did not intend what you said, why did you deceive me with
such statements? I know the feelings of our people, as well as I do
yours for caging people within that jail. Upon that, I intimated to the
Captain what I thought would be the probable result, and this morning I
proceeded to his vessel to reassure him, upon your statement. Imagine my
mortification when he informed me that his steward had been dragged
off to jail early in the morning, and that those two ruffians whom you
disgrace the community with, behaved in the most outrageous manner. It
is in your power to relieve this man, and I ask it as a favor, and on
behalf of what I know to be the feelings of the citizens of Charleston."

"Your request, colonel," said Mr. Grimshaw, with a little more
complacency, "is too much in the shape of a demand. There's no
discretion left me by the State, and if you have a power superior to
that, you better pay the expenses of the nigger, and take the management
into your own hands. I never allow this trifling philanthropy about
niggers to disturb me. I could never follow out the laws of the State
and practise it; and you better not burden yourself with it, or your
successors may suffer for adequate means to support themselves. Now,
sir, take my advice. It's contrary to law for them niggers to come
here; you know our laws cannot be violated. South Carolina has a great
interest at stake in maintaining the reputation of her laws. Don't
excite the nigger's anxiety, and he'll be better off in jail than he
would running about among the wenches. He won't have luxuries, but we'll
make him comfortable, and he must suit his habits to our way of living.
We must not set a bad example before our own niggers; the whiter they
are the worse they are. They struggle for their existence now, and think
they're above observing our nigger laws. We want to get rid of them, and
you know it," returned Grimshaw.

"Yes; I know it too well, for I have had too many cases to protect them
from being 'run off' and sold in the New Orleans market. But when you
speak of white niggers, I suppose you mean our brightest; I dispute your
assertion, and point you to my proof in the many men of wealth among
them now pursuing their occupations in our city. Can you set an example
more praiseworthy? And notwithstanding they are imposed upon by taxes,
and many of our whites take the advantage of law to withhold the payment
of debts contracted with them, they make no complain