The Dutchman soon prepared the smashes, and supplying them with straws, put them upon the table, and seated chairs close at hand. “Excuse me!” said Manuel, “I've drunk enough already, and should like to lie down. I am unwell, and feel the effect of what I have already taken. I am too feeble. Pray tell me how far the prison is from here, and I will go myself.”
“Go, is it?—the divil a go ye'll go from this until ye drink the smash. None of yer Portugee independence here. We larn niggers the politeness of gintlemen in Charleston, me buck!” and seizing him by the collar, dragged him to the table, then grasping the tumbler with the other hand, he held it before his face. “Do you see that? and, bedad, ye'll drink it, and not be foolin', or I'd put the contents in your phiz,” said he.
Manuel took the glass, while the Dutchman stood chuckling over the very nice piece of fun, and the spice of Mr. Dunn's wit, as he called it. “Vat zu make him vat'e no vants too? You doz make me laugh so ven zu comes 'ere, I likes to kilt myself,” said Drydez.
A bright mulatto-fellow was now seen in the front store, making quizzical signs to the Dutchman; who understanding its signification, lost no time in slipping into his pocket a tumbler nearly half full of brandy and water; and stepping behind the division door, passed it slily to the mulatto, who equally as slily passed it down his throat; and putting a piece of money into the Dutchman's hand, stepped up to the counter, as if to wait for his change. “All right!” said the Dutchman, looking around at his shelves, and then again under the counter.
“No so!” said the mulatto; “I want fourpence; you done' dat befor' several times; I wants my money.”
“Get out of my store, or I'll kick you out,” said the Dutchman, and catching up a big club, ran from behind the counter and commenced belaboring the negro over the head in a most unmerciful manner. At this, the mulatto retreated into the lane, and with a volley of the vilest epithets, dared the Dutchman to come out, and he would whip him.
Dunn ran to the scene, and ordered the negro to be off, and not use such language to a white man, that it was “contrary to law,” and he would take him to the workhouse.
“Why, massa, I knows what 'em respect white men what be gemmen like yersef, but dat Dutchman stand da'h a'n't no gentlem', he done gone tieffe my money seven time; an' I whip him sure-jus' lef' him come out here. I doesn't care for true, and God saw me, I be whip at the wukhouse next minute. He tief, an' lie, an 'e cheat me.” The Dutchman stood at the door with the big stick in his hand-the negro in the middle of the lane with his fists in a pugilistic attitude, daring and threatening, while the limping Dunn stood by the side of the Dutchman, acting as a mediator. Manuel, taking advantage of the opportunity, emptied his tumbler down a large opening in the floor.
It is a notorious fact in Charleston, that although the negro, whether he be a black or white one, is held in abject obedience to the white man proper, no matter what his grade may be, yet such is the covetous and condescending character of these groggery keepers, that they become courteous to the negro and submit to an equality of sociability. The negro, taking advantage of this familiarity, will use the most insulting and abusive language to this class of Dutchmen, who, either through cowardice, or fear of losing their trade, never resent it. We may say, in the language of Dunn, when he was asked if negroes had such liberties with white men in Charleston, “A nigger knows a Dutch shopkeeper better than he knows himself-a nigger dare not speak that way to anybody else.”
The Dutchman gets a double profit from the negro, and with it diffuses a double vice among them, for which they have to suffer the severest penalty. It is strictly “contrary to law” to purchase any thing from a negro without a ticket to sell it, from his master. But how is this regarded? Why, the shopkeeper foregoes the ticket, encourages the warehouse negro to steal, and purchases his stealings indiscriminately, at about one-half their value. We might enumerate fifty different modes practised by “good” legal voting citizens—totally regardless of the law—and exerting an influence upon the negro tenfold more direful than that which could possibly arise from the conversation of a few respectable men belonging to a friendly nation.