Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-01-03

SOUTH CAhOblNh
ny A FORMER CITIZEN OF CHARLESTON.
In the outskirts of the city of Charleston, to the
west there rises building of gigantic proportions
which, viewed from distance, the stranger might
mistake for q castle. 1t covers more than an acre
of ground, is built of brick and stone, and coated
with brown mortar, which in the clear atmosphere
adds a singular boldness to its outlines. In form
square, its high, casellated walls its suspicious
looking PORTFOLIOS. its turrets and watch-towers
and well-towers, on a nearer view, give out strong
evidence of its being fort-in other words, II
means to armng the fears of the community. It's
position however, at once divests you of the idea
that it was built as q means of defending the
city from the attacks of an enemy from without
We will tell you, reader, that it is neither fort
nor a castle it is simply the "Charest0n Work
house"-a municipal slave-pen-grand and impos-
ing without. and full of bleeding hearts within
1t was built by the city, at an enormous expense.
The design was suggested by one Ledgre Hutchin-
son. gentleman of fine taste, who had travelled
much in Europe, where he conceived the plan of
fashioning this municipal slave pen after cele-
brated castle on the Rhine. Mr. Hutchinson be-
ing several times elected Mayor Of the city Of
Charleston, inaugurated one of his terms by intro.
ducng proposal to build this magnificent insti-
tuition, the policy of which vas, at that time, con-
considered too extravagant to be taken into serious
consideration. This gave rise to strong opposition.
The question became one of parties. young
OnarleSuOn WenU lOT IL, Olu OndrleSlOn OppOs6u
it, The necessity for such building argued
upon various grounds, one of which was, that it
would supply place of refuge we'll defence
for the inhabitants Of the city, in the event of
insurrection among the slaves. Young Charles
tom in time triumphed and this castellated slave
pen-we can call it by no more appropriate name
was the result. Having viewed it from without,
Ie. us look within. You enter at the east front,
through a massive Gothic door or gate, and find
yourself in a spacious -vestibule with broad stairs
al. us,.bA ~ laf 81
vestbule, and inserted into the WALL are marble
tables, on which is inscribed, in bold lettering the
names of the architect and designer, the date of
the laying of the corner stone, and sundry other
things, appertaining to the building Having sat
isfed your curiosity the inscriptions, you pro-
ceed through narrow passages, passing through
the "Punishment Room" side, and the
apartments of some of the officers the other,
and fud yourself looking into a hollow square,
surrounded by two or three tiers of galleries. -
There is uaIrack-like appearance about the gal
leries, while the air of gloom that pervades all,
excites strange fancies in ones mind. Returning
to the vestibule you can ascend the broad stairs to
the first gallery, round which you may walk. look
ing into the squares upon the various apartments
appropriated to the officers, &C., &c. Around
these galleries rows of small cells, about four
feet six inches wide, seven feet long and as many
high; in them slaves are confined. The "work-
house" answers double purpose these convicted
OF crimes to which the slave laws make them
for sale sent here for safe keeping and for this
their owners charged seventeen cents day,
which incud.s their food-a peck of corn grts
per week. slave "brokers," well as dealers,
passing through Charleston with cofles, find
this a convenient place to deposit their merchant.
disc. Safety and economy, two desirable objects,
are here nicely om5ined. The cells are without
BEDS and during the chilly autumn nights much
suffering to the human beings thus confined is a
natural result One coarse blanket is considered
Hnta tl,,c
in the papers a notice from the "work house keep
ers" to owners to provide blankets for their
slaves, or it will he done by the institution and
charged to them. This is strongly suggestive OF
the suffering to which these poor mortals are sub
jected Under former regime in the days of the
''old workhouse," it was customary to set slaves
confined for crimes to work breaking stones.-
For this purpose they were supplied with sharp
pointed hammers with handles about four feet
long. These hammers, during attempt at in
surrecton, somewhat celebrated being headed
by the boy Nicholas" were turned into instru
ments of warfare they used with great ef
feet, and made weapon by which the police were
twice repulsed. In of these the mayor had
his arm broken. Since that time the labor oil
breaking stone has been suspended. It may here
be we'll to add that The people of Charleston live
in continual fear of uprising of the slaves. and
keep in existence tAe most complete preparations
for meeting suoh an event.
Having walked round the galleries. looked into
the narrow pens that line their sides, and glanced
at the where dealers in slave merchandise ex
hibit their wares to purchasers, will decend the
stairs, turn short to the right, and enter small
dark room aqout sixteen feet square. We are in
the "Punishment Room" Here ingenuity would
seem to have exhausted itself in devising insru
ments of torture. We say torture-for when mar
is reduced to merchandise, submission must fol
low /; and when every other means fail to produce
it, torture is restored TO- In many instances thu
master, in sending his slave to be punished at th
.yUn hnn rlth thnr m Itn fhnn in
flict pain. Hence the appearance of the
punishment Room" is made u that end.
Fantasticaly shaped caps for smothering the head"
wooden instruments of various sizes, with fla
blades from four to six inches wide, and handle
three feet long. called paddles broad leather
straps ropes and cowhides-all hang there sus
pended upon tAe walls. A block and tackle
similar to that used on shipboard. hangs suspend
ed from the centre Of the ceilings while underneath
platform stretches across the floor. Upon thi
platform the slave is made to stand, his feet being
fast secured to it with cords. His wrists thei
secured in double shackle, to which the block i
hooked on, and the victim being stripped and tn
cap drawn over his face, is hoisted to the utmos
tension OF his or her body. Some of these pad
dies have perforated blades, and when laid on tn
Posteriors, as is customary produce acute pain
BY this somewhat refined process of punishment
the property is saved that deterioration in valu
which results from lacerating the back with tn
whip or cowhiIe. Suspended in the manner her
described, the paddle is laid on by the keeper o
the institution, or one of his officers. The fee
ACQUIRING from punishment very considerable
and are part of the perquistes of the keeper
Powerless, but writhing in the agony Of hi
pain, the cries of the sufferer not unfrequentl,
break upon the ear, piercingly, outside the wall
Of the prison. AS slaves vary in color, from tn
fairest white down to the blackest ebony, SO is on
constitution more delicate than another. Th
more robust black can bear up longer under pun
ishment than the bright or fair slave. In view
nf hta 10 In OaHa nh tha ai1an n
the paddle, as we'll as the force of the blow to tn
.bearabilty of the constitution 1t is not an un
common thing that females, delicate, and fair 0
skin, are punished in this manner If you be