workings of the slave system
democracy! thy trumpet voice for liberty is ever ringing in our ears; but thy strange workings defame thee. thou art rampant in love of the "popular cause," crushing of that which secures liberty to all; and, whilst thou art great at demolishing structures, building firm foundations seems beyond thee, for thereto thou forgetteth to lay the cornerstone well on the solid rock of principle. and, too, we love thee when thou art moved and governed by justice; we hate thee when thou showest thyself a sycophant to make a mad mob serve a pestilential ambition. like a young giant thou graspest power; but, when in thy hands, it becomes a means of serving the baser ends of factious demagogues. hypocrite! with breath of poison thou hast sung thy songs to liberty while making it a stepping-stone to injustice; nor hast thou ever ceased to wage a tyrant's war against the rights of man. thou wearest false robes; thou blasphemest against heaven, that thy strength in wrong may be secure-yea, we fear thy end is fast coming badly, for thou art the bastard offspring of republicanism so purely planted in our land. clamour and the lash are thy sceptres, and, like a viper seeking its prey, thou charmest with one and goadeth men's souls with the other. having worked thy way through our simple narrative, show us what thou hast done. a father hast thou driven within the humid wall of a prison, because he would repent and acknowledge his child. bolts and bars, in such cases, are democracy's safeguards; but thou hast bound with heavy chains the being who would rise in the world, and go forth healing the sick and preaching god's word. even hast thou turned the hearts of men into stone, and made them weep at the wrong thou gavest them power to inflict. that bond which god gave to man, and charged him to keep sacred, thou hast sundered for the sake of gold,--thereby levelling man with the brutes of the field. thou hast sent two beautiful children to linger in the wickedness of slavery,--to die stained with its infamy! thou hast robbed many a fair one of her virtue, stolen many a charm; but thy foulest crime is, that thou drivest mothers and fathers from the land of their birth to seek shelter on foreign soil. would to god thou could'st see thyself as thou art,--make thy teachings known in truth and justice,--cease to mock thyself in the eyes of foreign tyrants, nor longer serve despots who would make thee the shield of their ill-gotten power!
within those malarious prison walls, where fast decays a father who sought to save from slavery's death the offspring he loved, will be found a poor, dejected negro, sitting at the bedside of the oppressed man, administering to his wants. his friendship is true unto death,--the oppressed man is his angel, he will serve him at the sacrifice of life and liberty. he is your true republican, the friend of the oppressed! your lessons of democracy, so swelling, so boastfully arrayed for a world's good, have no place in his soul,--goodness alone directs his examples of republicanism. but we must not be over venturous in calling democracy to account, lest we offend the gods of power and progress. we will, to save ourselves, return to our narrative.
marston, yet in gaol, stubbornly refuses to take the benefit of the act,--commonly called the poor debtor's act. he has a faithful friend in daddy bob, who has kept his ownership concealed, and, with the assistance of franconia, still relieves his necessities. rumour, however, strongly whispers that colonel m'carstrow is fast gambling away his property, keeping the worst of company, and leading the life of a debauchee,--which sorely grieves his noble-hearted wife. in fact, mrs. templeton, who is chief gossip-monger of the city, declares that he is more than ruined, and that his once beautiful wife must seek support at something.
an honest jury of twelve free and enlightened citizens, before the honourable court of sessions, have declared romescos honourably acquitted of the charge of murder, the fatal blow being given in commendable self-defence.
the reader will remember that in a former chapter we left the stolen clergyman (no thanks to his white face and whiter necked brethren of the profession), on the banks of the mississippi, where, having purchased his time of his owner, he is not only a very profitable investment to that gentleman, but of great service on the neighbouring plantations. earnest in doing good for his fellow bondmen, his efforts have enlisted for him the sympathy of a generous-hearted young lady, the daughter of a neighbouring planter. many times had he recounted mrs. rosebrook's friendship for him to her, and by its influence succeeded in opening the desired communication. mrs. rosebrook had received and promptly answered all his fair friend's letters: the answers contained good news for harry; she knew him well, and would at once set about inducing her husband to purchase him. but here again his profession interposed a difficulty, inasmuch as its enhancing the value of the property to so great an extent would make his master reluctant to part with him. however, as nothing could be more expressive of domestic attachment than the manner in which the rosebrooks studied each other's feelings for the purpose of giving a more complete happiness, our good lady had but to make known her wish, and the deacon stood ready to execute it. in the present case he was but too glad of the opportunity of gratifying her feelings, having had the purchase of a clergyman in contemplation for some months back. he sought harry out, and, after bartering (the planter setting forth what a deal of money he had made by his clergyman) succeeded in purchasing him for fourteen hundred dollars, the gentleman producing legalised papers of his purchase, and giving the same. as for his running away, there is no evidence to prove that; nor will harry's pious word be taken in law to disclose the kidnapping. m'fadden is dead,--his estate has long since been administered upon; romescos murdered the proof, and swept away the dangerous contingency.
