHAPTER I
THE SLAVE 0
'S SOCIAL CIRCLE .
With the growing population in
the Southern States 1
, the increase of
mulattoes 2
has been very great .
Society does not frown upon
the man who sits with
upon
his 3
knee whilst
the mother 5
stands ,
a slave 127
, behind
his 3
chair
3 .
In
nearly all the cities and towns of
the Slave States 7
6 ,
the real negro 8
, or
clear black 133
, does not amount to more than one in four of
the slave population 9
.
This fact is of itself the best evidence of the degraded and immoral condition of the relation of
master 10
and
slave 11
.
Throughout
the Southern States 1
, there is a
class of slaves 14
who , in
, are permitted to hire
their 14
time from
, and who are always expected to pay a high price .
This class 16
is
the mulatto women 134
, distinguished for
their 16
fascinating beauty .
The handsomest of these usually pay the greatest amount for
their 16
time .
Many of
these women 16
17 are
the favorites of
men of property and standing , who furnish
them 17
with the means of compensating
18 , and not a few are dressed in the most extravagant manner .
When
we 20
take into consideration the fact that no safeguard is thrown around virtue , and no inducement held out to
slave-women 21
to be pure and chaste ,
we 20
will not be surprised when told that immorality and vice pervade
the cities and towns of
the South 23
22 to an extent unknown in
the Northern States 24
.
Indeed ,
many of
the slave-women 26
25 have no higher aspiration than that of becoming
the finely-dressed mistress of
some white man 28
27 .
At negro balls and parties ,
this class of women 29
usually make the most splendid appearance , and are eagerly sought after in the dance , or to entertain in
the drawing-room 30
or at the table .
A few years ago , among
the many slave-women in
Richmond 32
,
Virginia 33
, who hired
their 31
time of
31 , was
Agnes 35
,
a mulatto owned by
John Graves , Esq. 36
135 , and who might be heard boasting that
she 35
was
the daughter of
an American Senator 37
136 .
Although nearly forty years of age at the time of which
we 20
write ,
Agnes 35
was still exceedingly handsome .
More than half white , with long black hair and deep blue eyes ,
no one 38
felt like disputing with
her 35
when
she 35
urged
her 35
claim to
her 35
relationship with
the Anglo-Saxon 39
.
In
her 35
younger days ,
Agnes 35
had been
a housekeeper for
a young slaveholder 40
137 , and in sustaining this relation had become
the mother of
two daughters 41
138 .
After being cast aside by
this young man 40
,
the slave-woman 35
betook
herself 35
to the business of
a laundress 42
, and was considered to be
the most tasteful woman in
Richmond 32
144 at
her 35
vocation .
Isabella 43
and
Marion 44
41 ,
the two daughters of Agnes 128
, resided with
, and gave
her 35
what aid
they 41
could in
her 35
business .
The mother 35
, however , was very choice of
, and would allow
them 41
to perform no labor that would militate against
their 41
lady-like appearance .
Agnes 35
early resolved to bring up
as
ladies 129
, as
she 35
termed it .
As
the girls 41
grew older ,
the mother 35
had to pay a stipulated price for
them 41
per month .
Her 35
notoriety as
a laundress of the first class 45
enabled
her 35
to put an extra charge upon the linen that passed through
her 35
hands ; and although
she 35
imposed little or no work upon
,
she 35
was enabled to live in comparative luxury and have
dressed to attract attention , especially at the negro balls and parties .
Although the term " negro ball " is applied to these gatherings , yet a large portion of
the men who attend them 46
are
whites 47
.
Negro balls and parties in
the Southern States 1
, especially in
the cities and towns 48
, are usually made up of
quadroon women 49
,
a few negro men 50
, and any number of
white gentlemen 51
.
These are gatherings of the most democratic character .
Bankers 52
,
merchants 53
,
lawyers 54
,
doctors 55
, and
and
students 58
, all take part in these social assemblies upon terms of perfect equality .
The father 59
and
son 60
not unfrequently meet and dance alike at a negro ball .
It was at one of these parties that
Henry Linwood 61
,
the son of
a wealthy and retired gentleman of
Richmond 32
62 , was first introduced to
Isabella 43
,
the oldest daughter of
Agnes 35
130 .
The young man 61
had just returned from
Harvard College 63
, where
he 61
had spent the previous five years .
Isabella 43
was in
her 43
eighteenth year , and was admitted by all who knew
her 43
to be
the handsomest girl , colored or white , in
the city 32
140 .
On this occasion ,
she 43
was attired in a sky-blue silk dress , with deep black lace flounces , and bertha of the same .
On
her 43
well-moulded arms
she 43
wore massive gold bracelets , while
her 43
rich black hair was arranged at the back in broad basket plaits , ornamented with pearls , and the front in the French style ( a la Imperatrice ) , which suited
her 43
classic face to perfection .
Marion 44
was scarcely less richly dressed than
.
Henry Linwood 61
paid great attention to
Isabella 43
which was looked upon with gratification by
, and became a matter of general conversation with all present .
Of course ,
the young man 61
escorted
the beautiful quadroon 43
home 64
that evening , and became
the favorite visitor at
61 .
It was on a beautiful moonlight night in the month of August when
all who reside in tropical climates 65
are eagerly grasping for a breath of fresh air , that
Henry Linwood 61
was in
the garden which surrounded
66 , with
the young quadroon 43
by
his 61
side .
