"I Go in for reprisals, gentlemen-by the eternal heavens, reprisals! Seize on abolition property in New Orleans, Natchez-wherever found. Seize on the Yankee scoundrels themselves, and exchange them for our own kidnapped slaves-party. nigger for nigger, by thunder!"

This violent speech, delivered with savage energy, by a thin, wiry-looking man-one of a group collected around the stove in the "social hall" of a Mississippi steamboat-was received with a shout of applause by all assembled.

During this time the colonel, though evidently of kindred sentiments with the company, had preserved his equanimity; he smoked his cigar deliberately, listened to the indifferent speakers with an assenting smile, or, may be, a "Just so, doctor," or a "Quite correct, gentlemen;" but, "Good, by gracious!" "That's the talk!" finally, after the relation of a retaliating capture "You're a hoss, judge!" &c., followed the ex- and execution under horribly exciting circumplosion, like a rattle of small thunder, till an stances, he, in mild tones, and with an aspect enormous figure, in a white hat and blanket coat that indicated anything but ferocity, signified his -yet, withal, a good-looking man-arose slow-intention to relate " a little circumstance himself. ly, stretched himself, and brushed back the thick hair from his broad forehead, and then, in quiet, yet evidently pleased accents, said, with a smile :

up and soon got on trail. I tracked him back a good many miles from the river, but missed him near a lake which was back of our plantation, and lost a good deal of time. Towards afternoon, returning by another road towards the river, between the bayou and Dr. Boll's new clearing, I heard voices, and in a minute drove right up to a crowd of neighbors, who had got my visitor, his wife, and his dearborn' right in the middle of them! The fact is, gentlemen, one or two of them had got notice that there were wolves about, and were on the lookout for varmint as my acquaintance drove in among them."

"Ha! ha ha!" A general chuckle of delight was succeeded by a grin of anticipation.

I found my friend, gentlemen, talking right and left, like a lawyer, making everything straight and agreeable, when suddenly he caught sight of me, in the next moment of Jake; and, gentlemen, if ever a man gave up the ghost before the breath was out of him, it was that fellow; his eyes glazed; a dark circle settled round them, while his lower lip, blue and quivering as the blood left it, after making an effort, as it were, to recall the relaxed jaw to its duty, finally fell with it; and there the man sat, staring at me, motionless, with the exception of his throat, which worked spasmodically in the effort to supply itself with moisture from the parched mouth. Gentlemen, he was the picture of a small rascal caught in a full snap! I first blushed that he was a white man, and then next that he was an American!"

"American h-ll!" interrupted one of the pilots of the boat, who, perched upon a pile of trunks, had hitherto said nothing; "he was a d-d Yankee, that's what he was!" This distinction was recognized with great applause, of course. The colonel resumed:

her only desire was to go to some friends in Illinois, where she hoped to be welcome and to get along more wisely. He abuses you, then,' said I. Oh,' said she, 'I would n't mind that, if I thought he would n't kill me.' In short, as I hope to live a mild and considerate citizen, gentlemen, that livid, cowardly scoundrel had, during my pursuit of him, after threatening his victim-now his burthen-till she was nearly lifeless, actually attempted to drown her in the swamp! I need n't tell you, gentlemen, how unanimous the verdict was in this case; the woman, for whom we subsequently made up a subscription, was moved off towards the nearest house: the man, a mighty small figure, anyhow, shrunk to half his natural size; discolored as if the last corrupting change had anticipated the grave; his arms bound behind his back—and shivering on the ground, too spent to exhibit a spasm-with the rein which he had lately held in his hand buckled around his neck for a halter-like a thing too abject even to hangawaited the selection of a crotch for him to swing from."

It may be supposed that the picture, the horrid features of which were thus in detail described, had gradually excited the phlegmatic limner; not at all! His sentences swelled, not from the mere impetuous gathering of ideas, but, as it seemed, from a good-natured desire to make the story as interesting as possible to his hearers, while it in no respect exhibited nervousness,-there was not a flash of passion during the whole narration. This was not the case with the hearers, though. eyes of the " 'judge' seemed bursting from his head in eager expectation, while the "chewing" operation on his part was for a moment suspended; others were like him; a few again, by an eager but painful contraction of the brows, betrayed a softer nature-at any rate, more sensitive nerves.