here, then, we find harry-we must pass over the incidents of his return back in the old district-about to administer the gospel to the negroes on the rosebrook estates. he is the same good, generous-hearted black man he was years ago. but he has worked hard, paid his master a deal of money for his time, and laid up but little for himself. his clothes, too, are somewhat shabby, which, in the estimation of the rosebrook negroes-who are notoriously aristocratic in their notions-is some detriment to his ministerial character. at the same time, they are not quite sure that harry marston, as he must now be called, will preach to please their peculiar mode of thinking. master and missus have given them an interest in their labour; and, having laid by a little money in missus's savings bank, they are all looking forward to the time when they will have gained their freedom, according to the promises held out. with these incitements of renewed energy they work cheerfully, take a deep interest in the amount of crop produced, and have a worthy regard for their own moral condition. and as they will now pay tribute for the support of a minister of the gospel, his respectability is a particular object of their watchfulness. thus, harry's first appearance on the plantation, shabbily dressed, is viewed with distrust. uncle bradshaw, and old bill, the coachman, and aunt sophy, and sophy's two gals, and their husbands, are heard in serious conclave to say that "it won't do!" a clergy gentleman, with no better clothes than that newcomer wears, can't preach good and strong, nohow! dad daniel is heard to say. bradshaw shakes his white head, and says he's goin' to have a short talk with master about it. something must be done to reconcile the matter.
franconia and good mrs. rosebrook are not so exacting: the latter has received him with a warm welcome, while the former, her heart bounding with joy on hearing of his return, hastened into his presence, and with the affection of a child shook, and shook, and shook his hand, as he fell on his knees and kissed hers. "poor harry!" she says, "how i have longed to see you, and your poor wife and children!"
"ah, franconia, my young missus, it is for them my soul fears."
"but we have found out where they are," she interrupts.
"where they are!" he reiterates.
"indeed we have!" franconia makes a significant motion with her head.
"it's true, harry; and we'll see what can be done to get them back, one of these days," adds mrs. rosebrook, her soul-glowing eyes affirming the truth of her assertion. they have come out to spend the day at the plantation, and a happy day it is for those whose hearts they gladden with their kind words. how happy would be our south-how desolate the mania for abolition--if such a comity of good feeling between master and slaves existed on every plantation! and there is nothing to hinder such happy results of kindness.
"when that day comes, missus,--that day my good old woman and me will be together again,--how happy i shall be! seems as if the regaining that one object would complete my earthly desires. and my children,--how much i have felt for them, and how little i have said!" returns harry, as, seated in the veranda of the plantation mansion, the two ladies near him are watching his rising emotions.
"never mind, harry," rejoins franconia; "it will all be well, one of these days. you, as well as uncle, must bear with trouble. it is a world of trouble and trial." she draws her chair nearer him, and listens to his narrative of being carried off,--his endeavours to please his strange master down in mississippi,--the curious manner in which his name was changed,--the sum he was compelled to pay for his time, and the good he effected while pursuing the object of his mission on the neighbouring plantations. hope carried him through every trial,--hope prepared his heart for the time of his delivery,--hope filled his soul with gratitude to his maker, and hope, which ever held its light of freedom before him, inspired him with that prayer he so thankfully bestowed on the head of his benefactor, whose presence was as the light of love borne to him on angels' wings.
moved to tears by his recital of past struggles, and the expression of natural goodness exhibited in the resignation with which he bore them, ever praying and trusting to him who guides our course in life, franconia in turn commenced relating the misfortunes that had befallen her uncle. she tells him how her uncle has been reduced to poverty through lorenzo's folly, and graspum, the negro dealer's undiscoverable mode of ensnaring the unwary. he has been importuned, harassed, subjected to every degradation and shame, scouted by society for attempting to save those beautiful children, annette and nicholas, from the snares of slavery. and he now welters in a debtor's prison, with few save his old faithful daddy bob for friends.
