Slavery and the Constitution Part 10

The following is extracted from an advertis.e.m.e.nt of Lewis A. Collier, a trader in Richmond, Va.:--

"NOTICE.--This is to inform my former acquaintances and the public generally, that I yet continue in the slave-trade, at Richmond, Virginia, and will at all times buy and give a fair market price for young negroes. Persons in this State, Maryland, or North Carolina, wis.h.i.+ng to sell lots of negroes, are particularly requested to forward their wishes to me at this place. Persons wis.h.i.+ng to purchase lots of negroes are requested to give me a call, as I keep constantly on hand at this place a great many for sale; and have at this time the use of one hundred young negroes, consisting of boys, young men, and girls. I will sell at all times at a small advance on cost, to suit purchasers. _I have comfortable rooms, with a jail attached, for the reception of the negroes_; and persons coming to this place to sell slaves can be accommodated, and every attention necessary will be given to have them well attended to; and, when it may be desired, the reception of the company of _gentlemen dealing in slaves_ will conveniently and attentively be received. My situation is very healthy, and suitable for the business.

LEWIS A. COLLIER."

The "St. Louis Daily Union" of August 26, 1847, contains the following:--

"ONE HUNDRED NEGROES WANTED.--The subscriber wishes to purchase one hundred negroes, of both s.e.xes, for which I will pay the highest price, in cash. I can be found at all times at No. 104, Locust-street, by Gerard's stable. WM. JOHNSON."

"NEGROES WANTED.--For two hundred negroes, the highest prices will be paid by B. W. POWELL, City Hotel, or 51, Front-street."

The "Daily Reveille" (St. Louis), of the same date, contains the following:--

"WANTED to purchase, thirty or forty young negroes, by CURLE & G.o.dDIN, 79, Olive-street."

The following is taken from the "St. Louis Republican:"

"NEGROES WANTED AND BOARDED.--The highest cash price paid for young likely negroes, at 104, Locust-street, between Third and Fourth, adjoining Gerard's stables.

"N.B. Our house will be well secured, and afford the _advantages of a jail surrounded by walls, and a bas.e.m.e.nt cell in it_.

WHITE & TOOLY."

The following two are found in the "Evening Mercury" of Jan. 14, 1848, published in New Orleans:--

"SLAVES WANTED.--Wanted to purchase, slaves of every description, at the New Orleans depot, No. 156, Common-street, for which liberal prices will be paid. Slaves will also be sold on commission, and purchasers are invited to call and see a well-selected lot of slaves offered at low prices. ELIHU CRESWELL."

"SLAVES WANTED.--E. Creswell, No. 163, Gravier-street, will pay the most liberal price for slaves of all descriptions; and those who have slaves for sale will do well to give him a call before selling to others. He will also exchange slaves, sell slaves on commission; and those who wish to purchase will do well to give him a call before buying elsewhere, _as he keeps on hand a good selection of slaves_, sold under full guarantee, and good reference for t.i.tles given."

The foregoing advertis.e.m.e.nts give us some faint idea of the demand for slaves. Those which follow are of slaves for sale. We cannot commence more appropriately than with these, taken from the "New Orleans Picayune:"--

"SLAVES FOR SALE.--Hope H. Slatter, who has retired from the trade, has sold to me his establishment in Baltimore, and leased for a number of years his old stand at the corner of Esplanade and Moreau-streets, at which place _I shall keep up a large and general a.s.sortment of slaves for sale, imported direct from Maryland and Virginia_. WALTER L. CAMPBELL, Successor to Hope H. Slatter."

"NEGROES, NEGROES.--Just received, and for sale at No. 7, Moreau-street, Third Munic.i.p.ality, a large and likely lot of negroes, consisting of field-hands, house-servants, and mechanics.

_Will be receiving new lots regularly from Virginia during the season._ WM. F. TALBOTT."

The same paper of Oct. 18, 1846, contains the following two:--

"SLAVES FOR SALE, No. 165, Gravier-street.--The subscriber has always on hand a number of slaves, consisting of house-servants, field-hands, and mechanics, which will be sold low, for cash or negotiable paper. Persons desirous of purchasing will find it to their interest to call and examine. The subscriber will also receive and sell on consignment any negro that may be entrusted to his care.

"He would also respectfully notify persons engaged in the slave-trade, that he is prepared to board them and their slaves on the most reasonable terms. WM. H. MERRITT.

"Reference: J. Barelli, C. J. Mansoni."

"NEGROES FOR SALE.--We, the subscribers, have for sale, at our establishment, No. 159, Gravier-street (block in the rear of St.

Charles Exchange), a large lot of valuable slaves, suitable for plantation, house-servants, &c. &c. Persons desirous of purchasing will find it to their interest to call and examine.