The

"Yes, gentlemen, there was a moment's delay in choosing a limb; in the mean time, by way of hanging the culprit with a little life in him, some one had given him a mouthful of whisky, when, recovering his tongue, he began to beg; from begging, gentlemen, he got to screaming; blood actually trickled from his straining eyes, and it was getting unpleasant-no dignity about it! An idea struck me! I just climbed up, hand over hand, a pretty stout sapling close by me; I'm a heavy man, gentlemen, and, as I mounted over, the young tree came with me-bent like a fishing rod

"There was just about a tolerable court on the spot, gentlemen, and it was agreed to try the fellow right thar. There was evidence besides mine, for one man had followed him up along the plantations for twenty miles; but yet the woman kinder stood between him and his due, and I thought I would question her too. She was young, gentlemen, with a simple look-had evidently neither the heart nor the wit of a woman about her, and at my first question-something put it into my head-' Are you married to this man?' she burst into tears, and sobbed as if her heart would break. I had him taken away at once, and out it all came-with no thought of injuring her companion though; it was the simple impulse to relieve a timid mind by confession. She was not his wife. She had taught school in Tennessee, where this man saw her, and first persuading her to aid him in the circulation of abolition tracts, finally seduced and carried her to New Orleans, where, growing more bold as he extended his acquaintance with the country, he had made another arrangement with the 'society' -one of greater profit as of greater risk-namely, to 'run off' negroes from the plantations along the coast. Gentlemen, this is a mighty long story-fast in a second. 'One instant, for God's sake! bar-keeper"

"Oh, go, no!" "Go ahead, colonel." Drinks at the moment were declined, but the shorter operation of taking a fresh "chew" by way of filling up the pause.

"I had another question to ask the woman. 'Do you love this man?' said I. The poor creature wept worse than ever, gentlemen; she said

There was a breathless silence in the company; an enormous "roach," peeping from a crack in the panelling, could hardly have crossed without being heard, while each eye was riveted horribly upon the speaker.

"The culprit, gentlemen, took the idea sooner than any of the others, and his shrieks and ravings were dreadful-really dreadful! Another climbed after me, and, with the added weight, down we both came, half hid amongst the high boughs of the top, and the loose end of the rein was made

I've got children! For the sake of my soul!'half uttered scream, gentlemen, mingled with the rush of the boughs, as we dropped to the ground, and the nigger thief, with a jerk that snapped his neck, flew into the air, describing the half circle as spanned by his halter, and swinging back to us again from the other side!"

A long breath was drawn by the whole com

pany. The "judge" was the first to break the | die!" &c., she replied with a merry laugh, and succeeding pause. assured them that she would be glad to get rid "Well, that was an idea! We'll drink on of the old rascal;" that "it sarved her right for that, gentlemen, by thunder!"' marrying such a good-for-nothing scoundrel." At All moved to the bar-some two or three si-length they arrived at the centre of the market lently, the others as to the mere change of enjoy-place-some ale was sent for; all the fiddlers and ment. "Colonel," cried the judge, name your all the "hurdy-gurdies" were pressed into service, liquor-that was an idea!" and all struck up in simultaneous discord, before "Yes!" exclaimed another, with no less en- the business was entered upon. thusiasm, a first-rate idea!"

66

Yes, gentlemen," complacently observed the giant, as he raised his glass, "I think myself that it was a sweet idea!"

SELLING A WIFE.

After all these preparations were concluded, an inverted tub was brought, on which the woman stood, still holding her child. Another was provided for the auctioneer-husband; a ring" was cleared, by some stout fellows with sticks, and the business of the sale commenced.

66

Perhaps some people may shake their heads in doubt at the scene I am attempting to describe. All I can say in answer is-I saw it; and it was A CORRESPONDENT of the New York Commer- not the first time I had looked on such a scene. I cial, giving to that journal some interesting know the law does not allow it, but I saw it done, "Sketches of the Midland Counties of England," and am not the apologist, either of the law or the introduces the following picture of a scene in Staf-people. fordshire amongst the local peasantry, whose condition would seem from the sketch to be much debased and degraded :

"The town crier, in front of a dirty tavern, rings his bell and gives notice that a woman-and her little babby-will be offered for sale-in the market place this afternoon-at four o'clock-by her husband-Moses Slatter-otherwies Rough Moey."

