The  defendant,  by  his  answer,  avers,  that  he  purchased
the  negro  Isaac  from  the  plaintifis,  out  and  out,  for  the  snm
of  five  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  which  he  declares
was  the  full  value  of  the  slave  at  that  time;  that,  in  pursu-
ance of  this  contract,  they  executed  to  him  an  absolute  bill
of  sale,  which  Jie  has  ready  to  produce;  and  that  there  ne-
ver was  any  undei standing  or  agreement  whatever  betweca
him  and  the  plaintiffs  in  relation  to  a  loan  of  money  or  a
mortgage  of  the  negro,  or  a  privilege  of  redemption  upon  re-
payment of  the  price. He  declares  that  he  had  in  his  hands,
as  an  officer,  six  executions  on  justices'  judgments,  in  favor
of  Smith  and  McNair,  amounting  to  the  sum  of  $770;  that
he  did  not  levy  these  executions,  but  simply  informed  the
plaintiffs  that  he  would  have  to  collect  them,  unless  the
plaintiffs  made  some  arrangement  with  Smith  &  McNair:  that
thereupon  they  proposed  to  sell  to  him  the  negro  Isaac,  bat
he  and  they  did  not  then  agree  about  the  price;  that  shortly
aflerwands,  he  called  on  the  plaintiffs  to  communicate  to
them  instrnctiono,  which  he  had  received  from  Smith  &  Blc-
Nair,  not  to  press  the  collection  of  these  executions  until  far-
ther orders;  that  the  plaintiffs  represented,  they  would  be  o-
bliged  to  sell  the  negro  Isaac,  and  urged  upon  him  to  buy;
that  they  first  asked  $575,  then  2550,  and  finally  agreed  to
take  $525,  which  defendant  consented  to  give,if  Smith  &  Mc-
Nair would  wait  with  him  for  the  money  until  he  could  sell


SUPREME  COURT  OP  NOJltH  CAROLINA. 399

his  ootton;  and  thereupon  it  was  arranged  that  the  plainti£&  Jone  1841
should  call  at  his  house  the  next  day  to  complete  the  con-  «  ^
tract. 