Manuel Pereira Or The Sovereign Rule of South Carolina Part 16

"Now eat, my friends, eat just as much as you want, and then I'll catch the thief that breaks my lock and steals my meat. I catch him," said Manuel. After they had all done, he locked the balance up in his box, and sent everybody down-stairs into the yard, first covering himself with two mattra.s.ses, and giving orders to Copeland to lock the door after him. Every thing was ready to move at the word. In this position he remained for nearly half an hour. At length he heard a footstep approach the door, and then the lock clink. The door opened slowly, and the veritable Mr. Daley limped in, and taking a key from his pocket, unlocked the little box, and filling his tin pan, locked it, and was walking off as independent as a wood-sawyer, making a slight whistle to a watch that was stationed at the end of the pa.s.sage. "It's you, is it?"

said Manuel, suddenly springing up and giving him a blow on the side of the head that sent him and the contents of the pan into a promiscuous pile on the floor. Daley gathered himself up and made an attempt to reach the door, but Manuel, fearing what might be the consequence if the other prisoners came to his a.s.sistance, shut the door before him and fastened it on the inside.

"Bad luck to yer infernal eyes, will ye strike a white man, ye nager ye, in a country like this same?" said Daley, as he was gathering himself up. This incensed Manuel's feelings still more. To have insult added to injury, and a worthless drunkard and thief abuse him, was more than he could bear. He commenced according to a sailor's rule of science, and gave Daley a systematic thres.h.i.+ng, which, although against the rules of the jail, was declared by several of the prisoners to be no more than he had long deserved. As may have been expected, Daley cried l.u.s.tily for help, adding the very convenient item of murder, to make his case more alarming. Several persons had crowded around the door, but none could gain admittance. The jailer had no sooner reached the door, than (most unfortunately for Manuel) he was called back to the outer door, to admit Mr. Grimshaw, who had just rung the bell. The moment he entered, Daley's noise was loudest, and reached his ears before he had gained the outside gate. He rushed up-stairs, followed by the jailer, and demanded entrance at the cell door, swearing at the top of his voice that he would break it in with an axe if the command was not instantly obeyed.

The door opened, and Manuel stood with his left hand extended at Daley.

"Come in, gentlemen, I catch him, one rascal, what steal my provision every day, and I punish him, what he remember when I leave."

Daley stood trembling against the wall, bearing the marks of serious injury upon his face and eyes. "At it again, Daley? Ah! I thought you had left off them tricks!" said the jailer.

Daley began to tell a three-cornered story, and to give as many possible excuses, with equally as many characteristic bulls in them. "I don't want to hear your story, Daley," said Mr. Grimshaw. "But, Mr. Jailer, I command you to lock that man up in the third story," pointing to Manuel.

"I don't care what the circ.u.mstances are. He's given us more trouble than he's worth. He tried to pa.s.s himself off for a white man, but he couldn't come that, and now he's had the impudence to strike a white man; lock him up! lock him up!! and keep him locked up until further orders from me. I'll teach him a lesson that he never learnt before he came to South Carolina; and then let Consul Mathew sweat over him, and raise another fuss if he can."

"If he's guilty of violating the rules of the jail, Daley is guilty of misdemeanour, and the thieving has been aggravatingly continued. If we put one, we must put both up," said the jailer.

"Just obey my orders, Mr. Jailer. I will reprimand Daley to-morrow. I shall just go to the extent of the law with that feller," said Grimshaw peremptorily.

"You may lock me up in a dungeon, do with me as you will, if the power is yours; but my feelings are my own, and you cannot crush them. I look to my consul, and the country that has protected me around the world, and can protect me still," said Manuel, resigning himself to the jailer, whose intentions he knew to be good.

Poor little Tommy stood begging and crying for his friend and companion, for he heard Mr. Grimshaw give an imperative order to the jailer not to allow visitors into his cell. "Never mind, Tommy, we shall soon meet again, and sail companions for the old owners. Don't cry; the jailer will let you see me to-morrow," said Manuel.

