Part 182 (1/2)
”TEN DOLLARS REWARD will be given for my negro woman Liby. The said Liby is about 30 years old and VERY MUCH SCARRED ABOUT THE NECK AND EARS, occasioned by whipping, had on a handkerchief tied round her ears, as she COMMONLY wears it to HIDE THE SCARS.”
To show that slaveholding brutality now is the same that it was the eighth of a century ago, we publish the following advertis.e.m.e.nt from the ”Charleston (S.C.) Courier,” of 1825.
”TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.--Ranaway from the subscriber, on the 14th instant, a negro girl named Molly.
”The said girl was sold by Messrs. Wm. Payne & Sons, as the property of an estate of a Mr. Gearrall, and purchased by a Mr. Moses, and sold by him to a Thomas Prisley, of Edgefield District, of whom I bought her on the 17th of April, 1819. She is 16 or 17 years of age, slim made, LATELY BRANDED ON THE LEFT CHEEK, THUS, R, AND A PIECE TAKEN OFF OF HER EAR ON THE SAME SIDE; THE SAME LETTER ON THE INSIDE OF BOTH HER LEGS.
”ABNER ROSS, Fairfield District.”
But instead of filling pages with similar advertis.e.m.e.nts, ill.u.s.trating the horrible brutality of slaveholders towards their slaves, the reader is referred to the preceding pages of this work, to the scores of advertis.e.m.e.nts written by slaveholders, printed by slaveholders, published by slaveholders, in newspapers edited by slaveholders and patronized by slaveholders; advertis.e.m.e.nt describing not only men and boys, but women aged and middle-aged, matrons and girls of tender years, their necks chafed with iron collars with p.r.o.ngs, their limbs galled with iron rings and chains, and bars of iron, iron hobbles and shackles, all parts of their persons scarred with the lash, and branded with hot irons, and torn with rifle bullets, pistol b.a.l.l.s and buck shot, and gashed with knives, their eyes out, their ears cut off, their teeth drawn out, and their bones broken. He is referred also to the cool and shocking indifference with which these slaveholders, 'gentlemen' and 'ladies,' Reverends, and Honorables, and Excellencies, write and print, and publish and pay, and take money for, and read and circulate, and sanction, such infernal barbarity. Let the reader ponder all this, and then lay it to heart, that this is that 'public opinion' of the slaveholders which protects their slaves from all injury, and is an effectual guarantee of personal security.
However far gone a community may be in brutality, something of protection may yet be hoped for from its 'public opinion,' if _respect for woman_ survive the general wreck; that gone, protection perishes; public opinion becomes universal rapine; outrages, once occasional, become habitual; the torture, which was before inflicted only by pa.s.sion, becomes the constant product of a _system_, and, instead of being the index of sudden and fierce impulses, is coolly plied as the permanent means to an end. When _women_ are branded with hot irons on their faces; when iron collars, with p.r.o.ngs, are riveted about their necks; when iron rings are fastened upon their limbs, and they are forced to drag after them chains and fetters; when their flesh is torn with whips, and mangled with bullets and shot, and lacerated with knives; and when those who do such things, are regarded in the community, and a.s.sociated with as 'gentlemen' and 'ladies;' to say that the 'public opinion' of _such_ a community is a protection to its victims, is to blaspheme G.o.d, whose creatures they are, cast in his own sacred image, and dear to him as the apple of his eye.
But we are not yet quite ready to dismiss this protector, 'Public Opinion.' To ill.u.s.trate the hardened brutality with which slaveholders regard their slaves, the shameless and apparently unconscious indecency with which they speak of their female slaves, examine their persons, and describe them, under their own signatures, in newspapers, hand-bills, &c. just as they would describe the marks of cattle and swine, on all parts of their bodies; we will make a few extracts from southern papers. Reader, as we proceed to these extracts, remember our motto--'True humanity consists _not_ in a squeamish ear.'
