Manuel Pereira; Or, The Sovereign Rule of South Carolina

parently in great anxiety. He, however, waited for the mate to speak before he addressed the Captain. The mate awoke and informed the Captain that a slender, dark-complexioned man

make a white man a nigger nohow, whether it's in South Carolina or Scotland,' says I. 'Well, we don't stand upon such things here; we can show you niggers as white as you be, Mr. Mate,' says he. 'But, Mister, what's to do about our steward, that ye make yer inquiries about him; he ha'n't did nothing,' said I. 'Well, Mr. Mate; it's contrary to law to bring nigger stewards into our port. They're a bad set of fellows generally, and we claim the right to lock 'em up to insure their good behavior and keep their bad influence away from our slaves. 'Tis not my office. I observed your arrival and wrecke

e powers that be, notwithstanding he asserted that it was n

pon prisoners there by starvation. He told him that he was once put in for a trifling offence, and nearly starved to death before he got out. "You will be sure to go there, Manuel," said he, "f

and visited a majority of its ports, both barbarous and civilized, without molestation. He wanted the Captain to pay him off and let him leave by some vessel in the morning. The Captain endeavored to soothe his fears by assuring him that there was no danger of his being imprisoned; that the people of Charleston had too much good feeling in them to be cruel to a distressed sailor; that the power of the consul was a sufficient guarantee of protection. "Y

ival of colored stewards; and the pilot, after leaving the vessel, went directly to Mr. Grimsha

down the wharf for several minutes, then they would stand together and gaze as if to watch the approach of some vessel in the offing. At length, Dusenberry, seeing Manuel come to the gangway with a bucket in his hand, walked to her side,

a very polite manner, asked as a favor that they would leave the man a few minutes until the Captain came on deck. They yielded to his solicitation after a great deal of grumbling. The arrest made a deep feeling among the seamen, but none felt it more than little Tommy; he heard the noise upon deck, and came running with tears in his eyes, and cried, "Oh!

ptain will be on deck in a few minut

o with them!" said Dunn. "Yes, to be sure, I can tell a nigger by his ear, if his skin's as white as chalk!" said Dusenberry. "It's all gammon this bringing bright outlandish men here, and trying to pass them off f

can make every thing straight. There is no occasion to imprison my steward-he's neither a nigger nor a bad man; and I'll pledge you my honor that h

two years; but he might as well whistle agin a brickbat as to talk his nonsense about English niggers to South Carolina. He'll get tarred and feathered yet, if he a'n't mighty shy about his movements. Sorry, Captain, we can't accommodate you, but we're only

treat a poor shipwrecked sailor in South Carolina, the State of boasted hospitality? No, sir! I will sacr

sk. But anyhow, Captain, ye'd be keepin' meself an' this gentleman a long time waiting, 'twouldn't be amiss to be giving us the usual perquisite. You won't miss

a few moments; I will accompany you myself, if you will not take my ho

he does ye'll stand the odds at the sheriff's. Sure a case would niver pass Mr. Grimshaw s observation

e him, he was sure to be released. The Captain shook his hand and told him to be contented until the Consul's office opened, when he would come to the jail and see him. Manuel then turned

one we shall relate are not only practised in Charleston to an unlimited extent, but the fact is well known to both mag

understood. "Well! come, who pays the shot?" said Dunn, stepping up to the counter, and crooking his finger upon his nose at a dumpling-faced Dutchman, who stood behind the counter, waiting for his man to name it. The Dutchman was very short and very thick, leaving

have you drink with me, if it

ething to cut away the cobwebs-'twouldn't do to go

ixing drinks and attaching slang names to them, Mr. Dusenberry undertook to instruct him in a choice. The Dutchman was an adept at mixing, and the "morning pulls" were soon set out to the extreme satisfaction of Dunn and Dusenberry. "All right! tip her down, my old

d the Dutchman to give him change. The Dutchman picked it up, turned it over several times, and squinting at it, inquired, in a very unpretending manner, what its value was. He knew already, yet thi

said Manuel, shrugging his shoulders. "I no want

must learn that it won't do for a nigger to dispute a white man in Charleston; we'd twitch ye up by the same law; we'd put it to our own niggers, and ye'd git trised up, and about fifty paddles on yer bare butt." The Dutchman put down a dollar and seventy cents, but Man

as a few barrels of lager beer; several kegs, with names to set forth the different qualities of liquors painted upon them; a bushel basket about half full of onions, and a few salt fish in a keg that stood by the door. Around the room were several benches similar to those in guard-houses. Upon two of them were stretched two r

the door, assumed some threatning language against the negroes, should they ever came back to his store. A large portion of those who came for liquor were negroes, who looked as if they were parting with their last cent for stimulant, for they were ragged and dirty, an

s," who get into bad habits and neglect their masters' or mistresses' business. Yet the keepers exert such an influence at elections, that the officials not

ermitted 'moral sentiment to be abandoned,' 'truthfulness disregarded,' 'reverence for religion obliterated,' 'protection to religious freedom refused,' 'licentiousness allowed,' 'and a due administration for vice, neglected.'" These charge

h to hold a counter and some tumblers, these wretches may be found dealing out their poisonous drugs to a poor, half-starved class of negroes, who resort to all kinds of dishonest means to get money to spend at their counters. These places are nearly all kept by foreigners, whose merciless avarice scruples at nothing, however mean. They soon become possessed of considerable m

but joining in that phalanx who are seeking the life-blood of the old Southerner, and like a silent moth, working upon his decay. There is a deep significance in the ans

now-they say he didn't get it honestly. He kept a little grog-shop on the Bay, or sold bacon and whisky on the Bay, and made awful charges against p

ng upon the fine time he would have at the jail. "There's a right good lot of comrades there, me boy; ye'll have fiddling and dancing, plenty of gals, and a jolly time; an

. "Another bird for old Grimshaw, at Commercial Wharf! I know'd she had one aboard, 'cause I seed him

th his hands spread upon the counter, called for gin and bitters, Stoughton light. Turning to Manuel, who was sitting upon a bench with his head reclined upon his hand, apparently in deep meditation, he took him by the collar in a ru

ease, either take me back to my vessel, or where you

a nigger musn't sauce a white man. Come, there's no use backing

hy beer, and the three touched glasses and drank. They then retired to a bench and commenced discussing

utchman, anxious to serve two little niggers w

ing according to Southern science. We'll put a good word in for y

ties of others. Whatever you are going to do with me, do it; and let me know my fate. I am sick and fatigued, and have need for the doctor. Take me to a prison or where you please. I have done no crime; I want sleep, not punishment. Nex

uel's wrists. The poor fellow struggled and begged for more than ten minutes, and was wellnigh overpowering them, when Dusenberry drew a long dirk-knife from his bosom, and holding it in a threatening attitude at his breast, uttered one of those fierce yells such as are common to slave-hunters, whose business it is to hunt and r

in foreign countries, and put his hand to his breast-pocket to feel for it. He remembered that he had left it in his chest, and that resist

d look down upon me and forgive me my transgressions; for in his hands are my rights

rf to keep his eye on another vessel that was approaching the dock. The tricks of this man Dunn were well known to those, connected with the police and sheriff's office; but, instead of being displaced for his many offences, he was looked upon by them as the best officer upon the rolls; and in fishing for mischievous niggers he was held as a perfect paragon. In this instance he was not contented with the outrages he had