CHAPTER XVII. "Have the keen eye awake-sleep not, but hold "I SAY it again, Captain Harrison-fortunate is it for mankind, fortunate and thrice happy-Mr. Matthews you will be pleased to respond to the sentiment--thrice fortunate, I say, is it for mankind-Richard Grimstead, this idea is one highly important to your class, and you will give it every attention—thrice fortunate for mankind that there are some spirits in the world, some noble spirits, whom no fear, no danger, not even the dread of death, can discourage or deter in their labours for the good of the people. Who nobly array themselves against injustice, who lift up the banners of truth, and, filled to overflowing with the love of their fellows, who yield up nothing of man's right to exaction and tyranny, but, shouting their defiance to the last, fear not to embrace the stake of martyrdom in the perpetuation of an immortal principle. Yes, captainwhat,--will you not hear?-Mr. Matthews, venerable sir--Master Grayson, Master Walter Grayson, I say— and you, Richard Grimstead-will nobody hear ?--thus it is,--the blind and insensible mass!--they take the safety and the service, but forget the benefactor. It is enough to make the patriot renounce his nature, and leave them to their fate." "You had better go now, doctor, and see poor Murray, instead of standing here making speeches about nothing. Talk of the good of the people, indeed, and leave the sick man without physic till this time of day." "You are right in that, Master Grayson, though scarcely respectful. It concerns the popular welfare, certainly, that men should not fall victims to disease; but you must understand, Master Grayson, that even to this broad and general principle, there are some obvious exceptions. One may and must, now and then, be sacrificed for the good of many--though to confess a truth, this can scarcely be an admitted principle, if such a sacrifice may tend in any way to affect the paramount question of the soul's immortal peace or pain. I have strong doubts whether a man should be hung at all. For, if it happen that he be a bad man, to hang him is to precipitate him into that awful abiding place, to which each successive generation has contributed a new assortment of dooms and demons; and if he should have seen the error of his ways, and repented, he ceases to be a bad man, and should not be hung at all. But, poor Murray, as you remind me, ought to be physicked--these cursed fevers hang on a man, as that sooty-lipped fellow Grimstead says, in a speech, uncouth as himself, like 'death to a dead negro.' The only God to be worshipped in this region, take my word for it, Master Grayson, is that heathen god, Mercury. He is the true friend of the people, and as such I worship him. Captain Harrison-the man is deaf.-Ah, Mr. Matthews-deaf, too!, Farewell, Master Grayson, or do you ride towards Gibbons'? He turns a deaf ear also. Human nature-human nature! I do hate to ride by myself." And with these words, in obvious dissatisfaction-for Doctor Constantine Maximilian Nichols stood alonehe left the house and moved off to the wood where his little tacky stood in waiting. By this time the foresters generally had also left the old pastor's cottage. Giving them instructions to meet him at the Block House, Harrison alone lingered behind with the old Puritan, to whom the preceding events had somehow or other been productive of much sore disquietude. He had shown his disapprobation at various stages of their occurrence; and even now, when the restoration of Hector, more than ever, showed the propriety, or policy at least, of the course which had been pursued, the old man seemed still to maintain a decided hos tility to the steps which Harrison had taken for the recovery of his property. Having once determined against the individual himself, the pastor was one of those dogged and self-satisfied persons who can never bring themselves to the dismissal of a prejudice; who never permit themselves to approve of any thing done by the obnoxious person, and who studiously seek, in reference to him, every possible occasion for discontent and censure. In such a mood he addressed Harrison when the rest had departed "This violence, Master Harrison," said he, "might do in a condition of war and civil commotion; but while there are laws for the protection of the people and for the punishment of the aggressor, the resort to measures like that which I have this day witnessed, I hold to be highly indecorous and criminal." "Mr. Matthews, you talk of laws, as if that pirate fellow could be brought to justice by a sheriff." "And why should he not, Master Harrison ?" My good sir, for the very best reason in the world, if you will but open your eyes, and take off some few of the scales which