Manuel Pereira Or The Sovereign Rule of South Carolina Part 7

"Shut up, you black rascal, you; you musn't talk that way in South Carolina; we'll have you stretched on the frame and paddled for insolence to a white man. D--n me, if you're in such a hurry for it, just come along," said Dusenberry; and reaching his hand over to Dunn, took the handcuffs from him and attempted to put them on Manuel'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 att.i.tude at his breast, uttered one of those fierce yells such as are common to slave-hunters, whose business it is to hunt and run down runaway n.i.g.g.e.rs with bloodhounds. "Submit, you black villain, or I'll have your heart's blood; bring a rope, and we'll trise him up here. Jump, be quick, Swizer!" said he, addressing himself to the Dutchman. The Dutchman ran into the front apartment; brought out a cord similar to a clothes-line; and commenced to undo it.

"Do you give up now?" said Dusenberry, still holding the knife pointed at him. Manuel was in the habit of carrying a poniard when on sh.o.r.e 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 resistance would be useless against a posse giving expression to such hostility to him. The shackles were put upon his hands with ruffianly force.

"Oh! am I a man, or am I a brute? What have I done to receive such treatment? May G.o.d look down upon me and forgive me my transgressions; for in his hands are my rights, and he will give me justice," said Manuel, looking his cruel torturers in the face.

"A man! No, by heavens, you're a n.i.g.g.e.r; an' it's that we'd he teaching you! Come, none of yer sermons here, trot off! We'll give you a handkerchief to cover your hands, if you're so d--d delicate about walking through the streets," said Dunn, throwing him an old red handkerchief, and marching him along through Broad street. Dusenberry now left him entirely in the charge of Dunn; while, as he said, he went to Adger's Wharf 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 fis.h.i.+ng for mischievous n.i.g.g.e.rs he was held as a perfect paragon. In this instance he was not contented with the outrages he had inflicted upon Manuel at the Dutch grog-shop, which he had forced him into, but he would stop in the public street to hold conversation with every cove he met, and keep the poor man standing for public gaze, like chained innocence awaiting the nod of a villain. The picture would have been complete, if a monster in human form were placed in the foreground applying the lash, according to the statute laws of South Carolina.

CHAPTER XI. THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

IT is nine o'clock, on the morning of the 24th March, 1852. Manuel was marched into the sheriff's office, situated in the court-house, on the corner of Broad and Meeting streets. A large table stood in the centre of the room, covered with sundry old papers and an inkstand. At one side was an old sofa, bearing strong evidence of its being worn out at the expense of the State. A few pine-wood and painted book-stands, several tip-staffs, old broken-backed chairs, and last, but not least, a wood-sawyer's buck-saw, stood here and there in beautiful disorder around the room; while, as if to display the immense importance of the office, a "c.o.c.ked" hat with the judicial sword hung conspicuously above the old sofa. A door opened upon the left hand, leading into the clerk's office, where the books and archives of the office were kept. Mr.

Kanapeaux, the inc.u.mbent, exhibited a great deal of good feeling, which it would have lost the sheriff none of his reputation to pattern after, and kept his office in very respectable order.

"Come in 'ere, Manwell, or whatever yer name is," said Dunn, as he led the way into the presence of Mr. Grimshaw, the lean, haggard-looking man we have before described. His dark, craven features, as he sat peering through his gla.s.ses at the morning news, gave him the appearance of a man of whom little was, to be expected by those who had the misfortune to fall into his hands.

"Ah! Dunn, you are the best officer in the city; 'pon my soul, these fellows can't escape you! Where did you pick up that n.i.g.g.e.r?" said he, with a look of satisfaction.

"A fat fee case, Mr. Grimshaw, 'contrary to law;' he's a Portugee n.i.g.g.e.r. Never had so much trouble with a n.i.g.g.e.r in my life; I didn't know but the fellow was going to preach a sermon. The Captain-he belongs to a wrecked Englishman-wanted to come the gammon game with him, and pa.s.s him for a white man; but sure he couldn't come that game over meself and Duse, anyhow," said Dunn.

Without saying a word, Manuel stood up before his accusers, upon this strange charge of "contrary to law."

