Miguel de la Madrid (the president of Mexico), another man and I were in a room together talking about Mexico and they began telling me of the corruption in Mexico. They said, for instance, a movie theater might advertise in a newspaper that the movie was playing for a certain price. But when people would arrive at the movie theater, the counter-girl would quote a higher price to them. She might say the newspaper had made a mistake. And she might add that the same movie was nowhere else in town to be seen.

The conversation turned to the slave trade in Mexico. I personally was considering purchasing a slave. We talked about buying people in Mexico and importing them into the United States. The man said he had a slave whose language he couldn't understand and he wanted to sell him. But he quoted an exorbitant price. He explained how the exportation could be accomplished. The tacit approval of the Mexican president would be required.

We discussed and I thought about the matter at length. Finally the other man said, "Well, lets go in the other room and discuss the details."

I said, "Well, first I want the approval of Madrid."

Madrid, the Mexican president, slightly shook his head in a gesture of approval. I accepted the approval and entered the room with the man.

I thought the slave would cost about $30,000. I thought, "Well, maybe I'll just keep him for myself, or give him to somebody else, or just set him free."

I was unsure what I would do with him.