ideas. Thus was the right clearly reserved to themselves, and the
question settled, so far as the State Legislature was concerned. The
next course for Mr. Mathew was to appeal to the Judiciary, and should
redress be denied, make it the medium of bringing the matter, before the
Federal courts.

We cannot forbear to say, that the strenuous opposition waged against
this appeal of common humanity arose from political influence, supported
by a set of ultra partisans, whose theoretical restrictions, assisted
by the voice of the press, catered to the war-spirit of the
abstractionists.

The British consul, as the representative of his government, knowing the
personal suffering to which the subjects of his country were subjected
by the wretched state of the Charleston prison, and its management,
sought to remove no restriction that might be necessary for protecting
their dangerous institutions, but to relieve that suffering. He had
pointed the authorities to the wretched state of the prison, and the
inhuman regimen which existed within it; but, whether through that
superlative carelessness which has become so materialized in the spirit
of society--that callousness to misfortune so strongly manifested by the
rich toward the industrious poor and the slaves-or, a contempt for
his opinions, because he had followed out the instructions of his
government, things went on in the same neglected manner and no attention
was paid to them.

Now, we dare assert that a large, portion of the excitement which the
question has caused has arisen from personal suffering, consequent upon
that wretched state of jail provisions which exists in South Carolina,
and which, to say the least, is degrading to the spirit and character of
a proud people. If a plea could be made, for excuse, upon the shattered
finances of the State, we might tolerate something of the abuse. But
this is not the case; and when its privileges become reposed in men who
make suffering the means to serve their own interests, its existence
becomes an outrage.

A stronger evidence of the cause of these remonstrances on the part
of the British Government, is shown by the manner in which it has been
submitted to in Georgia. The British consul of the port of Savannah, a
gentleman whose intelligence and humane feelings are no less remarkable
than Mr. Mathew's, has never had occasion to call the attention of
the Executive of Georgia to the abuse of power consequent upon the
imprisonm