with lee in virginia-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃hut　I　think　I　could　settle　down　too；　and　give　most　of　my　time　to

the　estate；　if　I　was　responsible　for　it。　I　dare　say　mother　is　in　a

difficulty　over　it；　and　I　should　not　have　spoken　as　I　did；　I　will　go　in

and　tell　her　so。〃　



Vincent　found　his　mother　sitting　as　he　had　left　her。　Although　she

had　sided　with　Jonas；　it　was　against　her　will；　for　it　was　grievous　to

her　to　hear　complaints　of　the　treatment　of　the　slaves　at　the

Orangery。　　Still；　as　Rosa　had　said；　she　felt　every　confidence　in　her

overseer；　and　believed　that　he　was　an　excellent　servant。　　She　was

conscious　that　she　herself　knew　nothing　of　business；　and　that　she

must　therefore　give　her　entire　confidence　to　her　manager。　　She

greatly　disliked　the　strictness　of　Jonas；　but　if；　as　he　said；　the　slaves

would　not　obey　him　without；　he　must　do　as　lie　thought　best。



〃I　think　I　spoke　too　hastily；　mother；〃　Vincent　said　as　he　entered；

〃and　I　am　sure　that　you　would　not　wish　the　slaves　to　be　ill…treated

more　than　I　should。　　I　dare　say　Jonas　means　for　the　best。〃



〃I　feel　sure　that　he　does；　Vincent。　　A　man　in　his　position　cannot

make　himself　obeyed　like　a　master。　　I　wish　it　could　be　otherwise；

and　I　will　speak　to　him　on　the　subject；　but　it　will　not　do　to

interfere　with　him　too　much。　　A　good　overseer　is　not　easy　to　get；

and　the　slaves　are　always　ready　to　take　advantage　of　leniency。　　An

easy　master　makes　bad　work；　but　an　easy　overseer　would　mean

ruin　to　an　estate。　　I　am　convinced　that　Jonas　has　our　interests　at

heart；　and　I　will　tell　him　that　I　particularly　wish　that　he　will　devise

some　other　sort　of　punishment；　such　as　depriving　men　who　won't

work　of　some　of　their　privileges　instead　of　using　the　lash。〃



〃Thank　you；　mother。　　At　any　rate；　he　might　he　told　that　the　lash　is

never　to　be　used　without　first　appealing　to　you。〃



〃I　will　see　about　it；　Vincent；　and　talk　it　over　with　him。〃　And　with

that　Vincent　was　satisfied。



CHAPTER　II。　BUYING　A　SLAVE。



MRS。　WINGFIELD　did　talk　the　matter　over　with　the　overseer；　and

things　went　on　in　consequence　more　smoothly。　Vincent；　however；

adhered　to　his　wish；　and　it　was　arranged　that　as　soon　as　he　could

get　a　nomination　he　should　go　to　West　Point；　which　is　to　the

American　army　what　Sandhurst　and　Woolwich　are　to　England。　

Before　that　could　he　done；　however；　a　great　political　agitation

sprang　up。　The　slaves　States　were　greatly　excited　over　the　prospect

of　a　Republican　president　being　chosen；　for　the　Republicans　were

to　a　great　extent　identified　with　the　abolition　movement；　and

public　feeling；　which　had　for　some　time　run　high；　became

intensified　as　the　time　approached　for　the　election　of　a　new

president；　and　threats　that　if　the　Democrats　were　beaten　and　a

Republican　elected　the　slave　States　would　secede　from　the　Union；

were　freely　indulged　in。



In　Virginia；　which　was　one　of　the　most　northern　of　the　slave

States；　opinion　was　somewhat　divided；　there　being　a　strong

minority　against　any　extreme　measures　being　taken。　Among

Vincent's　friends；　however；　who　were　for　the　most　part　the　sons　of

planters；　the　Democratic　feeling　was　very　strongly　in　the

ascendant；　and　their　sympathies　were　wholly　with　the　Southern

States。　　That　these　had　a　right　to　secede　was　assumed　by　them　as

being　unquestionable。



But　in　point　of　fact　there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　said　on　both　sides。　

