“No!” said the Captain. “My steward is a Portuguese, a sort of mestino, and one of the best men that ever stepped foot aboard a vessel. He is willing, intelligent, always ready to do his duty, and is a great favorite with his shipmates, and saves his wages like a good man-but he is olive complexion, like a Spaniard. He has sailed under the British flag for a great many years, has been 'most all over the world, and is as much attached to the service as if he was a Londoner, and has got a register ticket. Nothing would pain my feelings more than to see him in a prison, for I think he has as proud a notion of honesty as any man I've seen, and I know he wouldn't commit a crime that would subject him to imprisonment for the world. The boys have been pestering the poor fellow, and telling him about some old fellow they heard the pilot speak about, called Norman Gadsden; they tell him if he catches him they'll sell him for a slave.” “The question is one about which you need give yourself no concern. Our people are not so inhuman but that they will shelter a castaway sailor, and extend those comforts which are due from all humane people. The act under which seamen are imprisoned is the law provided to prohibit free niggers from entering our port, and, in my opinion, was brought into life for the sake of the fees. It's no more nor less than a tax and restriction upon commerce, and I doubt whether it was ever the intention of the framers that it should be construed in this manner. However, so far as your steward is con-cerned, the question of how far his color will make him amenable to the law will never be raised; the mere circumstance of his being a seaman in distress, thrown upon our sympathies, will be all you need among our hospitable people. I'm not aware of a precedent, but I will guaranty his safety from a knowledge of the feelings of our people. Our merchants are, with few exceptions, opposed to the law in this sense, but such is the power and control of a class of inexperienced legislators, prompted by a most trifling clique of office-holders, that their voice has no weight. I am opposed to this system of dragging people into courts of law upon every pretext. It is practised too much in our city for the good of its name.” Upon this the Colonel and little George accompanied the Captain to his ship, and, expressing their heartfelt regrets at her appearance, bid him good-night-George promising to call upon him in the morning, and the Colonel charging him to give himself no trouble about his steward, that he would see Mr. Grimshaw that night, and make all things straight. Thus ended the Captain's first night in Charleston, and represented a picture from which he might have drawn conclusions somewhat different from the actual result. Alas! that all the good fellowship and pleasant associations of a people should be disgraced by an absurdity arising from their fears.