and the
abolitionists.

Talking of slavery, pray read an account of it from an American of the
Northern States.

* * * * *

"New Orleans, January 26, 1846.

"A man may be no abolitionist--I am not one; he may think but little on
the subject of slavery--it has never troubled me one way or the other:
but let him mark the records of the glorious battles of the Revolution;
let him notice the Eagle of Liberty, and all the emblems of
Independence, Freedom, and the rights of man; let him muse on the
thoughts they awaken, and then behold the actualities of life around
him. Suddenly the sharp rap of an auctioneer's hammer startles him, and
the loud striking of the hour of twelve will divert his attention to the
throng of men around him, and the appearance of three or four men on
raised stands in different parts of the Rotunda, who are calling the
attention of those around him, at the same time unrolling a hand-bill
that the stranger has noticed in the most conspicuous places in the
city, printed in French and English, announcing the sale of a lot of
fine, likely slaves; at the same time, he observes maps of real estates
spread out--everything in fact around him denoting a 'busy mart where
men do congregate,' as it really is.

"The auctioneer, making the most noise, attracts his attention first;
joining the crowd in front of the stand, he observes twelve or fifteen
negroes of all ages and both sexes standing in a line to the left of the
auctioneer; they are comfortably, and some of them neatly dressed,
particularly the women, with their yellow Madras handkerchiefs tied
around their heads, and their bright, showy dresses; but they have a
look that irresistibly causes him to think back for a comparison to the
objects before him, and it seems strange that it should bring to mind
some market or field where he has sometimes seen cattle offered for
sale, whose saddened look seemed to forbode some evil to them; but the
animal look is somewhat redeemed by the smiles and plays of the little
_piccaninies_, who seem to wonder why they are there, with so many men
looking at them.--Now for business.

"'Maria, step up here. There, gentlemen, is a fine, likely wench, aged
twenty-five; she is warranted healthy and sound, with the exception of a
slight lameness in the left leg, which does not damage her at all. Step
down, Maria, and walk.' The woman gets down, and steps off eight or ten
paces, and returns