The　States　which　first　entered　the　Union　in　1776　considered

themselves　to　be　separate　and　sovereign　States；　each　possessing

power　and　authority　to　manage　its　own　affairs；　and　forming　only　a

federation　in　order　to　construct　a　central　power；　and　so　to　operate

with　more　effect　against　the　mother　country。　　Two　years　later　the

constitution　of　the　United　States　was　framed；　each　State　giving　up

a　certain　portion　of　its　authority；　reserving　its　own　self…government

and　whatever　rights　were　not　specifically　resigned。　



No　mention　was　made　in　the　constitution　of　the　right　of　a　State　to

secede　from　the　Union；　and　while　those　who　insisted　that　each

State　had　a　right　to　secede　if　it　chose　to　do　so　declared　that　this

right　was　reserved；　their　opponents　affirmed　that　such　a　case　could

never　have　been　contemplated。　　Thus　the　question　of　absolute　right

had　never　been　settled；　and　it　became　purely　one　of　force。



Early　in　November；　1860；　it　became　known　that　the　election　of

Mr。　Lincoln；　the　Republican　candidate；　was　assured；　and　on　the

ninth　of　that　month　the　representatives　of　South　Carolina　met　at

Charleston；　and　unanimously　authorized　the　holding　of　a　State

convention　to　meet　in　the　third　week　in　December。　　The

announcement　caused　great　excitement；　for　it　was　considered

certain　that　the　convention　would　pass　a　vote　of　secession；　and

thus　bring　the　debated　question　to　an　issue。　　Although　opinion　in

Virginia　was　less　unanimous　than　in　the　more　southern　States；　it

was　generally　thought　that　she　would　imitate　the　example　of　South

Carolina。



On　the　day　following　the　receipt　of　the　news；　Vincent；　who　had

ridden　over　to　the　plantations　of　several　of　his　friends　to　talk　the

matter　over；　was　returning　homeward；　when　he　heard　the　sound　of

heavy　blows　with　a　whip　and　loud　curses；　and　a　moment　later　a

shrill　scream　in　a　woman's　voice　rose　in　the　air。



Vincent　checked　his　horse　mechanically　with　an　exclamation　of

auger。　　He　knew　but　too　well　what　was　going　on　beyond　the　screen

of　shrubs　that　grew　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence　bordering　the

road。　　For　a　moment　he　hesitated；　and　then　muttering；　〃What's　the

use！〃　was　about　to　touch　the　horse　with　the　whip　and　gallop　on；

when　the　shriek　again　rose　louder　and　more　agonizing　than　before。

With　a　cry　of　rage　Vincent　leaped　from　his　horse；　threw　the　reins

over　the　top　of　the　fence；　climbed　over　it　in　a　moment；　and　burst

his　way　through　the　shrubbery。



Close　by　a　negro　was　being　held　by　four　others；　two　having　hold　of

each　wrist　and　holding　his　arms　extended　to　full　length；　while　a

white　lad；　some　two　years　Vincent's　senior；　was　showering　blows

with　a　heavy　whip　upon　him。　　The　slave's　back　was　already

covered　with　weals；　and　the　blood　was　flowing　from　several

places。　　A　few　yards　distant　a　black　girl；　with　a　baby　in　her　arms；

was　kneeling　on　the　ground　screaming　for　mercy　for　the　slave。　

Just　as　Vincent　burst　through　the　bushes；　the　young　fellow；

irritated　at　her　cries；　turned　round　and　delivered　a　tremendous

blow　with　the　whip　on　her　bare　shoulders。



This　time　no　cry　came　from　her　lips；　but　the　slave；　who　had　stood

immovable　while　the　punishment　was　being　inflicted　upon

himself；　made　a　desperate　effort　to　break　from　the　men　who　held

him。　　He　was　unsuccessful；　but　before　the　whip　could　again　fall　on

the　woman's　shoulders；　Vincent　sprang　forward；　and　seizing　it；

wrested　it　from　the　hands　of　the　striker。　　With　an　oath　of　fury　and

surprise　at　this　sudden　interruption；　the　young　fellow　turned　upon

Vincent。



〃You　are　a　coward　and　a　blackguard；　Andrew　Jackson！〃　Vincent

exclaimed；　white　with　auger。　　〃You　are　a　disgrace　to　Virginia；　you

ruffian！〃



Without　a　word　the　young　planter；　mad　with　rage　at　this

interference；　rushed　at　Vincent；　but　the　atter　had　learned　the　use　of

his　fists　at　his　English　school；　and　riding　exercises　had

strengthened　his　muscles；　and　as　his　opponent　rushed　at　him；　he

met　him　with　a　blow　from　the　shoulder　which　sent　him　staggering

back　with　the　blood　streaming　from　his　lips。　He　again　rushed

forward；　and　heavy　blows　were　exchanged；　then　they　closed　and

grappled。　　For　a　minute　they　swayed　to　and　from　but　although

much　taller；　the　young　planter　was　no　stronger　than　Vincent；　and　at

last　they　came　to　the　ground　with　a　crash；　Vincent　uppermost；

Jackson's　head　as　he　fell　coming　with　such　force　against　a　low

stump　that　he　lay　insensible。



The　contest　had　been　so　sudden　and　furious　that　none　had

attempted　to　interfere。　　Indeed　the　negroes　were　so　astonished　that

they　had　not　moved　from　the　moment　when　Vincent　made　his

appearance　upon　the　scene。　　The　lad　rose　to　his　feet。　



〃You　had　better　carry　him　up　to　the　house　and　throw　some　water

on　him；〃　he　said　to　the　negroes；　and　then　turned　to　go　away。　　As　he

did　so；　the　slave　who　had　been　flogged　broke　from　the　others；　who

had　indeed　loosened　their　hold；　and　ran　up　to　Vincent；　threw

himself　on　his　knees；　and　taking　the　lad's　hand　pressed　it　to　his

lips。



〃I　am　afraid　I　haven't　done　you　much　good；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃You

will　be　none　the　better　off　for　my　interference；　but　I　couldn't　help

it。〃　　So　saying　he　made　his　way　through　the　shrubbery；　cleared　the

fence；　mounted；　and　route　homeward。　



〃I　have　been　a　fool；〃　he　said　to　himself　as　he　rode　along。　〃It　will　be

all　the　worse　for　that　poor　beggar　afterward；　still　I　could　not　help

it。　　I　wonder　will　there　be　any　row　about　it。　　I　don't　much　expect

there　will；　the　Jacksons　don't　stand　well　now；　and　this　would　not

do　them　any　good　with　the　people　round；　besides　I　don't　think

Jackson　would　like　to　go　into　court　to　complain　of　being　th