"No, I can't do that; you heard my orders; I must obey them. I should like to do it, but it's out of my power," returned the jailer, awaiting with a bunch of keys in his hand.

Manuel turned to the little fellow, and kissing him as he would an affectionate child, bade him adieu, and ascended, the steps leading to the third story (Mount Rascal) in advance of the jailer, to be confined in a dark, unhealthy cell, there to await the caprice of one man.

To describe this miserable hole would be a task too harrowing to our feelings. We pa.s.s it for those who will come after us. He little thought, when he shook the hand of his little companion, that it was the last time he should meet him for many months, and then only to take a last parting look, under the most painful circ.u.mstances. But such is the course of life!

Copeland had received notice to hold himself in readiness, as his vessel would be ready for sea the next morning. He was not long in getting his few things in order, and when morning came he was on hand, prepared to bound from the iron confines of the Charleston jail, like a stag from a thicket. As he bade good-by to his fellow-prisoners in the morning, he said, "This is my last imprisonment in Charleston. I have been imprisoned in Savannah, but there I had plenty to eat, comfortable apartments, and every thing I asked for, except my liberty. Never, so long as I sail the water, shall I s.h.i.+p for such a port as this again."

He requested to see Manuel, but being refused, upon the restraint of orders, he left the jail. It was contrary to law; and thus in pursuing his vocation within the limits of South-Carolina, his owners were made to pay the following sum, for which neither they nor the man who suffered the imprisonment received any compensation. "Contrary to Law."

Schooner "Oscar Jones," Captain Kelly, For William H. Copeland, Colored Seaman. To Sheriff of Charleston District. 1852,

To Arrest, $2; Registry, $2, $4.00 To Recog. $1.31; Constable, $1, 2.31 To Commitment and Discharge, 1.00 To 15 Days' Jail Maintenance of Wm. H.

Copeland, at 80 cts. per day, 4.50 Received payment, $11.81 J. D--, Per Charles E. Kanapeaux, Clerk.

G.o.d save the sovereignty of South Carolina, and let her mercy and hospitality be known on earth!

CHAPTER XXIII. IMPRISONMENT OF JOHN PAUL, AND JOHN BAPTISTE PAMERLIE.

IN order to complete the four characters, as we designed in the outset, we must here introduce the persons whose names fill the caption. The time of their imprisonment was some two months later than Manuel's release; but we introduce them here for the purpose of furnis.h.i.+ng a clear understanding of the scenes connected with Manuel's release.

John Paul was a fine-looking French negro, very dark, with well-developed features, and very intelligent,--what would be called in South Carolina, "a very prime feller." He was steward on board of the French bark Senegal, Captain--. He spoke excellent French and Spanish, and read Latin very well,--was a Catholic, and paid particular respect to devotional exercises,--but unfortunately he could not speak or understand a word of English. In all our observation of different characters of colored men, we do not remember to have seen one whose pleasant manner, intelligence, and civility, attracted more general attention. But he could not comprehend the meaning of the law imprisoning a peaceable man without crime, and why the authorities should fear him, when he could not speak their language. He wanted to see the city-what sort of people were in it-if they bore any a.n.a.logy to their good old forefathers in France; and whether they had inherited the same capricious feelings as the descendants of the same generation on the other side of the water. There could be no harm in that; and although he knew something of French socialism, he was ignorant of Carolina's peculiar inst.i.tutions, her politics, and her fears of abolition, as a "Georgia cracker"

