The Human Tragedy of the Interstate Slave Trade

History Alexandria to New Orleans: The Human Tragedy of the Interstate Slave Trade Alexandria Gazette Packet Serving Alexandria for over 200 years • A Connection Newspaper Four-Part Series Published October, 2014 in the Alexandria Gazette Packet. Donald Sweig, who retired in 2002 after more than 27 years as the county historian for Fairfax County, holds a Ph.D. in American history from the College of William and Mary. This article is drawn from his earlier scholarly, statistical analysis of the Alexandria-to-New Orleans slave trade, which was awarded the Charles Thomson Prize by the National Archives of the United States, and The Organization of American His- torians, and from his doctoral dissertation “Northern Virginia Slavery.” He is an occasional contributor to The Connection Newspapers. Sweig www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ October, 2014 ❖ 1 History Alexandria to New Orleans: The Human By Donald M. Sweig, Ph.D. This is the first article in a four-part series. On May 17, 1828, the following adver- tisement appeared in the Alexandria Phenix Photos by Louise Krafft/Gazette Packet Krafft/Gazette by Louise Photos Gazette: Cash in Market~ The subscribers having leased for a term of years the large three story brick house on Duke Street, in the town of Alexandria, D.C. formerly occupied by Gen. Young, we wish to purchase one hundred and fifty likely young negroes of both sexes, be- tween the ages of 8 and 25 years. Persons who wish to sell will do well to give us a call, as we are de- termined to give more than any other purchasers that are in market, or that may hereafter come into market. Any letters addressed to the subscribers through the Post Office at Alexandria, will be promptly at- tended to. For information, enquire at the above described house, as we can at all times be found there. The historical marker outside 1315 Duke St., now the home his was neither the first nor the of the Northern Virginia Urban last such notice to appear in Al- League Inc. A view inside 1315 Duke St. of the Freedom House Museum that was Texandria or Washington news- formerly part of the slave pens. papers, but it commenced the the 20-year protection provided by the Con- business operations of the most successful stitution. On March 2, 1807, Congress pro- interstate slave-trading operation in the his- hibited further importation of slaves after tory of the United States. Over the next eight Jan. 1, 1808. This same legislation expressly years, John Armfield in Alexandria pur- allowed the interstate transportation of chased from local planters and slaves providing that duplicate copies of Part 1 farmers, and shipped to his part- manifests listing slaves transported should ner Isaac Franklin at New Or- be kept and certified by U.S. Customs offi- leans at least 5,000 Virginia and cials. Thus, Franklin and Armfield operated Maryland slaves. Franklin and Armfield, as within the law of the United States. the firm came to be known, were engaged In fact, this statute, by prohibiting impor- in the transportation and sale of slaves tation of slaves, yet allowing the interstate within the United States; in compliance transportation of slaves, combined with a with the law, they did not bring into the surplus of slaves on the worn-out tobacco country any African or West Indian blacks. farms of Virginia and Maryland and a need The international slave trade involving all for more slaves to operate the newly devel- the major nations of Europe as transport- oping cotton and sugar plantations of the ers, much of Africa to supply the slaves, and deep South (Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkan- both North and South America and the West sas, Alabama, east Texas), a need which Indies as markets for the enslaved blacks could be supplied in no other way, acted to had begun in the middle 15th century and create the interstate trade which was so continued in Cuba and Brazil until nearly profitable for Franklin and Armfield. the middle of the 19th century. In all, be- Location on the Potomac River, in the tween 10 and 15 million blacks were forc- heart of a region with many surplus slaves, ibly transported across the Atlantic Ocean. made the City of Washington and the town Of this number, fewer than 400,000, barely of Alexandria an early transfer point for 4 percent, were imported to all of British buyers and sellers of enslaved African- North America. Nevertheless, this 400,000 Americans. As early as 1802, an Alexandria was sufficient to establish racially based sla- grand jury had complained of the “Griev- very in every British North American colony, ance ... of persons coming from distant parts a situation which persisted in all of the new of the United States into this District for the American states at the time the federal Con- purpose of purchasing slaves.” It referred