an old town by the sea(滨海古城)-第11节
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ends。 Portsmouth has the honor； I believe； of establishing the first recorded
pauper workhousethough not in connection with her poets； as might
naturally be supposed。 The building was completed and tenanted in 1716。
Seven years later； an act was passed in England authorizing the
establishment of parish workhouses there。 The first and only keeper of the
Portsmouth almshouse up to 1750 was a womanRebecca Austin。
Speaking of first things； we are told by Mr。 Nathaniel Adams； in his
〃Annals of Portsmouth；〃 that on the 20th of April； 1761； Mr。 John Stavers
began running a stage from that town to Boston。 The carriage was a two…
horse curricle； wide enough to accommodate three passengers。 The fare
was thirteen shillings and sixpence sterling per head。 The curricle was
presently superseded by a series of fat yellow coaches； one of which
nearly a century later； and long after that pleasant mode of travel had
fallen obsoletewas the cause of much mental tribulation （1。 Some idle
reader here and there may possibly recall the burning of the old stage…
coach in The Story of a Bad Boy。） to the writer of this chronicle。
The mail and the newspaper are closely associated factors in
civilization； so I mention them together； though in this case the newspaper
antedated the mail…coach about five years。 On October 7； 1756； the first
number of 〃The New Hampshire Gazette and Historical Chronicle〃 was
issued in Portsmouth from the press of Daniel Fowle； who in the previous
July had removed from Boston； where he had undergone a brief but
uncongenial imprisonment on suspicion of having printed a pamphlet
entitled 〃The Monster of Monsters； by Tom Thumb； Esq。；〃 an essay that
contained some uncomplimentary reflections on several official
personages。The 〃Gazette〃 was the pioneer journal of the province。 It was
followed at the close of the same year by 〃The Mercury and Weekly
Advertiser；〃 published by a former apprentice of Fowle； a certain Thomas
Furber； backed by a number of restless Whigs； who considered the
〃Gazette〃 not sufficiently outspoken in the cause of liberty。 Mr。 Fowle；
however； contrived to hold his own until the day of his death。 Fowle had
for pressman a faithful negro named Primus； a full…blooded African。
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Whether Primus was a freeman or a slave I am unable to state。 He lived to
a great age； and was a prominent figure among the people of his own
color。
Negro slavery was common in New England at that period。 In 1767；
Portsmouth numbered in its population a hundred and eighty…eight slaves；
male and female。 Their bondage； happily； was nearly always of a light sort；
if any bondage can be light。 They were allowed to have a kind of
government of their own； indeed； were encouraged to do so； and no
unreasonable restrictions were placed on their social enjoyment。 They
annually elected a king and counselors； and celebrated the event with a
procession。 The aristocratic feeling was highly developed in them。 The
rank of the master was the slave's rank。 There was a great deal of ebony
standing around on its dignity in those days。 For example； Governor
Langdon's manservant； Cyrus Bruce； was a person who insisted on his
distinction； and it was recognized。 His massive gold chain and seals； his
cherry…colored small…clothes and silk stockings； his ruffles and silver shoe…
buckles； were a tradition long after Cyrus himself was pulverized。
In cases of minor misdemeanor among them； the negros themselves
were permitted to be judge and jury。 Their administration of justice was
often characteristically naive。 Mr。 Brewster gives an amusing sketch of
one of their sessions。 King Nero is on the bench； and one Catowe are
nothing if not classicalis the prosecuting attorney。 The name of the
prisoner and the nature of his offense are not disclosed to posterity。 In the
midst of the proceedings the hour of noon is clanged from the neighboring
belfry of the Old North Church。 〃The evidence was not gone through with；
but the servants could stay no longer from their home duties。 They all
wanted to see the whipping； but could not conveniently be present again
after dinner。 Cato ventured to address the King： Please you Honor； best let
the fellow have his whipping now； and finish the trial after dinner。 The
request seemed to be the general wish of the company： so Nero ordered
ten lashes； for justice so far as the trial went； and ten more at the close of
the trial； should he be found guilty！〃
Slavery in New Hampshire was never legally abolished； unless
Abraham Lincoln did it。 The State itself has not ever pronounced any
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emancipation edict。 During the Revolutionary War the slaves were
generally emancipated by their masters。 That many of the negros； who had
grown gray in service； refused their freedom； and elected to spend the rest
of their lives as pensioners in the families of their late owners； is a
circumstance that illustrates the kindly ties which held between slave and
master in the old colonial days in New England。
The institution was accidental and superficial； and never had any real
root in the Granite State。 If the Puritans could have found in the Scriptures
any direct sanction of slavery； perhaps it would have continued awhile
longer； for the Puritan carried his religion into the business affairs of life；
he was not even able to keep it out of his bills of lading。 I cannot close this
rambling chapter more appropriately and solemnly than by quoting from
one of those same pious bills of landing。 It is dated June； 1726； and reads：
〃Shipped by the grace of God in good order and well conditioned； by Wm。
Pepperills on there own acct。 and risque； in and upon the good Briga
called the William； whereof is master under God for this present voyage
George King； now riding at anchor in the river Piscataqua and by God's
grace bound to Barbadoes。〃 Here follows a catalogue of the miscellaneous
cargo； rounded off with： 〃And so God send the good Briga to her desired
port in safety。 Amen。〃
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VI。 SOME OLD PORTSMOUTH
PROFILES
I DOUBT if any New England town ever turned out so many eccentric
characters as Portsmouth。 From 1640 down to about 1848 there must have
been something in the air of the place that generated eccentricity。 In
another chapter I shall explain why the conditions have not been favorable
to the development of individual singularity during the latter half of the
present century。 It is easier to do that than fully to account for the
numerous queer human types which have existed from time to time
previous to that period。
In recently turning over the pages of Mr。 Brewster's entertaining
collection of Portsmouth sketches； I have been struck by the number and
variety of the odd men and women who appear incidentally on the scene。
They are； in the author's intention； secondary figures in the background of
his landscape； but they stand very much in the foreground of one's
memory after the book is laid aside。 One finds one's self thinking quite as
often of that squalid old hut…dweller up by Sagamore Creek as of General
Washington； who visited the town in 1789。 Conservatism and
respectability have their values； certainly； but has not the unconventional
its values also？ If we render unto that old hut…dweller the things which are
that old hut…dweller's； we must concede him his picturesqueness。 He was
dirty； and he was not respecta
