A raffle of ordinary character had been announced in the morning papers,—­we say ordinary, because it came within the ordinary specification of trade, and violated neither statute law nor municipal ordinance,—­and the raffler, esteemed a great character in the city, was no less celebrated for his taste in catering for the amusement of his patrons.  On this occasion, purporting to be a very great one, the inducements held out were no less an incentive of gambling propensities than an aim to serve licentious purposes.  In a word, it offered “all young connoisseurs of beauty a chance to procure one of the finest-developed young wenches,—­fair, bright, perfectly brought up, young, chaste, and of most amiable disposition, for a trifling sum.”  This was all straight in the way of trade, in a free country; nobody should blush at it (some maidens, reading the notice, might feel modestly inclined to), because nobody could gainsay it.  This is prize No. 1, prime-as set down in the schedule-and the amount per toss being only a trifle, persons in want of such prizes are respectfully informed of the fact that only a few chances remain, which will command a premium before candle-light.  Prize No. 2 is a superior pony, of well-known breed-here the pedigree is set forth; which advantage had not been accorded to the human animal, lest certain members of the same stock should blush-raised with great care and attention, and exactly suited for a gentleman’s jant or a lady’s saddle-nag.  Prize No. 3 is a superior setter dog, who has also been well brought up, is from good stock, is kind to children, who play with him when they please.  He knows niggers, is good to watch them, has been known to catch runaways, to tear their shins wonderfully.  Indeed, according to the setting forth of the sagacious animal, he would seem to understand slave-law quite well, and to be ready and willing to lend his aid with dogs of a different species to enforce its provisions.  The only fault the brute has, if fault it may be called, is that he does not understand the constitutionality of the fugitive slave law,—­a law destined to be exceedingly troublesome among a free people.  Did the sagacity of the animal thus extend to the sovereign law of the land of the brave and free, he would bring a large price at the north, where men are made to do what dogs most delight in at the south.

The first prize, as set forth, is valued at seven hundred dollars:  the magnanimous gentleman who caters thus generously for his patrons states the delicate prize to be worth fifty or a hundred dollars more, and will, with a little more developing, be worth a great deal more money.  Hence, he hopes his patrons will duly appreciate enterprising liberality.

The second prize he considers generously low at two hundred dollars; and the dog-the sagacious animal constituting the third prize-would be a great bargain to anybody wanting such an animal, especially in consideration of his propensity to catch negroes, at sixty dollars.  The trio of human and animal prizes produce no distinctive effect upon the feelings of those who speculate in such property; with them it is only a matter of gradation between dollars and cents.