The Problem of Slavery

The source of the trouble between the southern and northern states was, of course, slavery. Besides taking up arms against our government, what kind of circumstances, personal beliefs and attitudes would lead a person to approve of, acquiesce in, or fight for a definition of "property rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution" that included human beings? Perhaps this may be researched most effectively by reading the local newspapers from this time period.

Obviously modern civilization, such as it is, considers slavery immoral and worthy of condemnation. It is even often said that sufficient reason exists to violently prevent others from enslaving persons and keeping those persons in slavery. But I am torn: my ancestors were good people, in spite of their support of the institution of slavery. And as an American and a Catholic (in that order), I recognize a societally approved area of collective amorality in our national life today every bit as awful as slavery was. And yet I do not believe that sincere people on either side of the present issue are, by definition, condemnable and contemptible. Their opinions and even actions also cannot be cited as sufficient reason to take up arms against the U.S. government. People and democratic civil structures, throughout history, are good but are far from perfect. However they are capable of improvement by (peaceful) means, over time.

So can there be the possibility of pride in one’s ancestors concurrent with recognition of the evil of a civil institution for which they fought? I am proud of my southern American ancestors and recognize their heroism in a war that they believed themselves morally right to wage. I am proud of their survival of frontier conditions and their willingness to produce children who would benefit from their struggle. I am proud that they were, most of them, poor farmers who worked themselves into early deaths, worshipped God, and hoped for a better life for their children.

That having been said, in the seventh column of the third page of the 12 January 1860 issue of the Jacksonville Republican newspaper from Jacksonville, Alabama, there is a notice printed as follows.

For the purpose of accessibility in future Google searches by others, I have transcribed this:

ADMINISTRATORS SALE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY.
Under and by virtue of an order and decree of the Probate Court of Calhoun county, Alabama, made on the 21st day of December, A.D. 1859, we will sell
On Tuesday the 24th day of January, A.D. 1860.
At public auction, to the highest bidder, at the late residence of George Broyles deceased, all the PERSONAL PROPERTY belonging to the Estate of the said George Broyles, deceased, consisting of  

TWELVE Young and Likely NEGROS.
Eight head of Mules,
2 good brood Mares,
Six Cows and Calves,
One Road Wagon,
One Ox Wagon,
One Buggy and Harness,
One Cotton Gin,
One Wheat Thrasher,
One Set of Blacksmith Tools,
About 3000 pounds of Dried Pork,
Some Stock Cattle, Stock Hogs,
Some 75 head of Sheep,
Corn, Wheat, Fodder, Cotton Seed, Farming Utensils, Household & Kitchen Furniture, and many other things too tedious to mention.
Said property will be sold on a credit of Twelve Months with interest from date. All sums of five dollars or over, note with two approved securities will be required, to secure the purchase money — all sums under five dollars cash.
No property removed until terms of sale are complied with.
Also at the same time and place, the Plantation will be Rented for the year 1860.

BENJ. F. BROYLES, Adm’r.
ROSANNA BROYLES, Admx.
Dec. 22, 1859 — 5t.

Just in case the question comes up: I am not related to Broyles, nor to a man named Phillips, whose estate auction was announced in the eighth column of the same page:

It is transcribed as follows.

Administrators Sale Of Personal Property.
UNDER and by virtue of an order & decree of the Probate Court of Calhoun County Alabama, made on the 15th day of Oct., 1859, we will proceed to sell at public auction to the highest bidder, at the late residence of Joseph Phillips dec’d, on Monday the 9th day of January 1860, the whole of the personal Property belonging to the Estate of the said Joseph Phillips dec’d, consisting of Thirteen Likely Negroes, & Some Milch Cows, stock Cattle, Pork Hogs, & Stock Hogs, 2 yokes of Oxen, & Mules, Horses, Corn, Wheet, Oats & Fodder, & Rye, & Barley, & some thirty thousand lbs seed Cotton, 1 Cotton Gin, & Threshers, 1 Set of Black Smith tools, & 2 Ox wagons & farming utensils, 2 copper distilleries and stands, four shares in the South Western Rail Road Bank at Charleston S.C. & 80 acre Land Warrant issued in the name of decadent, & Household kitchen furniture, & other things too tedious to mention, said property will be sold on a credit of 12 months with interest from date on all sums over five Dollars, all sums under five Dollars, Cash, note & two approved securities will be required before the property purchased is removed.
ABEL PHILLIPS, C.W.P. PHILLIPS, Adms’ of said estate, Oct 20th, 1859.

Two weeks later, in the first column of page 3 of the 26 January 1860 issue of the newspaper, the following article was printed.

It is rendered as follows.

High Prices for Negroes. — At the late state sale of the property of Jos. Philips, dec’d in this county, 14 Negroes were sold at an average of $1233. One boy 23 years old sold for 1701. Several others sold for $1540 and $1550. At the estate sale of George Broyles [unreadable] on Tuesday last 12 Negroes were sold at an average of $1040. One woman and infant sold for 1765 — one boy 10 years old, $1200 — one girl 8 years old, $1385 — one boy 6 years old, $1200.

For all the rationalizations that have been made, the matter-of-fact description of the sale of adults and children, and the probable separation of children from their parents, stops one dead in his tracks in his reading. Were the eight-year-old (whose sale brought the equivalent of $40,000 in 2014), the ten-year-old ($35,000) and the six-year-old ($35,000) siblings? Was the woman with her infant ($51,000) also the mother of any of these children? Even if she wasn’t, these children were somebody’s. Did they ever see each other again? Within five years, the war would be over and the slaves emancipated. Were they still alive then? Had distance made reunion impossible? Who was the thirteenth slave in the Broyles auction and why wasn't he or she sold?

From what I have been able to determine, a few of my ancestors or their relatives owned slaves. I cannot defend that act, nor can I defend the act of defending the “property rights” of those who did. My ancestors were not perfect and neither were yours. But I reiterate that my ancestors and their neighbors did what they thought was right, just as most of us in this time do what we think is right. They remain my ancestors and, like it or not, my pride in my family and their history remains strong. I hope our descendants are able to say the same.