60 
as a slave for life; after the bargain had been concluded, and pay¬ 
ment made, he discovered, by the declaration of his former mas¬ 
ter, the seller, that at a certain period he was to be free. I could 
not remain long enough in the court, to wait for the decision. 
We passed then to the City Hall. In the lower story, is the 
guard-house of the city guard, besides a prison* for runaways, or 
negroes punished by order of their masters, who are here incar¬ 
cerated, and employed in all servile labours for the city; they are 
termed negres marrons. The masters receive a daily recom¬ 
pense of twenty-five cents for each imprisoned negro. Near the 
guard-house stands a small piece of ordnance, from which the 
signal tattoo is fired. After this shot, no negro can tread the 
streets without a pass.t The upper stories of this building con¬ 
tains the offices and court halls of the magistrates. Part of them 
were ornamented very richly, as these chambers served as quar¬ 
ters for General La Fayette, who was here in the month of April 
last. Before the chambers, the whole length of the building* 
ran a gallery with very large windows, which being raised in 
summer* change the gallery into an airy balcony: an arrange¬ 
ment which I had remarked to exist also in the other building* 
where the courts of justice sat. 
Hence the governor next conducted me to the old Spanish go¬ 
vernment house* in which the senators and representatives of the 
state of Louisiana were now assembled. The building is ancient 
and crazy, otherwise situated in a handsome spot on the levee* 
surrounded by a balcony. There is nothing more done for the 
repair of this building, as in a few years the legislature will be 
removed to Donaldsonville. The reason given for this is, that 
many members of the legislature are plain people, who feel em¬ 
barrassed in New Orleans, and hope to be more at their ease in 
Donaldsonville. The office of the governor is in the yard, in a 
* [Commonly known in New Orleans by the name of the Calaboose, (from 
Calabozo, the Spanish term for a vaulted dungeon,) and a great terror to evil¬ 
doers in that city; the efficiency of the police of which can never be enough 
admired.]— Trajsts. 
f I have already made some remarks with regard to the apprehension of ne¬ 
groes in Charleston. If a person wishes here to have a house-negro, male or fe¬ 
male, chastised, they are sent with a note, in which the number of lashes which 
the bearer is to receive are specified, with a quarter of a dollar; he or she is 
lodged in the slave prison. Here the slave receives the punishment, and a cer¬ 
tificate, which he must carry to his master. The maximum of lashes is thirty- 
nine, according to the Mosaic law. The species of punishment is specified as 
in Charleston, or 66 aux quatrepiquets.” In this last case, the poor wretch is 
pressed out flat on his face upon the earth, and his hands and feet bound to 
four posts. In this posture he receives his flogging. This frightful method of 
chastisement, is principally in use on the plantations; and cruel discipline is 
there chiefly practised. Whoever wishes to punish a house servant severely, 
either hires or sells him to work on the plantations. 