"master, and my old companion, daddy bob!" exclaims harry, interrupting her at the moment.
"yes: daddy takes care of him in his prison cell."
"how often old bob's expressive face has looked upon me in my dreams! how often he has occupied my thoughts by day!"
"goodness belongs to him by nature."
"and master is in prison; but daddy is still his friend and faithful! well, my heart sorrows for master: i know his proud heart bleeds under the burden," he says, shaking his head sorrowfully. there is more sympathy concealed beneath that black exterior than words can express. he will go and see master; he will comfort him within his prison walls; he will rejoin daddy bob, and be master's friend once more. mrs. rosebrook, he is sure, will grant him any privilege in her power. that good lady is forthwith solicited, and grants harry permission to go into the city any day it suits his convenience-except sunday, when his services are required for the good of the people on the plantation. harry is delighted with this token of her goodness, and appoints a day when he will meet miss franconia,--as he yet calls her,--and go see old master and daddy. how glowing is that honest heart, as it warms with ecstasy at the thought of seeing "old master," even though he be degraded within prison walls!
while this conversation is going on in the veranda, sundry aged members of negro families--aunties and mammies--are passing backwards and forwards in front of the house, casting curious glances at the affection exhibited for the new preacher by "miss franconia." the effect is a sort of reconciliation of the highly aristocratic objections they at first interposed against his reception. "mus' be somebody bigger dan common nigger preacher; wudn't cotch miss frankone spoken wid 'um if 'um warn't," says dad timothy's jane, who is uncle absalom's wife, and, in addition to having six coal-black children, as fat and sleek as beavers, is the wise woman of the cabins, around whom all the old veteran mammies gather for explanations upon most important subjects. in this instance she is surrounded by six or seven grave worthies, whose comical faces add great piquancy to the conclave. grandmumma dorothy, who declares that she is grandmother to she don't know how much little growing-up property, will venture every grey hair in her head-which is as white as the snows of nova scotia-that he knows a deal o' things about the gospel, or he wouldn't have missus for such a close acquaintance. "but his shirt ain't just da'h fashon fo'h a 'spectable minister ob de gospel," she concludes, with profound wisdom evinced in her measured nod.
aunt betsy, than whose face none is blacker, or more comically moulded, will say her word; but she is very profound withal. "reckon how tain't de clo' what make e' de preacher tink good" (aunty's lip hangs seriously low the while). "lef missus send some calico fum town, and dis old woman son fix 'um into shirt fo'h him," she says, with great assurance of her sincerity.
harry-mister harry, as he is to be called by the people-finds himself comfortably at home; the only drawback, if such it may be called, existing in the unwillingness exhibited on the part of one of the overseers to his being provided with apartments in the basement of the house instead of one of the cabins. this, however, is, by a few conciliatory words from mrs. rosebrook, settled to the satisfaction of all. harry has supper provided for him in one of the little rooms downstairs, which he is to make his study, and into which he retires for the night.
when daylight has departed, and the very air seems hanging in stillness over the plantation, a great whispering is heard in dad daniel's cabin-the head quarters, where grave matters of state, or questions affecting the moral or physical interests of the plantation, are discussed, and dad daniel's opinion held as most learned-the importance of which over the other cabins is denoted by three windows, one just above the door being usually filled with moss or an old black hat. singular enough, on approaching the cabin it is discovered that daniel has convoked a senate of his sable brethren, to whom he is proposing a measure of great importance. "da'h new precher, gemen! is one ob yer own colur-no more buckra what on'e gib dat one sarmon,--tank god fo'h dat!-and dat colour geman, my children, ye must look up to fo'h de word from de good book. now, my bredren, 'tis posin' on ye dat ye make dat geman 'spectable. i poses den, dat we, bredren, puts in a mite apiece, and gib dat ar' geman new suit ob fus' bes'clof', so 'e preach fresh and clean," dad daniel is heard to say. and this proposition is carried out on the following morning, when daddy daniel-his white wool so cleanly washed, and his face glowing with great good-nature-accompanied by a conclave of his sable companions, presents himself in the front veranda, and demands to see "missus." that all-conciliating personage is ever ready to receive deputations, and on making her appearance, and receiving the usual salutations from her people, receives from the hand of that venerable prime minister, daddy daniel, a purse containing twelve dollars and fifty cents. it is the amount of a voluntary contribution-a gift for the new preacher. "missus" is requested, after adding her portion, to expend it in a suit of best black for the newcomer, whom they would like to see, and say "how de, to."