A sort of semi-civilized native, wearing a peculiar homespun dress; with a native dialect strongly resembling many of the Yorks.h.i.+re phrases. They are generally found located in the poorer parishes and districts, where their primitive-looking cabins are easily designated from that of the more enterprising agriculturist. But few of them can read or write,--and preferring the coa.r.s.est mode of life, their habits are extremely dissolute. Now and then one may be found owning a negro or two,--but a negro would rather be sold to the torments of h.e.l.l, or a Louisiana sugar-planter, than to a Georgia cracker. You will see them approaching the city on market-days, with their travelling-cart, which is a curiosity in itself. It is a two-wheeled vehicle of the most primitive description, with long, rough poles for shafts or thills. Sometimes it is covered with a blanket, and sometimes with a white rag, under which are a few things for market, and the good wife, with sometimes one or two wee-yans; for the liege lord never fails to bring his wife to market, that she may see the things of the city. The dejected-looking frame of some scrub-breed horse or a half-starved mule is tied (for we can't call it harnessed) between the thills, with a few pieces of rope and withes; and, provided with a piece of wool-tanned sheep-skin, the lord of the family, with peculiar dress, a drab slouched hat over his eyes, and a big whip in his hand, mounts on the back of the poor animal, and placing his feet upon the thills to keep them down, tortures it through a heavy, sandy road. The horses are loaded so much beyond their strength, that they will stop to blow, every ten or fifteen minutes, while the man will sit upon their backs with perfect unconcern.

Remonstrate with them in regard to the sufficient draught added to the insupportable weight upon their backs, and they will immediately commence demonstrating how he can draw easier when there is an immense weight upon his back. The husband generally exchanges his things for whiskey, rice, and tobacco, while the wife buys calico and knick-knacks.

Sometimes they get "a right smart chance o' things" together, and have a "party at home," which means a blow-out among themselves. Sometimes they have a shucking, which is a great affair, even among the little farmers in Upper Georgia, where, only, corn-shuckings are kept up with all the spice of old custom, and invitations are extended to those at a distance of ten or fifteen miles, who repay the compliment with their presence, and join in the revelry. There are two cla.s.ses of the cracker in Georgia, according to our observation, differing somewhat in their dialect, but not in their habits. One is the upper, and the other the low country, or rather what some call the "co-u-n-try-b-o-r-n" cracker.

The up-country cracker gives more attention to farming, inhabits what's known as the Cherokee country and its vicinity, and is designated by the sobriquet of "wire-gra.s.s man." would be of Greek. Like his predecessors in confinement, he fell into the hands of the veritable Dunn, without the a.s.sistance of his friend Duse, as he called him; but had it not been for the timely appearance of a clerk in the French consul's office, who explained the nature of the arrest, in his native tongue, Mr. Dunn would have found some trouble in making the arrest. Already had the officers and crew of the bark gathered around him, making grimaces, and gibbering away like a flock of blackbirds surrounding a hawk, and just ready to pounce. "Don't I'se be tellin' yees what I wants wid 'im, and the divil a bit ye'll understand me. Why don't yees spake so a body can understand what yees be blatherin' about. Sure, here's the paper, an' yees won't read the English of it. The divil o' such a fix I was ever in before wid yer John o' c.r.a.pue's an' yer chatter. Ye say we-we-we; sure it's but one I wants. Ah! whist now, captain, and don't ye be makin' a bother over it. Shure, did ye niver hear o' South Carolina in the wide world? An'

ye bees travellin' all over it, and herself's such a great State, wid so many great gintlemen in it," said Dunn, talking his green-island Greek to the Frenchman.

"We, we! mon Dieu, ah!" said the Frenchman.

"Ah, shure there ye are again. What would I be doin' wid de 'hole o'

yees? It's the nager I want. Don't ye know that South Carolina don't allow the likes o' him to be comin ash.o.r.e and playing the divil wid her slaves," continued Dunn, stretching himself up on his lame leg.

The clerk stepped up at this moment. "It's 'imself'll be telling yes all about it, for yer like a parcel of geese makin' a fuss about a goslin."

