COMPROMISE WITH THE NULLIFIERS. 401 which it is now generally known. In addition, came the unexpected circumstance, that the neighbouring States, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, having nearly the same interests at stake as South Carolina, and on whose co-operation it had confidently calculated, had disappointed its expectations, induced partly by jealousy, partly by other causes. In this posture of affairs, it was not strange that Messrs. Calhoun and McDuffie, representatives of the Nullifiers at Washington, acceded to the compromise which Mr. Clay, father of the manufacturing system, proposed, although they easily perceived that the reduction of duties suggested had rather the appearance of being advantageous to the Southern Slave-States than was so in reality. The voice of Nullification became in the mean time weaker and weaker, till it died away altogether - at least it was never heard openly threatening a dissolution of the States. The party is, however, far from being dispersed like the snail, it has only retired within its shell. The day may yet come, when the progress of the doctrine of Staterights in the Southern parts may attract the serious attention of the Northern. VOL. I. Ꭰ Ꭰ CHAPTER XVIII. Who could guess BYRON. READY to continue my journey, I embraced the opportunity of a steamboat going to Savannah, to proceed thither. In calm weather, the steamers generally steer their course outside the rocks: the trip is then extremely short and pleasant; but, in winter, when rain and fog are the order of the day, the inland navigation, singular in its kind, is preferred. The country between Charleston and Savannah is everywhere intersected by rivers, which we either ascended or descended, approaching close to the sea-coast, where a number of islands are situated, and form a barrier against the violence of the waves. It was, in fact, a scene full of variety; sometimes we passed unhealthy swamps, then followed the shores of serpentine rivers; again we were surrounded by extensive cotton and rice SEA ISLAND COTTON. 403 fields; then a view of fertile islands presented itself; and at last we traversed various bays, where the rivers discharge themselves into the sea. Had the weather been fine, this trip would have afforded me many pleasant recollections; as it was, I had an opportunity of attentively and with deep interest observing the ever-changing scenery, varying from the highest state of cultivation and fertility to the desolation of swamps, with their accessory inanimation. It is on these islands, and all round the coast south of Savannah, that the Sea Island cotton, superior to any other, is cultivated; the length of its threads distinguishes it from ordinary cottons. The cultivation of this particular variety is different from that of the short cotton: the sea air, it is supposed, has also no small influence on the quality. It fetches a much higher price than other cotton. The steamboat stopped on the following morning at a small town called Beaufort, to land and take on board passengers. Among the number, I observed a middle-aged man, accompanied by a young Negro woman, better dressed than any I had lately seen. Her companion was one of those despicable beings who traffic in human flesh: he had just before bought the unfortunate female from a planter, who, from some caprice or other, had sold her, although brought up in his own family, and a favourite with all its members on account of her honesty and remarkably handsome countenance. Before she left the shore, she bade, oppressed with grief, a tender farewell to her fellow-slaves; and when at length she embraced her husband for the last time, she lost all power, and fell senseless in the arms of her unfeeling master, who kept incessantly repeating his orders to go on board. With the utmost exertion she was able to obey the command, and scarcely had she reached the deck before the steamboat started. Leaning against the side of the boat, she fixed her large black eyes on the home which was gradually disappearing before her, and waved her handkerchief as long as she could see her unhappy husband and the group of friends whom she left behind; but, when the winding of the river concealed from her view the dearest objects on earth, she contemplated in deep silence the waves agitated by the vessel. Presently her native place disappeared altogether, but she remained immoveable in the same attitude. Even on our arrival at Savannah, I observed her eyes fixed on the ARRANGEMENTS RESPECTING SLAVES. 405 quarter where Beaufort was situated. Her countenance bore the stamp of perfect resignation, and it was only when her eyes happened to meet those of her new master that her uneasiness became visible. Accustomed to suffer and submit to sacrifices, this unhappy creature was probably no stranger to such trials and heart-rending scenes. Beside me, on deck, stood a rich planter from the interior of South Carolina. I had in the morning had a long conversation with him on the subject of slavery, and could not help, by way of illustration of this abominable traffic, pointing out to him the case just mentioned. "I do not deny," answered he, very deliberately, "that cases like this sometimes occur; but, for the honour of humanity, they are not frequent. In my neighbourhood, every planter has agreed that, if he has a Negro married to a Negro woman belonging to another, and he wishes to get rid of the Negro or quit the vicinity, he will either offer the slave to the proprietor of the Negro woman, or will himself purchase the latter: in this case, the price is regulated by other planters. People begin," added he, "to show more feeling towards these unfortunate creatures than formerly, so much so, that ill-usage |