He 61
drew from
his 61
pocket a newspaper wet from the press , and read the following advertisement : -- NOTICE .
--
Seventy-nine negroes 67
will be offered for sale on Monday , September 10 , at 12 o'clock , being the entire stock of
the late John Graves 36
in an excellent condition , and all warranted against the common vices .
Among
them 67
are
several mechanics 68
,
able-bodied field-hands 69
,
plough-boys 70
, and
women with
children 72
71 ,
very prolific , affording a rare opportunity for
any one 74
who wishes to raise a strong and healthy lot of
servants 75
for
their 74
own use .
Also
several mulatto girls of rare personal qualities 76
, -- two of these very superior .
Among
the above slaves advertised for sale 77
were
Agnes 35
and
.
Ere
young Linwood 61
left
the quadroon 43
that evening ,
he 61
promised
her 43
that
he 61
would become
, and make
her 43
free and
.
Mr. Graves 36
had long been considered not only
an excellent and upright citizen of the first standing among
the whites 80
141 , but
even the slaves 81
regarded
him 36
as
one of the kindest of
masters 82
142 .
Having inherited
with the rest of
his 36
property ,
he 36
became possessed of
them 81
without any consultation or wish of
his 36
own .
He 36
would neither buy nor sell
slaves 83
, and was exceedingly careful , in letting
them 83
out , that
they 83
did not find
oppressive and tyrannical masters 84
.
No slave speculator 85
ever dared to cross the threshold of
this planter of
the Old Dominion 86
36 .
He 36
was
a constant attendant upon religious worship 131
, and was noted for
his 36
general benevolence .
The American Bible Society 87
,
the American Tract Society 88
, and the cause of
Foreign Missions 89
, found in
him 36
a liberal friend 132
.
He 36
was always anxious that
should appear well on the Sabbath , and have an opportunity of hearing the word of
God 90
.
CHAPTER II THE NEGRO SALE .
As might have been expected , the day of sale brought an usually large number together to compete for the property to be sold .
Farmers , who make a business of raising
slaves 92
for the market
91 , were there , and
slave-traders , who make a business of buying
human beings 95
in
the slave-raising States 94
and taking
them 95
to
the far South 96
93 , were also in attendance .
, too , who wished to purchase for
their 99
own use , had found
their 99
way to the slave sale .
In the midst of the throne was
one who felt a deeper interest in the result of the sale than
any other of
the bystanders 101
100 .
This was
young Linwood 61
.
True to
his 61
promise ,
he 61
was there with a blank bank-check in
his 61
pocket , awaiting with impatience to enter the list as
a bidder for
the beautiful slave 43
102 .
It was indeed a heart-rending scene to witness the lamentations of
these slaves , all of whom had grown up together on the old homestead of
Mr. Graves 36
, and who had been treated with great kindness by
that gentleman 36
, during
his 36
life
81 .
Now
they 81
were to be separated , and form new relations and
companions 103
.
Such is the precarious condition of
the slave 104
.
Even when with
a good master 105
, there is no certainty of
his 104
happiness in the future .
The less valuable slaves 106
were first placed upon the auction-block , one after another , and sold to
the highest bidder 107
.
Husbands 108
and
wives 109
were separated with a degree of indifference that is unknown in any other relation in life .
Brothers 110
and
sisters 111
were tom from each other , and
mothers 112
saw
for the last time on
earth 114
.
It was late in the day , and when the greatest number of
persons 115
were thought to be present , when
Agnes 35
and
were brought out to the place of sale .
The mother 35
was first put upon the auction-block , and sold to
a noted
negro 117
trader named
Jennings 116
116 .
Marion 44
was next ordered to ascend the stand , which
she 44
did with a trembling step , and was sold for $ 1200 .
All eyes were now turned on
Isabella 43
, as
she 43
was led forward by
the auctioneer 118
.
The appearance of
the handsome quadroon 43
caused a deep sensation among the crowd .
There
she 43
stood , with a skin as fair as most white women ,
her 43
features as beautifully regular as any of
her 43
sex of pure Anglo-Saxon blood ,
her 43
long black hair done up in the neatest manner ,
her 43
form tall and graceful , and
her 43
whole appearance indicating one superior to
her 43
condition .
The auctioneer 118
commenced by saying that
Miss Isabella 43
was fit to deck
the drawing-room of
the finest mansion in
Virginia 33
120 .
" How much ,
gentlemen 121
, for
this real Albino 43
!
--
fit fancy-girl 43
for
any one 122
!
She 43
enjoys good health , and has a sweet temper .
How much do
you 123
say ? "
" Five hundred dollars . "
" Only five hundred for
such a girl as this 124
?
Gentlemen 123
,
she 43
is worth a deal more than that sum .
You 123
certainly do not know the value of the article
you 123
are bidding on .
Here ,
gentlemen 123
,
I 118
hold in
my 118
hand a paper certifying that
she 43
has a good moral character . "
" Seven hundred . "
" Ah ,
gentlemen 123
, that is something like .
This paper also states that
she 43
is very intelligent . "
" Eight hundred . "
"
She 43
was first sprinkled , then immersed , and is now warranted to be
a devoted Christian 143
, and perfectly trustworthy . "