As he looked upon his accusers, he said, "What have I done to suffer a murderer's fate? Am I to be sold as a slave, because of the visitation of G.o.d? I have done no murder! No!--nor have I stolen in your land! and why did these men decoy me into"--

"Silence! silence! You are in the sheriff's office," said Dunn, pointing his finger at his nose. "You can't come your John Bull n.i.g.g.e.r in South Carolina."

This brought the sheriff's clerk to the door that led into the pa.s.sage.

"Dunn, I have warned you about these things several times; the public are getting wind of them; they'll bring this office into disrepute yet.

You ought to know what effect the a.s.sociation of officials with these 'corner-shop keepers' is already having in the community," said he.

"How the divil do ye know what yer talking about; sure it's his honor's bisniss, and not yours at all, at all," said Dunn, addressing himself to Mr. Kanapeaux, and then looking at Mr. Grimshaw.

"Mr. Kanapeaux, you must not interfere with the officers and their duty; attend to your business, and get, your book ready to register this n.i.g.g.e.r-boy," said Grimshaw.

"Well, now, my good fellow," continued Grimshaw, "I dislike this business very much; it don't pay me enough for all the bother I have with it. 'Tis just a little filtering of fees, which makes the duty of my office exceedingly annoying. But we must respect the law. We do these things to protect our inst.i.tutions and make them as light as possible. I might give you a great deal of trouble; I have the power, but I make it a point to consider men in your case, and we'll make you so comfortable that you won't think of being imprisoned. You must understand that it is 'contrary to law' to come among our n.i.g.g.e.rs in this way; it gives them fanciful ideas. There's such an infernal imperfect state of things as these abolitionists are getting every thing into, behooves us to watch the communications which are going on between, designing people and our slaves. We are a hospitable people--the world knows that--and have a religious respect for our laws, which we enforce without respect to persons. We'd like to let you go about the city, but then it's 'contrary to law.' Make up your mind, my good fellow, that you are among humane people, who will seek to benefit you among men of your cla.s.s. Make yourself happy--and look upon me as a friend, and you will never be deceived. I control the jail, and my prisoners are as much attached to me as they would be to a father."

"It must be humanity that puts these symbols of ignominy upon my hands,"

said Manuel; "that confines me in a dungeon lest I should breathe a word of liberty to ears that know it only as a fable."

n.o.body had asked him to sit down, and, feeling the effect of his sickness and fatigue, he turned around as if to look for something to rest against. "You must not sit down,--take off your hat!" said Grimshaw.

The poor fellow made an effort, but could not effect it with the fetters on his hands; at which, Dunn stepped up, and s.n.a.t.c.hing it from his head, flung it upon the floor. "You should learn manners, my good fellow,"

said Grimshaw, "when you come into a sheriff's office. It's a place of importance, and people always pay respect to it when they come into it; a few months in Charleston would make you as polite as our n.i.g.g.e.rs."

"Had you not better take the irons off the poor fellow's hands?--he looks as if he was tired out," said Mr. Kanapeaux, the clerk, who again came to the door and looked upon Manuel with an air of pity. The words of sympathy touched his feelings deeply; it was a simple word in his favour, so different from what he had met since he left the vessel, that he felt a kind friend had spoken in his behalf, and he gave way to his feeling in a gush of tears.

"Good suggestion, Mr. Kanapeaux!" said Grimshaw. "Better take 'em off, Mr. Dunn; I don't think he'll give you any more difficulty. He seems like a 'likely fellow,' and knows, if he cuts up any n.i.g.g.e.r rascality in Charleston, he'll be snapped up. Now, my good fellow, put on your best-natured countenance, and stand as straight as a ramrod. Mr.

Kanapeaux, get your book ready to register him," continued Grimshaw.

Manuel now stood up under a slide, and his height and general features were noted in the following manner, in order to appease that sovereign dignity of South Carolina law, which has so many strange devices to show its importance:--"Contrary to Law." Violation of the Act of 1821, as amended, &c. &c. Manuel Pereira vs. State of South Carolina, Steward on board British Brig Janson, Captain Thompson. Entered 24th March, 1852.

Height, 5 feet 8 1/2 inches.

Complexion, light olive, (bright.)

Features, sharp and aquiline.

[Hair and eyes, dark and straight; the former inclined to curl.]

