oolboy
to keep his finger on it," continued the colonel, laconically.

"Well, well; but I must find it and refresh your memory. Ah! here it is,
and it's just as binding on me as it can be. There's no mistake about
it-it's genuine South Carolina, perfectly aboveboard." Thus saying,
he commenced reading to the colonel as if he was about to instruct
a schoolboy in his rudiments. "Here it is-a very pretty specimen of
enlightened legislation-born in the lap of freedom, cradled in a land of
universal rights, and enforced by the strong arm of South Carolina."

"An Act for the better regulation and government of free negroes and
persons of color, and for other purposes," &c. &c. &c., Mr. Grimshaw
read; but as the two first sections are really a disgrace to the
delegated powers of man, in their aim to oppress the man of color,
we prefer to pass to the third section, and follow Mr. Grimshaw as he
reads:--

"That if any vessel shall come into any port or harbor of this State,
(South Carolina,) from any other State or foreign port, having on board
any free negroes or persons of color, as cooks, stewards, or mariners,
or in any other employment on board said vessel, such free negroes or
persons of color shall be liable to be seized and confined in jail until
said vessel shall clear out and depart from this State; and that when
said vessel is ready to sail, the captain of said vessel shall be
bound to carry away the said free negro or person of color, and pay the
expenses of detention; and in case of his refusal or neglect to do so,
he shall be liable to be indicted, and, on conviction thereof, shall be
fined in a sum not less than one thousand dollars, and imprisoned not
less than two months; and such free negroes or persons of color shall
be deemed and taken as absolute slaves, and sold in conformity to the
provisions of the act passed on the twentieth day of December, one
thousand eight hundred and twenty aforesaid.'"

Mr. Grimshaw's coolness in the matter became so intolerable, that the
colonel could stand it no longer; so, getting up while Mr. Grimshaw was
reading the law, he left the office, perfectly satisfied that further
endeavors at that source would be fruitless.

After Mr. Grimshaw had concluded, he looked up, perfectly amazed to find
that he was enjoying the reading of the act to himself. "Had I not given
it all the consideration of my power, and seen the correctness of the
law, I should not have given so much impor