"We will also receive and sell on consignment any negroes that may be entrusted to us. We would also respectfully notify owners of negroes, _and persons engaged in the slave-trade_, that we are prepared to board negroes, and furnish traders with rooms, &c.

"Our house is roomy, airy, and dry. Terms reasonable.

JOHN BUDDY.

WM. H. MERRITT."

Mr. Wm. H. Bolton, whose name is appended to the next advertis.e.m.e.nt, is from Tennessee:--

"NEGROES FOR SALE.--I have again returned to this market, with eighteen or twenty likely negroes. I have located on the corner of Main and Adams-streets. I have plough-boys, men, women, and girls, _and some very fancy ones_. _I intend to keep a constant supply through the season, and will not be undersold by any in market._ My motto is, 'the swift penny; the slow s.h.i.+lling' I never get.

"I will also pay the highest cash price for young negroes.

"November 21, 1846. W. H. BOLTON."

To what uses these "very fancy" girls are put may be inferred from the following advertis.e.m.e.nt,[R] taken from the "Norfolk Herald:"--

"NOTICE.--For sale, a colored girl, of very superior qualifications, who is now in Mr. Hall's jail in Norfolk. She is what speculators call a fancy girl; a bright mulatto, fine figure, straight, black hair, and very black eyes; remarkably neat and cleanly in her dress and person. I venture to say, that there is not a better seamstress, cutter and fitter of ladies' and children's dresses in Norfolk, or elsewhere, or a more fanciful netter of bead bags, money-purses, &c.

"Any lady or gentleman in Norfolk or Portsmouth, who may wish to purchase a girl of this description (whom I consider the most valuable in Virginia), may take her and try her a month or more at my risk, and, if she does not suit and answer the description here given, may return her to Mr. Hill.

"The cause of offence for which I intend, though reluctantly, to sell her, is, that she has been recently induced by the persuasions of some colored persons to make her escape with them to the North, in which she failed, and is now for sale.--Apply to the subscriber, in Suffolk, or to James Murdaugh, Esq. or to C. C. Robinson, of Portsmouth, for further information. JOSEPH HOLLADAY."

Tennessee can also claim the honor of having such careful traders as Mr.

J. S. Curtis:--

"ONE HUNDRED "A NO. 1" NEGROES.--I have on hand one hundred negroes, men, women, boys, and girls, at my depot, in Gaine's brick building, immediately back of Howard's Row, between the Gayoso and Herron House. I have judicious men purchasing in North Carolina, Kentucky, and Middle Tennessee, and will keep constantly on hand a large number.

"Persons wis.h.i.+ng to purchase will do well not to trade, without first calling to see my stock. J. S. CURTIS.

"Memphis, November 20, 1846."

The "Spirit of Liberty" contains the following:--

"SOUTHERN PLANTERS, wis.h.i.+ng to purchase negroes, would do well to give me a call before they make their purchases, as it would be greatly to their advantage. Negroes purchased and sold on reasonable commission. Apply at SCOTT'S Intelligence Office, No. 10, Exchange Place."

In the "Daily Richmond Enquirer," Sept 1, 1847, we find this:--

"NEGROES AT AUCTION.--On Monday, the 6th of September (Albemarle Court day), at Charlottesville, there will be sold at public auction about sixty valuable negroes, of every description.

"August 31."

In the same paper, Jan. 25, 1848, we find this:--

"TWENTY NEGROES.--Will be sold Friday, 28th inst. at 10 o'clock, twenty likely young negroes, viz. ten able-bodied men, three boys, four women, and three girls.

"Will be added to the above sale, a negro-man, 40 years of age, who is a first-rate carpenter by trade, also a rough blacksmith.

"BENJ. DAVIS, Auctioneer, No. 3, Wall-street."

The following is taken from the "Alabama Argus," published at Dayton, Ala.:--

"FOR SALE SIXTY NEGROES.--By order of the Hon. the Orphans' Court of Marengo County, the undersigned, administrator of the estate of Moses W. Alexander, deceased, will, on Monday, the 5th of February, 1849, at the plantation of said Moses W. Alexander, deceased, in the Cane Brake, one mile south of Col. Pickens's mills, offer at public sale, to the highest bidder, a lot, numbering sixty, of the likeliest and best negroes ever sold in the South. They are all family negroes,--not bought up by speculators from every State in the South, but raised by different men, in families from five to twenty each. Among this stock of negroes are some able-bodied, stout, and valuable negro-men, and several likely young boys, from 10 to 18 years of age; also some likely negro-women, girls, and children. Among the same, A No. 1 cotton-pickers; a good weaver; and also one negro, who is a very good carpenter and blacksmith.--Terms of sale, twelve months' credit, with approved security.

J. M. ALEXANDER, Administrator.

"January 5."