General remarks:--Age, twenty-nine; Portuguese by birth; speaks rather broken, but politely; is intelligent, well formed, and good looking.

Fees to Sheriff:

To arrest, $2--Registry, $2 - $4 00 To Recog. $1.31--Constable. $1 - $2.31 To Commitment and discharge, $1.00

$7.31

Jail fees to be added when discharged.

After these remarks were duly entered, and Mr. Grimshaw read another lecture to him on the importance of South Carolina law, and the kindness he would receive at his hands if he made himself con-tented, he was told that he could go and be committed. The poor fellow had stood up until he was nearly exhausted; yet, it was not enough to gratify the feelings of that miserable miscreant, Dunn. Scarcely had he left the sheriff's office, or pa.s.sed two squares from the court-house, before he entered another Dutch grog-shop, a little more respectable in appearance-but not in character. They entered by a side door, which led into a back apartment provided with a table and two wooden settees. As Dunn entered, he was recognised by two negro-fellows, who were playing dominoes at the table. They arose and ran through the front store, into the street, as if some evil spirit had descended among them. The Dutchman sprang for the dominoes, and quickly thrust them into a tin measure which he secreted under the counter.

"Ah! Drydez!" said Dunn; "you vagabond, you; up to the old tricks again?

Ye Dutchmen are worse than the divil! It's meself'll make ye put a five for that. Come, fork it over straight, and don't be muttering yer Dutch lingo!"

"Vat zue drink mit me dis morning? Misser Dunz' te best fellow vat comez in my shop," said Drydez.

"Ah! stop yer botheration, and don't be comin' yer Dutch logger over an Irishman! put down the five dollars, and we'll take the drinks presently; meself and me friend here'll drink yer health," said Dunn, pointing to Manuel, who shook his head as much as to decline. The Dutchman now opened his drawer, and rolling a bill up in his fingers, pa.s.sed it as if un.o.bserved into the hands of Dunn.

"Now, Drydez," said Dunn, "if ye want to do the clean thing, put a couple of brandy smashes-none of your d--d Dutch cut-throat brandy-the best old stuff. Come, me old chuck, (turning to Manuel and pulling him by the Whiskers,) cheer up, another good stiff'ner will put you on your taps again. South Carolina's a great State, and a man what can't be happy in Charleston, ought to be put through by daylight by the abolitionists."

The Dutchman soon prepared the smashes, and supplying them with straws, put them upon the table, and seated chairs close at hand. "Excuse me!"

said Manuel, "I've drunk enough already, and should like to lie down.

I am unwell, and feel the effect of what I have already taken. I am too feeble. Pray tell me how far the prison is from here, and I will go myself."

"Go, is it?--the divil a go ye'll go from this until ye drink the smash.

None of yer Portugee independence here. We larn n.i.g.g.e.rs the politeness of gintlemen in Charleston, me buck!" and seizing him by the collar, dragged him to the table, then grasping the tumbler with the other hand, he held it before his face. "Do you see that? and, bedad, ye'll drink it, and not be foolin', or I'd put the contents in your phiz," said he.

Manuel took the gla.s.s, while the Dutchman stood chuckling over the very nice piece of fun, and the spice of Mr. Dunn's wit, as he called it.

"Vat zu make him vat'e no vants too? You doz make me laugh so ven zu comes 'ere, I likes to kilt myself," said Drydez.

A bright mulatto-fellow was now seen in the front store, making quizzical signs to the Dutchman; who understanding its signification, lost no time in slipping into his pocket a tumbler nearly half full of brandy and water; and stepping behind the division door, pa.s.sed it slily to the mulatto, who equally as slily pa.s.sed it down his throat; and putting a piece of money into the Dutchman's hand, stepped up to the counter, as if to wait for his change. "All right!" said the Dutchman, looking around at his shelves, and then again under the counter.

"No so!" said the mulatto; "I want fourpence; you done' dat befor'

several times; I wants my money."

"Get out of my store, or I'll kick you out," said the Dutchman, and catching up a big club, ran from behind the counter and commenced belaboring the negro over the head in a most unmerciful manner. At this, the mulatto retreated into the lane, and with a volley of the vilest epithets, dared the Dutchman to come out, and he would whip him.