Women Selling At Washington

From a lato speech of J. R. Giddmgs 111 UÜW About si.x weeks befare I leít iVashingwn city, white n iny room, busily engagcd ond deepely immeiscd ip thought upo:i sorne subject whicfa greaily interested me, the w.-iitcr oponed the door and nnonnced thsit a person wished to se me. I wás som'ewhai petulónt on bcing thus dis turlxd. but told him to bring her iip. Slie was accordingly ushered in. 1 spokc ri'.h'.r hnrshly,:ind inqiiired what she wantod. 1 lookcd up and perceived I li.-.d wounded her fecüngs; I therefore spoke kindly, and told her to prucecd v.-ith hor business, vvhich slie did. Shc s-iid: - 'Aliout tlirec ycarssince. I contracted witli my niüster for my o'n frtu Jon at $350, of which paid 8"200 of my own labor. A short time since, whüe my mnstcr was absefii niïd f wnsoul ; t my work, my mistress hold me to rt Missifsippi planter. Aucr my rñaater reiurned, he agrced with no tlir.t ii I p;iid $200 more Ishould stilt go frce. [ have workcd and earmed $d0 an.l the coloied people have ,i;iveii me $2ó. Bavitig ïottird t&qt yon ac a iiifri I of colorod people. 1 Had o seeif you would bc wïllrng Có help uw.' Wliüo lopking over my pocket book, Iinciientfdlj' ïemarkcd, 'have you any children?' She ilteropted io n;ive n narraiive. but iinmediately irs!ed into tcars. Said s!ie, :I lind a daughtér, 1G ye:iis o!d. Sh'ë was kind, dutiiul nmi obedicm.' (Fiere she ran over all her amiablc qualities and virtucs. wHicH moiliers somciinics enumérate whaiiapeakijig bfa departed daugluer.) - 'Bui ih they Jiave eóld her from m:. and I know iot wheré she is. My master would nevar permit me to po and sec after her or to taite lonvc of her.' She then told of a s?on in delicate liealth, 8 ycars old. who bid been sold fro:n her. in re'aiing whicfi, slio cvinced as much spnsibiliiy iis any white woman. [The speaker here made a pathelic appeal to the niothers preeent.] These sf?nes tnke place by virtue of a law of Congres?. Wonld any pcrs.'ii in t'iis assembly bc willin to susiain such a iaw?l could teil you of a man near my ago.who had a child sol.l from h::i. and after bei'ng baiUed m nn attènipi to ent lus i'ircat. rushed out ihrough n crowd, and running to tho waier, drowhed himself The guilt of these laws resis upon us; and to separate the governmen from this panicipalion in the guilt of slavcry constitutes. as I undertaml it, the object i)f the'cntire anti-slavery enteiprise. [S. Gibbons here skèd whathecame of the colorcd woman.] She rot the lnst cent I had aboul rne, and Éhat is all I know about it. (Applause.)