Transcriber's Note:
Obvious typographic errors have been corrected.
WHAT BECAME OF THE SLAVES
ON A
GEORGIA PLANTATION?
GREAT
AUCTION SALE OF SLAVES,
AT
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA,
MARCH 2d & 3d, 1859.
A SEQUEL TO MRS. KEMBLE'S JOURNAL.
1863.
SALE OF SLAVES.
The largest sale of human chattels that has been made in Star-SpangledAmerica for several years, took place on Wednesday andThursday of last week, at the Race-course near the City of Savannah,Georgia. The lot consisted of four hundred and thirty-sixmen, women, children and infants, being that half of the negrostock remaining on the old Major Butler plantations which fell toone of the two heirs to that estate. Major Butler, dying, left aproperty valued at more than a million of dollars, the major partof which was invested in rice and cotton plantations, and the slavesthereon, all of which immense fortune descended to two heirs, hissons, Mr. John A. Butler, sometime deceased, and Mr. Pierce M.Butler, still living, and resident in the City of Philadelphia, in thefree State of Pennsylvania. Losses in the great crash of 1857-8,and other exigencies of business, have compelled the latter gentlemanto realize on his Southern investments, that he may satisfy hispressing creditors. This necessity led to a partition of the negrostock on the Georgia plantations, between himself and the representativeof the other heir, the widow of the late John A. Butler,and the negroes that were brought to the hammer last week werethe property of Mr. Pierce M. Butler, of Philadelphia, and were infact sold to pay Mr. Pierce M. Butler's debts. The creditors wererepresented by Gen. Cadwalader, while Mr. Butler was present inperson, attended by his business agent, to attend to his owninterests.
The sale had been advertised largely for many weeks, though thename of Mr. Butler was not mentioned; and as the negroes wereknown to be a choice lot and very desirable property, the attendanceof buyers was large. The breaking up of an old family estateis so uncommon an occurrence that the affair was regarded withunusual interest throughout the South. For several days beforethe sale every hotel in Savannah was crowded with negro speculatorsfrom North and South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama,and Louisiana, who had been attracted hither by the prospects ofmaking good bargains. Nothing was heard for days, in the barroomsand public rooms, but talk of the great sale; criticisms of thebusiness affairs of Mr. Butler, and speculations as to the probableprices the stock would bring. The office of Joseph Bryan, theNegro Broker, who had the management of the sale, was throngedevery day by eager inquirers in search of information, and by somewho were anxious to buy, but were uncertain as to whether theirsecurities would prove acceptable. Little parties were made upfrom the various hotels every day to visit the Race-course, distant[Pg 4]some three miles from the city, to look over the chattels, dis