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The Traffic

The Traffic image
Parent Issue
Day
1
Month
December
Year
1841
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Laat week I was o the villoge of---, A colored womaa was there, taking her leave of her friends. She had been sold to a man living oear Nashville. She wa owned by a man naraed . Anolher woman was sold lo the same individual by a Mr . Both of these meo are known to me. They are in debt, and parted wi;h their slaves with reluctance, but were unabie, as ihey supposed, to avoid it. They had the repuiation of being kind masters; but misfortunea in business ovenook them, eo that they wero under the neccssity of giving up their property. It ia 8uch calamities, thal opérate wilh cruelty on the poor laves. At an hour unexpected to themselves, (except anlicipated ironi the embarrassed situation oí their master,) ihey are notified that they are sold, and are to leave iheir busband, wives, or children, to meet wilh them uo more. About a year eince,I was riding through Jeffer8on county, when I overtook a colored man apparently about fortyfive. Ho said he was unacquaintcd with the road, and asked permiesion to rido with me. We rode some miles in company. 1 found hira to be a man of easy addres, and intel ligent - a man who understood how to exprees himself correct ly, with dignity and grace. 1 inquired if he was tree. Ho said "No," that he belonged to Esq.- - r who lived near . (I was ao quainted with bis tnaster a very wortby man.) I replied you have a kind maatcr.' He eaid very kind - master has alwayt been kind tome." inquired if h%had a wife and children. He eaid ha had a wife and seven chüdren. I said you hav no fear, have you, that your masier could be induced to eelt you er any of your fara ily?" He eaid, 'uot unleas he is com pelled to- master is in debt; Ihave sornetimes had fears that he would nol be sble to get through; but he says he will eell e ery thing else first. He has oficn told m if hc could sell his plamation for enougb; 10 pay his debts, he wouid go with us to a free State, where ho could nut be taken for debí." "Have the alave-dealers evet applied to him to buy you?" 'Yes ei r, they havje tried master every way. Ono came from Gcorgia,soine time since - beg ged master to set a price on me. WelJ, masier told him ho miht go and talk with me about it; so he camo into the field where I was ploughing, and told me if I wouid go with htm, he would give me a suilof tine clothes,tnake me his coadunan and give me tuteen dollars in moncy. 1 knew Blave-dealers would promise any thing. 1 was sorry the poor man would think 1 would part with my wife and chiJdren for such trifles. But I thought I would not ofifend the man, so I told him I would think of il. H Uien went to munter and told him i had agreed togo with him, When 1 came to the house master asked me how that was, and if 1 had agreed to go wilh him. I told him the man was mi taken, 1 was not willing togo witb him. He theu offered master 600 dollars in cash if he would let htm tie me, and take me oíF. Master told him, no - uut hing would induce him lo do that." 1 had much other onverwtion with this man, in which be manifested strong afiectiou lor his wife and childrn,kind feelinga oward, and confidnce in his master. - Esq. is go muchembarrusaed that ie is now supposed 10 be insolvent. In a titile time, in all human probability, this loor man, who so mucb dreadtd a separat tion from hts wife and children, will be compelled to see them soid one after anoth er lo the highest bidder und go where h msy novar ruet wilh ihcmaaii.