Mr. P. ABDIE, of New Orleans, advertises in the New Orleans Bee, of January 29, 1838, for one of his female slaves, as follows;
”Ranaway, the negro wench named Betsey, aged about 22 years, handsome-faced, and good countenance; having the marks of the whip behind her neck, and SEVERAL OTHERS ON HER RUMP. The above reward, ($10,) will be given to whoever will bring that wench to P. ABDIE.”
The New Orleans Bee, in which the advertis.e.m.e.nt of this Vandal appears, is the 'Official Gazette of the State--of the General Council--and of the first and third Munic.i.p.alities of New Orleans.' It is the largest, and the most influential paper in the south-western states, and perhaps the most ably edited--and has undoubtedly a larger circulation than any other. It is a daily paper, of $12 a year, and its circulation being mainly among the larger merchants, planters, and professional men, it is a fair index of the 'public opinion' of Louisiana, so far as represented by those cla.s.ses of persons.
Advertis.e.m.e.nts equally gross, indecent, and abominable, or nearly so, can be found in almost every number of that paper.
Mr. WILLIAM ROBINSON, Georgetown, District of Columbia, advertised for his slave in the National Intelligencer, of Was.h.i.+ngton City, Oct. 2, 1837, as follows:
”Eloped from my residence a young negress, 22 years old, of a chestnut, or brown color. She has a very singular mark--this mark, to the best of my RECOLLECTION, covers a part of her _b.r.e.a.s.t.s_, _body_, and _limbs_; and when her neck and arms are uncovered, is very perceptible; she has been frequently seen east and south of the Capitol Square, and is harbored by ill-disposed persons, of every complexion, for her services.”
Mr. JOHN C. BEASLEY, near Huntsville, Alabama, thus advertises a young girl of eighteen, in the Huntsville Democrat, of August 1st, 1837.
”Ranaway Maria, about 18 years old, _very far advanced with child._”
He then offers a reward to any one who will commit this young girl, in this condition, _to jail_.
Mr. JAMES T. DE JARNETT, Vernon, Autauga co. Alabama, thus advertises a woman in the Pensacola Gazette, July 14, 1838. ”Celia is a _bright_ copper-colored negress, _fine figure_ and _very smart_. On EXAMINING HER BACK, you will find marks caused by the whip.” He closes the advertis.e.m.e.nt, by offering a reward of _five hundred dollars_ to any person who will lodge her in _jail_, so that he can get her.
A person who lives at 124 Chartres street, New Orleans, advertises in the 'Bee,' of May 31, for ”the negress Patience, about 28 years old, has _large hips_, and is _bow-legged_.” A Mr. T. CUGGY, in the same paper, thus describes ”the negress Caroline.” ”_She has awkward feet, clumsy ankles, turns out her toes greatly in walking, and has a sore on her left s.h.i.+n_.”
In another, of June 22, Mr. P. BAHI advertises ”Maria, with a clear white complexion, and _double nipple on her right breast_.”
Mr. CHARLES CRAIGE, of Federal Point, New Hanover co. North Carolina, in the Wilmington Advertiser, August 11, 1837, offers a reward for his slave Jane, and says ”_she is far advanced in pregnancy_.”
The New Orleans Bulletin, August 18, 1838, advertises ”the negress Mary, aged nineteen, has a scar on her face, walks parrot-toed, and is _pregnant_.”
Mr. J.G. MUIR, of Grand Gulf, Mississippi, thus advertises a woman in the Vicksburg Register, December 5, 1838. ”Ranaway a negro girl--has a number of _black lumps on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and is in a state of pregnancy_.”
Mr. JACOB BESSON, Donaldsonville, Louisiana, advertises in the New Orleans Bee, August 7, 1838, ”the negro woman Victorine--she is _advanced in pregnancy_.”
Mr. J.H. LEVERICH & Co. No. 10, Old Levee, New Orleans, advertises in the 'Bulletin,' January 22, 1839, as follows.
”$50 REWARD.--Ranaway a negro girl named Caroline about 18 years of age, is _far advanced in child-bearing_. The above reward will be paid for her delivery at either of the _jails_ of the city.”
Mr. JOHN DUGGAN, thus advertises a woman in the New Orleans Bee, of Sept. 7.