you delight to wear. Because, in that vessel, carrying guns and men enough to serve them, he could safely bid defiance to all the sheriffs you could muster. Let the wind but serve, and he could be off, carrying you along with him if he so thought proper, and at this moment nothing we could do could stop him. There is no defending Port Royal, and that is its misfortune. You must always call the force from Charlestown which could do so, and at this time there is not a single armed vessel in that port. No sir-nothing but maneuvering now for that fellow, and we must manage still more adroitly before we get our own terms out of him." "Why sir-where's the battery at Port Royal?" "Pshaw, Mr. Matthews-a mere fly in the face of the wind. The battery at Port Royal, indeed, which the Spaniards have twice already taken at noonday, and which they would have tumbled into nothing, but for Captain Godfrey and myself, as you should remem ber, for your own chance and that of your family were narrow enough. A good wind, sir, would carry this Blifustier beyond the fort before three guns could be brought to bear upon her." "Well, Master Harrison, even if this be the case, I should rather the guilty should escape than that selfconstituted judges should take into their own hands the administration of justice and the law." "Indeed, Master Pastor, but you are too merciful by half; and Hector, if he heard you now, would have few thanks for a charity, which would pack him off to the Cuba plantations for the benefit of your bully-boy acquaintance. No, no. I shall always hold and recover my property by the strong arm, when other means are wanting." "And pray, sir, what security have the people, that you, unknown to them as you are, may not employ the same arm to do them injustice, while proposing justice for yourself?" "That is what Nichols would call the popular argument, and for which he would give you thanks, while using it against you. But, in truth, this is the coil, and amounts to neither more nor less than this, that all power is subject to abuse. I do not contend for the regular practice of that which I only employ in a last necessity. But, of this enough,-I am in no mood for hair splitting and arguing about trifling irregularities, when the chance is that there are far more serious difficulties before us. Hear me, then, Mr. Matthews, on a subject more important to yourself. You are here, residing on the borders of a savage nation, with an interest scarcely worth your consideration, and certainly no engrossing object. Your purpose is the good of those around you, and with that object you suffer privations here, to which your family are not much accustomed. I have an interest in your welfare, and-" The lips of the pastor curled contemptuously into a smile. Harrison proceeded : "I understand that expression, sir; and, contenting myself with referring you for a commentary upon it to the sacred profession of your pursuit, I freely forgive it." The pastor's cheek grew crimson, while the other continued: "You are here, sir, as I have said, upon the Indian borders. There is little real affinity between you. The entire white population thus situated, and stretching for thirty miles towards the coast in this direction, does not exceed nine hundred, men, women, and children. You live remotely from each other-there is but little concert between you, and, bating an occasional musket, or sword, the hatchet and the knife are the only weapons which your houses generally furnish. The Indians are fretful and becoming insolent-" "Let me interrupt you, Master Harrison. I believe not that; and so far as my experience goes, the Yemassees were never more peaceable than at this moment." "Pardon me, sir, if I say, you know little of the Indians, and are quite too guileless yourself to comprehend the least portion of their deceitful character. Are you aware, sir, of the insurrection which took place in Pocota-ligo last night?" "I am not-what insurrection ?" "The chiefs, deposed by the people, and by this time probably destroyed for selling their lands yesterday to the commissioners." "Ah! I could have said the why and the wherefore, without your speech. This but proves, Captain Harrison, that we may, if we please, provoke them by our persecutions into insurrections. Why do we thus seek to rob them of their lands-when, oh! Father of mercies, when shall there be but one flock of all classes and colours, all tribes and nations, of thy people, and thy blessed Son, our Saviour, the good and guiding shepherd thereof ?" "The prayer is a just one, and the blessing desirable; but, while I concur with your sentiment, I am not willing to agree with you that our desire to procure their lands is at all inconsistent with the prayer. Un |