Mr. Dunn had got his Corkonian blood up; and although the matter was explained, he saw the means at hand, and fixed his feelings for a stiff compensation. The clerk, after explaining to the captain, turned to John Paul and addressed him. As soon as he was done, John commenced to pack up his dunnage and get money from the captain, as if he was bound on an Arctic Expedition. Dunn's eyes glistened as he saw the money pa.s.sing into Paul's hand; but he was not to be troubled with the dunnage, and after hurrying him a few times, marched him off. He went through the regular system of grog-shop sponging; but his suavity and willingness to acquiesce in all Mr. Dunn's demands, saved him some rough usage. There was this difference between John Paul and Manuel, that the former, not understanding the English language, mistook Dunn's deception for friends.h.i.+p, and moved by that extreme French politeness and warmth of feeling, which he thought doing the gentleman par excellence; while the latter, with a quicker perception of right and wrong, and understanding our language, saw the motive and disdained its nefarious object. For when Paul arrived at the jail he was minus a five-dollar gold-piece, which his very amiable official companion took particular care of, lest something should befall it. Poor John Paul! He was as harmless as South Carolina's secession and chivalry-two of the most harmless things in the world, not excepting Congressional duelling.

As soon as he entered the jail and found that the jailer could speak French, he broke out in a perfect tornado of enthusiasm. "Je serai charm? de lier connaissance avec un si amiable compagnon," said he, and continued in a strain so swift and unabated that it would have been impossible for an Englishman to have traced the inflections.

The jailer called Daley, and telling him to take his blanket, the State's allotment, ordered him shown to his cell. Daley took the blanket under his arm and the keys in his hand, and Paul soon followed him upstairs to be introduced to his cell. "There, that's the place for yees. We takes the s.h.i.+ne off all ye dandy n.i.g.g.e.rs whin we gets ye here.

Do ye see the pair of eyes in the head o' me?" said Daley, pointing to his blackened eyes; "an' he that done that same is in the divil's own place above. Now, if ye have ever a drap of whiskey, don't be keepin' it shy, an' it'll be tellin' ye a good many favors."

"Ah! mon Dieu! Cela fait dresser les cheveux la tete," said Paul, shrugging his shoulders.

"Bad luck to the word of that I'd be understandin' at all, at all. Can't ye spake so a body'd understand what ye'd mane?"

"C'est ma grande consolation d'avoir. * * * Les Etats-Unis est une mod?le de perfection republicaine," said he, taking the blanket from Daley and throwing it upon the floor. He was but a poor companion for his fellow-prisoners, being deprived of the means to exercise his social qualities. He went through the same course of suffering that Manuel did; but, whether from inclination or necessity, bore it with more Christian fort.i.tude, chanting vespers every morning, and reading the Latin service every evening. The lesson which Manuel taught Daley proved of great service to Paul, who gave Daley the jail-ration which it was impossible for him to eat, and was saved from his pilfering propensities. Thus, after John Paul had suffered thirty-five days' imprisonment, in mute confinement, to satisfy the majesty of South Carolina, he was released upon the following conditions, and taken to his vessel at early daylight, lest he should see the city or leave something to contaminate the slaves. "Contrary to law." State vs. "Contrary to law." French bark "Senegal," Capt.--For John Paul, Colored Seaman. To Sheriff Charleston Dist.

July 18, 1852. To Arrest, $2; Registry, $2, $4.00" "Recog. $1.31; Constable, $1, 2.31" "Commitment and discharge, 1.00" "35 Days'

Maintenace of John Paul, at 30 cents per day, 10.50

Recd. payment, $17.81 J. D--, S. C. D. Per Chs. E. Kanapeaux, Clerk.

A very nice item of disburs.e.m.e.nts to present to the owners-a premium paid for the advanced civilization of South Carolina!

We have merely noticed the imprisonment of John Paul, our limits excluding the details. We must now turn to a little, pert, saucy French boy, eleven years old, who spoke nothing but Creole French, and that as rotten as we ever heard lisped. The French bark Nouvelle Amelie, Gilliet, master, from Rouen, arrived in Charleston on the twenty-ninth of July. The captain was a fine specimen of a French gentleman. He stood upon the quarter-deck as she was being "breasted-in" to the wharf, giving orders to his men, while the little child stood at the galley looking at the people upon the wharf, making grimaces and pointing one of the crew to several things that attracted his attention. Presently the vessel hauled alongside of the dock, and Dusenberry, with his companion Dunn, who had been watching all the movements of the vessel from a hiding-place on the wharf, sprang out and boarded her ere she had touched the piles.