A universal roar of laughter followed this announcement, and all the people answered, hurrah! The women in the street bent double in their convulsions of merriment, and the shopkeepers collected in twos and threes, congratulated each other on the promised scene, and leaving their shops to the care of their apprentices, retired to the tavern, to drink success to "Rough Moey." The crier went to different parts of the town, to make his announcement, and a group of ragged children followed him.

On came the crowd with a hurricane of hurras, as they neared the market place; in the centre three or four fellows with sticks kept back the eager crowd from crushing upon a man, woman, and infant-the lions of the day!

The man was a stout, burly fellow, of about forty-five or fifty: his face had been originally deeply marked with small pox, but the smaller impress of the disease had been literally ploughed out by deep blue furrows, which the horrible firedamp had left in his face and neck. He had lost one eye, and a wooden stump supplied the place of his right leg. The expression of his features was that of a fiend, a brutal animal fiend.

I learned, upon inquiry, that jealousy was the cause of the present auction, as it always is of similar transactions. That "Rough Moey," in his green old age, had given a 66 pit wench" a new gown, and other articles of dress, with a fortnight's treat," to marry him; that she had afterwards transferred her affections to a young collier, upon which Moey became jealous and beat her; beating, however, did not cure love, but only awakened thoughts of vengeance. She watched her opportunity, and finding him one night very drunk, she gently unstrapped and removed his wooden leg and thrashed him to her heart's content; whereupon Moey, knowing perhaps that "love is strong as death," became tired of keeping a woman, the affections of whose young and delicate heart were absorbed by another, and adopted the present mode of procedure, as the only recognized legal method, with which he was cognizant, of transferring her to her admirer.

"Laerdies and gentlemen," said Moey upon his tub, holding a quart pot in one hand and the halter in the other, and winking with his remaining eye; "Laerdies and gentlemen, ere 's all your good healths." He took a long, long draught, then inverted the pot, to show that it was empty, and said Ah-h-h! About one hundred and fifty colliers laughed and said, "Thank thee, Moey!" and the same number of women said, "Well done, old lad!" A young man who was evidently to be the purchaser, supplied the wife with, and she kept up, a running fire of short sentences with the women around. Notwithstanding this bravado, I could see her eyes filled with tears, and her heart was The woman was much younger, probably about beating fiercely. Her voice faltered at last, and twenty-three, with as much good looks as was giving her child to the young man, she sat down compatible with her slavish occupation in life; a on the tub, buried her face in her hands and wept young child of about a year old was in her arms, bitterly. All laughing suddenly ceased; here was quite undisturbed by the horrid uproar around. A no more joking, but a clamor of abuse that would common hempen halter was put loosely around her have overwhelmed Babel, the women, old and neck, the end of which was held by her husband; young, poured upon Moey. It was very contagious, she was evidently in her best attire; her face was that feeling of indignation, when once raised, and washed, leaving a boundary line of coal dust ex- the men's brows began to contract, when the purtending along the edge of the lower jaw, and her chaser expectant said, in a rather savage voice, hair was gathered up into a knot behind, confined"Come, now, old chap; let's 'a done wi' this by a blue ribbon, which floated in gallant stream

ers.

If one might judge from her appearance, her situation was anything but unpleasant to her feelings, and in reply to the encouraging exclamation of "Ne'er mind, Sal! keep up ye art-never say

foolery; go on!"

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"Laerdies and gentlemen," said Moey, we all on us knows how the matter stands; it canna be helped, so we need n't be so savage about it." Then fortifying himself with another drink, and winking hideously with his remaining eye, he con

USE OF THE LEAGUE.

of the League's strength, wherever it is strong; for dialecticians of this high class can be successfully encountered by none but kindred spirits. The contending parties will educate each other, and strike out truth between them.

The League's" hundred thousand pounds," and even its associated members, are matters of comThere it is a fact,

paratively little moment.

