Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-01-10
Gbe Anti- 5laprrp Buolc.
From the New York Evening Post.
HOW THEY SUPPRESS SERvILE INSUR-
RECTI0NS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE CHARLESTON GUARD-HoUsE.


To the Editors Of tie Ecening Posts
Having looked into the Wokhouse let us turn
aud take view of the Guard. House," an edifce
equally suggestive of the system thut gave its ex.
istence. st. Nichols Church, with its tall, gaunt
steeple the City Hall, with its broad, squatty
root; the Anticipated uurt-lIouse with its dilap-
idated walls, and the Guard House, with its con-
tinual in-gong and outgoing of lazy looking men
in uniforms-these flank the four corners OF Meet
ing aud Broad streets, two of the principal thor
oughfares in Charleston. The Guard House stand
ing on the southwest corner, is of the D0ric order
with heavy Corinthian columns, forming a colonade
on the streets here named. There is a sombre
tomb-like air about the building. and when seen
on misty day tits walls exqusitely
dingy) presents an appearance quite like what one
might imagine the Par Etheon,if hung in mourning.
The Charlestonian betrays singular passion for
fashioning his public buildings after the style Of
the ancents.
This Guard House is the rendezvous and bar
racks of what is called "The Guard" The Gaard
is formidable body of well disciplined men muiu-
tanned ut the expense Of the city; their duty is to
protect it against the mschevUus designs of the
slave population There two Guard Houses in
Charleston-he upper and the lower-one on
what is called the Neck, and the other in the
centre of the city. The latter the principal one,
is that which describing.
A sentinel in uniform similar to that worn by
the British infantry soldier, with cross belt, fire
lock and heavy side-arins PAGES in front. In fine
weather, the officers and noncommissioned officers
OF the Guard may be seen, some seated on benches.
some lettering about under the front colunade.
The inside of the GuardlIouse is fitted up with
rooms for the officers ard non-commissioned
officers, long room for the guard duty, cells
for the confinement of denquents picked up
during the night and an immense square room for
the use of the privates of the corps which is fitted
up with benches ana hunks, similar to those in
the tween decks of ship. We should not forget
that there is also courtroom in the Guard House.
In this his Honor the Mayor holds court every
morning at ten o'clock, for the disposal of such
persons as are brought in for misdemeanor during
the night.
The Guard consists of nearly FIVE hundred men.
Il speak from memory,) mostly Irish and Germans.
employed at regular stiI end per month. 1t were
well to bear in mind that this body of men is ide.
pendent of the day police" the ccnstabuary, and
the private watchmen, which together form
numerous body. but have functions of a similar
nature The Guard is oficered by captain
(quite an important character;) first, second third
and fourth lieutenants; sergeant, corporals and
lance corporais, who wear uniform and receive
very considerable yearly salary. On Sunday n
portion If the Guard is dea led special service.
and, arrayed in bright uniform, present quite
sodiery appearance
At the ringing of the early bell the members of
the Guard on relief muster at the Guard House,
where they perform series of evoutiuns peculiar
to their service, and are then marched out, in
charge of officers, to their several beats, where
they remaiL until midnight, and relieved by
another file. The city it may 10 said, is lined
with these man during the night, who may be
distinguished by their gray, slouchy night uni
forms, their clean white cross belts, their side.
arms and their truncheons. These men, although
singularly illiterate as class, and er1cious il
their hate of the negro (this is especially so with
the sons of Erin, axe invested with almost ali.
aolute power over him. Indeed it has been charged
by those who look upon the Guard unnecessa-
rily expensive to the city that it is nothing more
than system OF espionage upon the slaves, whom
it serves to make eremies, while q better end
would be obtained by couci!atng their friend,
ship.
The ringing of the first bell at a quarter TO nine,
is the signal for all slaves and persons Of color
repair to their homes. Those fund out after
nine o'clock, without a pass from white citizen,
are liable to seizure by the guardman, whose duty
it is to convey them to the nearest guard-h0uSe,
whore they are incarcera;ed in cels aud arraigned
before his Honor in the morning. If merely found
"Out without criminal intent the owner is notified
in the morning by the guardman who apprekended
him. The master, If unwilling to have his slave
punished may appear in his behalf and an offering
u satisfactory for being found out after
hours" fine Of four dollars is inflicted. one
half Of which goes to tho guardman. If the
owner be Indifferent, or refuse to appear on behalf
of his slave, then the slave is ordered sundry
strokes Of the paddle, sent to the Workhouse pun
ished, and discharged. When it IL remembered
that the free colored people are amenabe to the
slave-aws, and are held under surveillance even
more rigid than that to which the slave is reduced
their hardShps are easily cumpreheuded. Many
of these free people of color" are models of good
behavior. and wealthy and when subjected to
the petty tyranny OF these ignorant guardmen,
their chagrin may be more easily imagined than
described.
This system of giving passes is of itself farce
for alntest any white man may give a twelve
one o'clock pass to negro, and the proper officer
will countersign it single night pass is not
required to be countersigned. With such passes
the negro runs the guard. Again negroes fire.
quenty forge passes, and being much more intelli.
gent than many fthe guardsmen,(we have known
several of the latter who could neither read nor
write) deceive them and pass unmolested to the OBJ
ject Of their visit Several times have been called
by guardsmen who, having dragged to the light of
lamp an unfortunate slave, puzzling their
wits over passes not a word of which could they
deeipher. OF course always interpreted favor
ably to the weaker and being well known, had
the satisfaction Of seeing the slave go his way
rejoicing. Indeed there is continual concocting
of deceptOns aud clashingS OF interests between
the negroes side, and the guardsmen on
the other. The former, with his characteristic
cunning makes the gnardsman his study. lie can
tell you the beat of every one Of them, and who
among them are unable to read passes. lie can
point you to those he bribe with small
amount of pocket change; he can tell you who
is cruel in the exercise Of his duties, and who
is more humanely inclined; and he will when his
necessities require it, take advantage of their
weakness. On the other hand, the guardman
is continually concoctng schemes to draw the
negro from his hidngpace after bell-ring
aud having succeeded, he will pounce upon him,
and either demand fee for his release, or drag
him off to the Guard House with the satisfaction
of knowing he will get share Of the fine i'm
posed in the morning.
Violence is in many instances made by the
rds a nf aytortnU mo frnrn fha
slave for his release. We have, indeed, Witnessed
cruelties perpetrated by these men upon defence
less slaves that would have disgraced the savage
Spaniard in the daYs Of the hucaniers done