Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-02-06
Charleston in 1850.

The handsome city rising proudly from
ne bay, between It's twin rivers, with II
Battery square at their junction, reminde,
US IN situation OF the great metropolis W
lad Just lett; hut It's beautiful shade
S'ree!s, lis quaint old houses-wih wealt
~ veihnda and balcony, Standing ut a,
angle to the street, the better to catch tn
sea hret ze, add surrounded by high walle,
gardens-lts scmi-tropical air, were al
us own, and had no parallel at the north
so too, The multitude of negroes was
distinctive feature; and there was to us
great variety and novelty to us about th
southern specimens of the article It WA
our custom 10 visit the public market il
the very early morning, to see to the bes
dvan'age one of the sights of the place
Few were more attractive or more plctur
e'que than the long building, filled will
stalls fruit and flowers, presided over b,
portly colored women. wearing gay tur
bans, each one of whom was inyariabl,
addressed as "iunte"
Again, the household servants, full,
three times rs numerous as in similar
establishments at the north, were ar
amusing study. Thei" phenomenal slow
ness may be illustrated by single Incl
dent. Our host, as we were going te
drive, found no whip in the carriage
and said to the groom at the horses head
sam. 60 the the stable and bring mt
! the whip" "4es, nassau replied Sam
as he leisurely disappeared. Hardly was
he out of sight when the master. address.
ing another negro said: Tom 90 and
stir up SAM" "Yes, massa," answered
Tom, as he slowly followed in the wake OF
Sam. No sooner had he faded from view
than our friend in the most matter OF
course way, called to one more of his peo-
pile: Jim, you 60 and stir up Tom p
o7, mHs9a." was the obedient response
as The thlrd messenger shuthed along The
stable path, After we had waited long
enough for 4 nothern man to make a whip,
| the three negroes returned together the
last sent carrying the desired article. And
yet, despite such experiences, which must
have been the rule of their daily life, the
patience Of the masters seemed never to
tail, and their care of their servants, AS
we saw it, was something wonderful. In
almost every house we visited there was a
group OF old and utterly useless slaves,
who were maintained by their former
owner in comfort. The relation between
the family and servants of the house was
one of friendship.
The term 'abolitionlsts" had evidently
been used to alarm the blacks, and the
younger ones especially were firmly con-
vinccd that it made terrible creature
intent upon evil to them. Some waegish
youths spread the story among the African
members OF the household in which we
visited that we were "Bobolitonists. :"
For some time our appearance at the
gateway of any of these houses was the
signal for the instant disappearance of the
crowd of young negroes who but mo-
ment before had been basking on the steps,
or on The piazza, or in the doorway; and
our entrance TO the mansion was enivened
by the frightened glances of the sooty
images hiding behind hat stands, or peep
ing around corners. On one occasion
when specially bright young darkey had
been sent for to give us Il specimen of
plantation dance and song, he bolted at
the parlor door. and firmly refused to
enter the room, lest the "Bobolitionists'
should carry him MORT"
Very earnest efforts were made by our
friends to convince US that the pat-iarchal
institution was absolutely the best possible
arrangement for the black man. In fact
we even suspected, sometimes, that pic.
tnresque tableaux had been arranged for
our particular benefit. After dinner
party for instance, at which slavery had
been demonstrated, from Scripture and
nature alike, to be wholly right, and Just
at the point when our eloquent host was
asserting that his negroes were treated
like his own children, and apparently
accidental drawing aside of the cloth re.
veaIed his lille son and Il black boy each
about six years of age, fast asleep in one
another's arms, under the table.
There was, however, another side to
this matter, which could not escape our
attention, although we were left to find it
cut for ourselves. The city of Charleston
had at this time population OF forty
thousand, almost equally divided between
the Two races. There were several large
stone barracks in different points of the
city, each one fort in itself. These
were manned by policemen, drilled and
armed as soldiers. The men were of Irish
birth, and were REQUIRED TO be unmarried
and live in the barracks. After sunset
each block was patroled by one member
of this force, and mounted guard assign
ed to each three blocks. The signals and
communications were perfect. The Off
GERS were graduates of the South Carolina
military schools, and their discipline was
rigid At night the whole city was under
martial law, so far as the blacks we're
concerned Any negro found in the
streets after nine in the evening, without
"A pass from bis master, WAS arrested
forthwith. At ten minutes before nine, a
drummer III front of each police station
began TO beat the long roll, and at once
the streets were filled iull of colored men,
women and children, flying to their homes.
During the last minute II succession of
sharp taps was given. and as these rang
on The confusion increased. This was
the opportunity for young and active
darkies TO have n little sport at the ex-
pense of the police. 1t so happened that
the duty of scavengers, about the markets
and OF her parts of the city, were perform
ed bv useful but unsightly birds called
buzzards. The regroes used to apply this
name to the policemen, whose hercest
wrath was aroused by the unsavory title.
A juvenile African, having, with mastery
ceneralship, provlved safe line ofretreat.
would sally from his entrenchment just at
the forbidden hour, dancing, turning SOM
elsaults and shouting the hated name OF
'buzzard," as the patroman came in
sight. The maligned officials. after secur--
ing the gateway whence the offender had
emerged would close in upon him.
apparently leaving no chance for escape;
but at the critical moment sudden rush
for tree or vine, or some footway known
only to the boy, would carry him safely
over the garden wall. from which, as he
disappeared from view, q parting cry OF