own is the dreaded medium of its
communication? And if the statement rung in our ears be true, "that
the free colored of the North suffer while the slave is cared for and
comfortable," why belie ourselves? Malcome's influence is, and always
has been, with the whites, and manifestly good in the preservation of
order and obedience on the part of the slaves. He pursues his avocation
with spirit and enterprise, while he is subjected to menial and
oppressive laws. His father visited New York, and was forbidden to
return. He appealed again and again, set forth his claims and his
integrity to the State and her laws, but all was of no avail. He was
hopelessly banished, as it were, from ever seeing his son again, unless
that son would sacrifice his property and submit to perpetual banishment
from the State. If we reflect upon the many paternal associations that
would gladden the hearts of father and child to meet in happy affection,
we may realize the effect of that law which makes the separation painful
and which denies even the death-bed scene its last cheering consolation.

We have conversed with poor Brown on many occasions, found him a very
intelligent man, full of humour, and fond of relating incidents in the
history of his family-even proud of his good credit in Charleston. He
frequently speaks of his father and the gratifying hope of meeting him
at some future day, when he can give vent to his feelings in bursts of
affection. He wants his father to return and live with him, because he
says he knows they would be more happy together. "I suppose the law was
made in justice, and it's right for me to submit to it," he would say
when conversing upon its stringency; and it also seems a sort of comfort
to him that he is not the only sufferer.

If South Carolina would awake to her own interest, she would find more
to fear from the stringency of her own laws than from the influence of a
few men coming from abroad.

CHAPTER X. THE PROSPECT DARKENING.

AFTER the Colonel and little George left the Captain, as we have stated
in the foregoing chapter, he descended into the cabin, and found Manuel
sitting upon one of the lockers, apparently 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 had been aboard a few minutes after he left,
making particular inquiries about the steward; that he spoke like an
o