WHATEVER may be thought of the measures and movements of "the League," it is at least likely to be the beginning of a mercantile party advocating more comprehensive views than any the nation has yet seen. "My more genteel friend, Mr. Bright," as Mr. Cobden calls him, may be a worthy antagonist of Mr. Hudson; but Mr. Cobden himself belongs to a higher class. Mercantile great or little. It will survive till its work is politicians have hitherto been considered identical accomplished, whatever attacks may be made upon it; and it will not survive much longer, with advocates of a special interest. Your meralthough desperate efforts will be made to give it chant in parliament was usually a successful a prolonged vampyre-like existence by the paid trader, whose wealth gave him influence, and who agency it has called into being. But the more from his experience was heard with respect on comprehensive and systematic method of discussfacts lying within his own sphere, but from whom ing questions of commercial policy, which it has no one expected sound views on general principles. been such a powerful instrument in extending The mercantile member of parliament was an from makers of books and members of political oracle to all parties on the actual profit and loss of economy clubs to the great body of the people, the shipping or any other branch of trade, and an will not pass away. These controversies will in implicit follower of the political leaders with whose future be more and more conducted in the spirit of party he had been connected by birth or other the Cobdens and Barklies, and less in that of the accident. He never aspired to develop a theory Hudsons and Brights.-Spectator, 16 Aug. of trade, or look upon the commerce of the empire as an organic whole. He stuck to his own line of business, and sought to win favors and concessions for it by making himself useful to his party. Ricardo the First was almost a solitary exception to this general character.

PUNCH.

86 THE TREASURES OF THE DEEP." THE following intelligence-quoted from the Hampshire Telegraph-comes from free-hearted, liberty-loving America :

"By a private letter which has reached us from Gibraltar, we are informed, upon good authority, that 20,000 slave shackles, for men, women, and children-in all fourteen cart-loads-have been fished up from the wreck of the American warsteamer, Missouri, lately burnt at that port.'

shackles might also be manufactured into steel clasps for the Bibles of the very religious breeders of the black.

But the mercantile politicians of the League, be their theory right or wrong, regard the whole commerce, and indeed the whole industry of the nation, as an organic whole. They do not ask for favors to one interest at the expense of another. They announce a general law which they assert regulates all industrial and commercial enterprise; and from this general law they endeavor to deduce a system of commercial policy that will give fair play to all. They have been forced to take this Now, as the timbers and other relics of our high ground by the necessity under which they Royal George have been worked into boxes and felt themselves at the outset of disclaiming con- nick-nacks, we propose to Americans-the traders nexion with any political party. Yet the neces- of the human shambles, the money-seeking breedsity of enlisting a large body of supporters, and the ers of "God's likeness in ebony"-that they should narrowing influence of an association, may have in turn the penny with these 20,000 slave shackles. part counteracted the effects of this isolation from If wrought into utensils for domestic use, or what party; which, moreover, has not always been would still be better, turned into ornaments for the very faithfully carried into effect. The League women of America, they would endear to them having one special avowed object, its opinions on that sweet principle which coins money from the every other question have been cut and shaped" marrow and the bones of man." Some of these with care so as to present not even the appearance of discordance with those which they avow with reference to the corn-trade. Again, the League, like every other association, is composed of much sincere enthusiasm, (always respectable,) a few good heads and energetic characters, and an immense quantity of rubbish. These influences bias the politicians of the League-prevent them from bringing to the investigation of every commercial question that arises minds sufficiently courageous and independent to confess mistakes and oblige THE venerable Homer, they say, sometimes them at times to adopt arguments and courses of nods; but our equally venerable laureat seems to action which their better judgment and taste would be always snoring. Nevertheless, we cannot help reject, lest they should offend some of their parti- regretting that he should have missed many good From these deteriorating influences, how- chances of coming before the public; among ever, time will emancipate the politicians of the others, that furnished by the Queen's Visit to League school; experience teaching them the Germany. We consider that in the composition necessity of throwing aside arguments which only of the following lines, in connection with that expose them to triumphant rejoinders, and desist- event, we are absolutely doing his work for him, ing from tricks of policy which only alienate and we accordingly expect him to bestow a leaf honest men. And, on the other hand, their very from his chaplet on us, if not to "stand" a adversaries will be obliged, in self-defence, to bottle of his official Malmsey. With this brief adopt those habits of comprehensive investigation preface introduce we our more brief poem; to and logical argument which are the proper sources | wit :—

sans.

[We presume that this story about the shackles is entirely untrue-but think it ought to be investigated, and contradicted by authority.-Living Age.]

THE STATE OF THE ROYAL NURSERY.