stitution was adopted. The Constitution, to the “wretchedness and human degrada- reflecting the needs and desires of Carolina tion” of marching black slaves “in our streets and Georgia, prohibited interference with ... loaded with chains as though they had the importation of slaves by the federal con- committed some heinous offence against gress until 1808, a period of 20 years. The our laws.” It lamented that “interposition need for such a prohibition is ample testi- of civil authority cannot be had to prevent mony of the inclination of many of the parents being wrested from their offspring, founding fathers to restrict the slave trade and children from their parents, without at the earliest possible date. respect to ties of nature.” Indeed, George Mason, of Fairfax County, opposed the ratification of the Constitution IN 1816, vituperative Virginia congress- Section of a ship’s manifest for a shipment of slaves from John by Virginia because (among other issues) it man John Randolph declaimed against this Armfield, in Alexandria, to Isaac Franklin in New Orleans in March, allowed this “infamous traffic” to continue “nefarious traffic” in the House of Repre- 1832. Each slave was entered on the manifest as to name, height, age, for another 20 years. The importation of sentatives and insisted it was not necessary and complexion, as required by federal law. blacks into the United States barely survived that “this city should be made a depot for Source: National Archives 2 ❖ Alexandria Gazette Packet ❖ October, 2014 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com History Tragedy of the Interstate Slave Trade slaves.” Yet the newspapers continued to Virginia. Armfield later married Franklin’s carry advertisements for the local traders. niece and, in 1828, the two men formed a Samuel J. Dawson, Jesse Bernhard, and partnership to engage in the slave trade. Samuel Meek advertised to buy in John Armfield, who operated the Alexan- Georgetown; John dria end of the busi- W.Smith and E.P. ness, was a careful and Legg were among successful business- those who operated man. He, like his part- at Alexandria. By ner Franklin, is re- the 1830s, James H. puted to have made Birch, William H. over half a million dol- “Yellow House” lars (in 19th-century (from the color of value) in the slave the building where trade. How then did he conducted his this business operate business) Williams, in the City of Alexan- and Joseph W. Neal dria? and Company John Armfield pur- bought slaves in chased slaves at the Washington City, as firm’s “establishment” did numerous on Duke Street from planters who came 1828 until 1836. He to buy for them- not only purchased selves. Alexandria slaves brought to him was soon recog- by farmers and plant- nized as “the best ers, but had agents or Detail from a 19th-century broadside protesting the slave trade in point from which to buyers at Richmond Alexandria. Library of Congress. start both coastwise and Warrenton in Vir- shipments and over- ginia, and at Balti- the Shenandoah of Georgetown and the “bore the character of a gentleman, of fair land coffles.’’ It be- more, Frederick, and Ariel and James Monroe of Norfolk, often character for integrity and openness in his came “the place Easton in Maryland. sharing these ships with other traders. By dealings, and one who was ever ready to most favored” for The majority of the 1834, they owned four ships of their own; afford any facilities forredressing whatever beginning such slaves were trans- the United States, the Tribune, the Uncas, abuses might grow out of the nature of his journeys. ported to New Orleans and the Isaac Franklin, which was built at business.” George Drinker, an Alexandria Isaac Franklin by ship from October Baltimore especially for their trade. The Quaker and abolitionist, confirmed this es- was operating as a through April of each ships sailed from Alexandria once a month sentially positive picture of Armfield and slave trader in Mis- year. at first and later once every two weeks. A added that Armfield was very careful to sissippi as early as typical cargo was from fewer than 100 avoid purchasing or transporting free 1819. In 1824, he THE FIRM initially slaves to more than 250, the average being blacks, and often went “to much trouble and met John Armfield used whatever ships a little less than 200. Once a year, during expense ... to keep his business free from driving a stage in were available such as the summer, they transported slaves by every thing that would contravene the “coffle,” or chain gang, overland to Missis- laws.” sippi. The following year, 1835, a Boston aboli- The best descriptions of Franklin and tionist, Professor E. A. Andrews, recorded Armfield’s Alexandria “establishment” come that Armfield had by his efforts to prevent from abolitionist writings of the early 1830s.

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