The "n.i.g.g.e.r," seeing Dusenberry approach him, waited until he saw his hand extended, and then, as if to save himself from impending danger, ran aft and into the cabin, screaming at the top of his voice. The crew began to run and move up into close quarters. The issue was an important one, and rested between South Carolina and the little "n.i.g.g.e.r."

Dusenberry attempted to descend into the cabin. "Vat you vant wid my John, my Baptiste? No, you no do dat, 'z my cabin; never allow stranger go down 'im," said the captain, placing himself in the companionway, while the little terrified n.i.g.g.e.r peeped above the combing, and rolled his large eyes, the white glowing in contrast, from behind the captain's legs. In this tempting position the little darkie, knowing he was protected by the captain and crew, would taunt the representative of the State with his bad French. Dunn stood some distance behind Dusenberry, upon the deck, and the mission seemed to be such a mystery to both captain and crew, that their presence aroused a feeling of curiosity as well as anxiety. Several of the sailors gathered around him, and made antic grimaces, pointing their fingers at him and swearing, so that Dunn began to be alarmed by the incomprehensible earnestness of their gibberish, turned pale, and retreated several steps, to the infinite amus.e.m.e.nt of those upon the wharf.

"Vat 'e do, ah, you vant 'im? Vat you do vid 'im ven zu gets him, ah?

Cette affaire delicate demande," said one of the number, who was honored with the t.i.tle of mate, and who, with a terrific black moustache and beard, had the power of contorting his face into the most repugnant grimaces. And, at the moment, he drew his sheath-knife and made a pretended plunge at Dunn's breast, causing him to send forth a pitiful yell, and retreat to the wharf with quicker movements than he ever thought himself capable of.

"Il n'y a pas grand mal cela," said the Frenchman, laughing at Dunn as he stood upon the capsill of the wharf.

"Bad luck to ye, a pretty mess a murderous Frinchmin that ye are. Do yees be thinkin' ye'd play that trick in South Carolina? Ye'll get the like o' that taken out o' ye whin yer before his honor in the mornin',"

said Dunn.

Dusenberry had stood parleying with the captain at the companion-door, endeavoring to make the latter understand that it was not a case which required the presence of the silver oar. There is a prevailing opinion among sailors, that no suit in Admiralty can be commenced, or seaman arrested while on board, without the presence of the silver oar. And thus acting upon this impression, the captain and officers of the Nouvelle Amelie contended for what they considered a right. The mate and crew drew closer and closer toward Dusenberry, until he became infected with the prevailing alarm. "Captain, I demand your protection from these men, in the name of the State of South Carolina," said he.

"Who he? De State Souf Ca'lina, vat I know 'bout him, ah? Bring de silver oar when come take my man. Il y a de la malhomme tet? dans sou proces," said Captain Gilliet, turning to his mate.

"Avaunt! avaunt!" said the big man with the large whiskers, and they all made a rush at Dusenberry, and drove him over the rail and back to the wharf, where he demanded the a.s.sistance of those anxious spectators, for and in the name of the State. It was a right good vaudeville comique, played in dialogue and pantomime. The point of the piece, which, with a little arrangement, might have made an excellent production, consisted of a misunderstanding between an Irishman and a Frenchman about South Carolina, and a law so peculiar that no stranger could comprehend its meaning at first and as neither could understand the language of the other, the more they explained the more confounded the object became, until, from piquant comique, the scene was worked into the appearance of a tragedy. One represented his s.h.i.+p, and to him his s.h.i.+p was his nation; the other represented South Carolina, and to him South Carolina was the United States; and the question was, which had the best right to the little darkie.

The spectators on the wharf were not inclined to move, either not wis.h.i.+ng to meddle themselves with South Carolina's affairs-wanting larger game to show their bravery-or some more respectable officer to act in command. The little darkie, seeing Dusenberry driven to the wharf, ran to the gangway, and protruding his head over the rail, worked his black phiz into a dozen pert expressions, showing his ivory, rolling the white of his eyes, and crooking his finger upon his nose in aggravating contempt.