Memphis Daily Appeal

The Abolition
English Permit
the Sale of Girls yet.

The Indian Daily News publishes the following translation of an extraordinary letter which has appeared in the Shome Prokash, one of the leading native papers:

"For a long time I have been roving about from country to country. And in these wanderings how many wonderful matters have I met in various localities! But what I have eyed in the bazar of Manicungo, situate within the Burdwan Zilla, far exceeds the others in singularity. There, divers commodities are brought for sale from various parts of the surrounding country. Desirous of viewing the beauties of the bazar, I was facing the narrow path between the rows of booths. Observing a crowd in one spot, I asked a gentleman, 'Sir, what is that row about?' He answered, 'Why, have you never been at this place? There are little girls being sold.' Having heard this, I immediately concluded that he was cracking jokes with me. I said, 'You are playing jests. Are you not aware that this is the English government? Here, at the mention of selling a man, one is punished.' On this he replied, 'What! sir, do you not know that there is permission for the sale of young girls in this bazar? If you do not believe me, measure a few steps forward, and all your doubts will disappear.' Then I conceived that such might be the case. While we were boys, we had heard that men were sold at the fair at Chetla (a suburb of Calcutta), and it was no wonder that such things should be repeated here. And, if what he has said comes out to be true,' I thought, 'it would prove very lucky to me.' Methinks that after a long time the destiny of the unmarried Brahmin is brightening. If in this opportunity I can catch hold of a young girl, the means are at hand of offering sacrifices to my ancestors—and also of holding forth to me a pot of hot water in my decrepitude. Then, taking much trouble to wade through the crowd, I reached the place for sale, and in naked reality perceived a cluster of girls of from two to thirteen years of age, brought there for sale. Having espied the beauty of some among them, my heart danced with joy, and I thought 'perhaps God is turned favorable; one of these girls must be available at last to this importunate being.' I found some brokers walking to and fro and summoning the customers. To obtain the girls, every one at first supplicated them. If they can settle a bargain, they generally get ten per cent. as their commission, and over and above that at times some offerings. Having seen some customers cluster round a girl of thirteen, I went to the spot. I saw them all lost in silence and amazement. After hearing the boastful, high-toned words of the seller, struck with the exquisite beauty of the girl, I at once took it into my head to ask about the price, when an old man of seventy whispered an offer of $750 to the broker, and off I ran instantly. Then I inquired the price of a handsome girl of about seven years of age. But her master was sitting coolly by fixing her price at $450, and the broker said that many had bidden $350, but still he had not consented. Finding here also no chance for me, I came to ask the price of another girl of a similar nature. Her owner, a female, demanded a price which might terminate in a bargain, but she produced a list of appendages which I found it impossible to make arrangements for. Then I went over to the spot where the blind, the lame and deformed girls were selling, but found that even they were not without customers. I turned my eye towards little infant-like girls, and perceived that some were not weaned. What stock I had could only suffice to buy for me a girl of such a nature. But I could not dare to take one, lest she expired from illness. Sir, I also saw the exchange of daughters in another part of that bazar. Those who were concerned in it did not take much trouble, for a bargain was soon struck; but by that some party or other must be the loser. Mr. Editor, you are in the habit of dwelling on all questions, from spiritualism up to politics; but if, by your mighty pen, you can turn the attention of the government officials to this matter, then many Brahmin families may be saved from perdition. When they have given permission to sell girls, if they can fix a price on them by classifying them according to their age and beauty, that would be of service some day to unfortunate individuals like me. It is observable that while the rates have been fixed to carriages and palankeens, can there be any harm if the population of the country is increased, when the prices have been settled of these girls for sale in the bazar?"