missus receives this noble expression of their gratitude with thanks and kind words. harry is summoned to the veranda, where, on making his appearance, he is introduced to dad daniel, who, in return, escorts him down on the plazza where numbers of the people have assembled to receive him. here, with wondrous ceremony, dad daniel doing the polite rather strong, he is introduced to all the important people of the plantation. and such a shaking of hands, earnest congratulations, happy "how des," bows, and joyous laughs, as follow, place the scene so expressive of happiness beyond the power of pen to describe. then he is led away, followed by a train of curious faces, to see dad daniel's neatly-arranged cabin; after which he will see plantation church, and successively the people's cabins. to-morrow evening, at early dusk, it is said, according to invitation and arrangement, he will sup on the green with his sable brethren, old and young, and spice up the evening's entertainment with an exhortation; dad daniel, as is his custom, performing the duties of deacon.
let us pass over this scene, and-harry having ingratiated himself with the plantation people, who are ready to give him their distinguished consideration-ask the reader to follow us through the description of another, which took place a few days after.
our clergyman has delivered to his sable flock his first sermon, which dad daniel and his compatriots pronounce great and good,--just what a sermon should be. such pathos they never heard before; the enthusiasm and fervency with which it was delivered inspires delight; they want no more earnestness of soul than the fervency with which his gesticulations accompanied the words; and now he has obtained a furlough that he may go into the city and console his old master. a thrill of commiseration seizes him as he contemplates his once joyous master now in prison; but, misgivings being useless, onward he goes. and he will see old bob, recall the happy incidents of the past, when time went smoothly on.
he reaches the city, having tarried a while at missus's villa, and seeks m'carstrow's residence, at the door of which he is met by franconia, who receives him gratefully, and orders a servant to show him into the recess of the hall, where he will wait until such time as she is ready to accompany him to the county prison. m'carstrow has recently removed into plainer tenements: some whisper that necessity compelled it, and that the "large shot" gamblers have shorn him down to the lowest imaginable scale of living. be this as it may, certain it is that he has not looked within the doors of his own house for more than a week: report says he is enjoying himself in a fashionable house, to the inmates of which he is familiarly known. he certainly leads his beautiful wife anything but a pleasant or happy life. soon franconia is ready, and onward wending her way for the gaol, closely followed by harry. she would have no objection to his walking by her side, but custom (intolerant interposer) will not permit it. they pass through busy thoroughfares and narrow streets into the suburbs, and have reached the prison outer gate, on the right hand of which, and just above a brass knob, are the significant words, "ring the bell."
"what a place to put master in!" says harry, in a half whisper, turning to franconia, as he pulls the brass handle and listens for the dull tinkling of the bell within. he starts at the muffled summons, and sighs as he hears the heavy tread of the officer, advancing through the corridor to challenge his presence. the man advances, and has reached the inner iron gate, situated in a narrow, vaulted arch in the main building. a clanking and clicking sound is heard, and the iron door swings back: a thick-set man, with features of iron, advances to the stoop, down the steps, and to the gate. "what's here now?" he growls, rather than speaks, looking sternly at the coloured man, as he thrusts his left hand deep into his side pocket, while holding the key of the inner door in his right.
"visitor," returns franconia, modestly.
"who does the nigger want to see?" he enquires, with pertinacity in keeping with his profession.
"his old master!" is the quick reply.
