Rutland County Herald

THE HORRORS OF SLAVERY-A SCENE AT WASHINGTON

Hon. John Stirling, the member of Congress from the Albany district, addressed a letter to the editor of the Albany Eve. Journal, dated Washington April ye, from which we take the following

Last evening, in passing the Railroad Depot, I saw quite a large number of colored persons gathering around one of the cars, and from manifestations of grief among some of them, I was induced to draw near to ascertain the cause. I found in the car towards which they were so eagerly gazing, fifty colored persons, some of them were nearly as white as myself. A large majority of the number were those who attempted to gain their liberty last week in the schooner Pearl. About half of them were females, a few of whom had but a slight tinge of African blood in their veins. They were finely formed and beautiful. The men were chained together and the whole group looked sad and dejected. At one end of the car stood the notorious slave dealer of Baltimore, who is a member of the Methodist church. He had just purchased the men and women around him, and taken his departure for Georgia. While observing this old grey headed dealer in the bodies and souls of men, the Chaplain of the Senate entered the car, and took him by the hand, chatted with him a short time and seemed to view the heart rending scene around him with as little concern as he would look upon cattle. I know not whether he came to sanctify the act, or pronounce the parting blessing, but this I do know, that he justifies slavery. A Presbyterian minister who owned one of the fugitives, was one of the first to strike a bargain with the slave dealer, and make merchandise of God's image.

Some of the colored people outside, as well as some in the car were weeping. I learned that many families were to be separated. Wives were taking leave of their husbands, and husbands of their wives. Children of their parents, and parents of their children. Friends parting with friends, and the tenderest ties of humanity severed at a single bid of the inhuman slave broker before him. A husband, in the meridian of life begged to see the partner of his bosom. He protested that she was free-that she had free papers and was torn away from him and shut up in the jail. He clambered up to one of the windows of the car to see his wife, and she was reaching forward her hand to him, the black hearted slave dealer ordered him down. He did not obey. The husband and wife besought him to let them speak to each other. But no, he was knocked down and ordered away. The bystanders could hardly restrain themselves from laying violent hands upon the brute. This is but a faint description of the scene which took place within a few rods of the Capitol, and under enactments recognized by Congress.

Oh, what a revolting scene to a feeling heart, and what retribution awaits the actors in this tragedy, if not the wailings of the oppressed to the Most High! 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.'