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
THE Captain of the Janson had settled his business, and was anxious
to return home. He had done all in his power for Manuel, and
notwithstanding the able exertions of the consul were combined with his,
he had effected nothing to relieve him. The law was imperative, and if
followed out, there was no alternative for him, except upon the ground
of his proving himself entitled to a white man's privileges. To do
this would require an endless routine of law, which would increase his
anxiety and suffering twofold. Mr. Grimshaw had been heard to say, that
if an habeas corpus were sued out, he should stand upon the technicality
of an act of the legislature, refuse to answer the summons or give the
man up. No, he would himself stand the test upon the point of right to
the habeas corpus, and if he was committed for refusing to deliver up
the prisoner, he would take advantage of another act of the legislature,
and after remaining a length of time in jail, demand his release
according to the statutes. So far was Mr. Grimshaw impressed with his
own important position in the matter, and of the course which he should
pursue, that he several times told the prisoners that he should be a
prisoner among them in a few days, to partake of the same fare.
Judge Withers, however, saved him the necessity of such important
trouble. To those acquainted with Judge Withers it would be needless to
dwell upon the traits of his character. To those who are not, we can
say that his were feelings founded upon interest-moving in the foremost
elements of secession-arbitrary, self-willed, and easily swayed by
prejudice-a man known to the public and the bar for his frigidity, bound
in his own opinions, and yielding second to the wishes and principles of
none-fearful of his popularity as a judge, yet devoid of those sterling
principles which deep jurists bring to their aid when considering
important questions, where life or liberty is at stake-a mind that
would rather reinstate monarchy than spread the blessings of a free
government. What ground have we here to hope for a favorable issue?
Thus when the consul applied for the writ of habeas corpus, the right
was denied him, notwithstanding the subject was heir-inherent to all the
rights of citizenship and protection, which the laws of his own nation
could clothe him with. To show how this matter was treated by the
press-though we are happy to say the feelings of the mercantile
community are not reflected in it-we copy the leader from the “Southern
Standard,” a journal published in Charleston, the editor of which
professes to represent the conservative views of a diminutive minority.
Here it is:--
“CHARLESTON, APRIL 23, 1852. “Colored Seamen and State Rights.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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