Every one that saw her felt that slavery in the
Southern States was not confined to the negro. Many had been taught
to think that slavery was a benefit rather than an injury, and
those who were not opposed to the institution before, now felt
that if whites were to become its victims, it was time at least
that some security should be thrown around the Anglo-Saxon to gave
him from this servile and degraded position.
CHAPTER VI
THE SLAVE-MARKET.
NOT far from Canal Street, in the city of New Orleans, stands a
large two-story, flat building, surrounded by a stone wall some
twelve feet high, the top of which is covered with bits of glass,
and so constructed as to prevent even the possibility of any one's
passing over it without sustaining great injury. Many of the rooms
in this building resemble the cells of a prison, and in a small
apartment near the "office" are to be seen any number of iron
collars, hobbles, handcuffs, thumbscrews, cowhides, chains, gags,
and yokes.
A back-yard, enclosed by a high wall, looks something like the
playground attached to one of our large New England schools, in
which are rows of benches and swings. Attached to the back
premises is a good-sized kitchen, where, at the time of which we
write, two old negresses were at work, stewing, boiling, and
baking, and occasionally wiping the perspiration from their
furrowed and swarthy brows.
The slave-trader, Jennings, on his arrival at New Orleans, took up
his quarters here with his gang of human cattle, and the morning
after, at 10 o'clock, they were exhibited for sale.
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