"you both? i guess i know what it is,--you want to see marston: he used to be a rice-planter, but's now in the debtor's ward for a swimming lot of debts. well, s'pose i must let you in: got a lot o' things, i s'pose?" he says, looking wickedly through the bars as he springs the bolts, and swings back the gate. "i beg yer pardon a dozen times! but i didn't recognise ye on the outer side," continues the official, becoming suddenly servile. he makes a low bow as he recognises franconia-motions his hand for them to walk ahead. they reach the steps leading to the inner gate, and ascending, soon are in the vaulted passage.
if they will allow him, the polite official will unlock the grated door. stepping before franconia, who, as the clanking of the locks grate on her ear, is seized with sensations she cannot describe, he inserts the heavy key. she turns to harry, her face pallid as marble, and lays her tremulous hand on his arm, as if to relieve the nervousness with which she is seized. click! click! sounds forth: again the door creaks on its hinges, and they are in the confines of the prison. a narrow vaulted arch, its stone walls moistened with pestilential malaria, leads into a small vestibule, on the right hand of which stretched a narrow aisle lined on both sides with cells. damp and pestiferous, a hollow gloominess seems to pervade the place, as if it were a pest-house for torturing the living. even the air breathes of disease,--a stench, as of dead men buried in its vaults, darts its poison deep into the system. it is this, coupled with the mind's discontent, that commits its ravages upon the poor prisoner,--that sends him pale and haggard to a soon- forgotten grave.
"last door on the right,--you know, mum," says the official: "boy will follow, lightly: whist! whist!"
"i know, to my sorrow," is her reply, delivered in a whisper. ah! her emotions are too tender for prison walls; they are yielding tears from the fountain of her very soul.
"he's sick: walk softly, and don't think of the prisoners. knock at the door afore enterin'," says a staid-looking warden, emerging from a small door on the left hand of the vestibule.
"zist! zist!" returns the other, pointing with the forefinger of his right hand down the aisle, and, placing his left, gently, on franconia's shoulder, motioning her to move on.
slowly, her handkerchief to her face, she obeys the sign, and is moving down the corridor, now encountering anxious eyes peering through the narrow grating of huge black doors. and then a faint, dolorous sound strikes on their listening ears. they pause for a moment,--listen again! it becomes clearer and clearer; and they advance with anxious curiosity. "it's daddy bob's voice," whispers harry; "but how distant it sounds!
"even that murmurs in his confinement," returns franconia.
"how, like a thing of life, it recalls the past-the past of happiness!" says harry, as they reach the cell door, and, tremulously, hesitate for a few moments.
"listen again!" continues harry. the sound having ceased a moment or two, again commences, and the word "there's a place for old mas'r yet, and de lord will see him dar," are distinctly audible. "how the old man battles for his good master!" returns harry, as franconia taps gently on the door. the wooden trap over the grating is closed; bolts hang carelessly from their staples; and yet, though the door is secured with a hook on the inside, disease and death breathe their morbid fumes through the scarce perceptible crevices. a whispering-"come in!" is heard in reply to the tap upon the door, which slowly opens, and the face of old bob, bathed in grief, protrudes round the frame. "oh, missus-missus-missus-god give good missus spirit!" he exclaims, seizing franconia fervently by the hand, and looking in her face imploringly. a fotid stench pervaded the atmosphere of the gloomy cell; it is death spreading its humid malaria. "good old master is g-g-g-gone!" mutters the negro, in half-choked accents.
with a wild shriek, the noble woman rushes to the side of his prison cot, seizes his blanched hand that hangs carelessly over the iron frame, grasps his head frantically, and draws it to her bosom, as the last gurgle of life bids adieu to the prostrate body. he is dead!
the old slave has watched over him, shared his sorrows and his crust, has sung a last song to his departing spirit. how truthful was that picture of the dying master and his slave! the old man, struggling against the infirmities of age, had escaped the hands of the man-seller, served his master with but one object-his soul's love-and relieved his necessities, until death, ending his troubles, left no more to relieve. now, distracted between joy at meeting harry, and sorrow for the death of master, the poor old man is lost in the confusion of his feelings. after saluting franconia, he turned to harry, threw his arms around his neck, buried his head in his bosom, and wept like a child. "home-home again,--my harry! but too late to see mas'r," he says, as the fountains of his soul give out their streams.
"we must all go where master has gone," returns harry, as he, more calm, fondles the old man, and endeavours to reconcile his feelings. "sit there, my old friend-sit there; and remember that god called master away. i must go to his bed-side," whispers harry, seating the old man on a block of wood near the foot of the cot, where he pours forth the earnest of his grief.
