Manuel Pereira; Or, The Sovereign Rule of South CarolinaAdams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
General
Manuel Pereira; Or, The Sovereign Rule of South Carolina
Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
African Americans -- Fiction; Biographical fiction; Pereira, Manuel -- Fiction; South Carolina -- Fiction
Barque Nouvelle Amelie, Captain Gilliet, from Rouen, For John Baptiste
Pamerlie, Colored Seaman. 1852. To Sheriff of Charleston District.
August 26th, To Arrest, $2; Registry, $2, $4.00”
“Recog. 1.31; Constable, $1, 2.31”
“Commitment and Discharge, 1.00”
“20 days' Jail Maintenance of John Baptiste Pamerlie, at 30 cts. per
day, $6.00
“Received payment, 13.31 J. D., S. C. D. Per Charles E. Kanapeaux,
Clerk.”
Thus ended the scene. The little darkie might have said when he was in
jail, “Je meurs de faim, et l'on ne mapport‚ rien;” and when he left,
“Il est faufite avec les chevaliers d'industrie.”
CHAPTER XXIV. THE JANSON CONDEMNED.
WE must now return to Manuel. He was in close confinement, through Mr.
Grimshaw's orders. Tommy continued to bring him food from day to day,
but was not allowed to see him. The mate and several of the crew
were also refused admittance to him. This was carrying power to an
unnecessary limit, and inflicting a wanton punishment without proper
cause, at the same time exhibiting a flagrant disrespect for personal
feelings. Tommy did not report the affair to the Captain, lest it should
be misconstrued, and worse punishment be inflicted; but when the men
were refused, they naturally mistrusted something, and made inquiries
of the jailer, who readily gave them all the information in his power
concerning the affair, and his orders. This they reported to the
Captain, who immediately repaired to the consul's office, where he found
Mr. Mathew reading a note which he had just received from Manuel. It
stated his grievances in a clear and distinct manner, and begged the
protection of that government under whose flag he sailed, but said
nothing about his provisions. The consul, accompanied by the Captain,
proceeded to the sheriff's office, but could get no satisfaction. “I
never consider circumstances when prisoners violate the rules of the
jail,--he must await my orders! but I shall keep him closely confined
for two weeks, at least,” said Mr. Grimshaw.
This incensed the consul still more, for he saw the manner in which a
clique of officials were determined to show their arbitrary power. It
was impossible for him to remain indifferent to this matter, affecting,
as it did, the life and liberty of his fellow-countryman. He could
invoke no sympathy for the man, and the extent of punishment to which
he had been subjected was evidently excited by vindictive feelings. He
applied for a writ of habeas corpus,--but mark the result.
The Captain proceeded to the jail, and demanded to see his steward; the
jailer hesitating at first, at length granted his permission. He found
Manuel locked up in a little, unwholesome cell, with scarcely a glimmer
of light to mark the distinction of day and night; and so pale and
emaciated, that had he met him in the street he should scarcely have
recognised him. “Gracious God! What crime could have brought such an
excess of punishment upon you?” inquired the Captain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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