American Notes for General Circulation

by Dickens, Chales

of dogs, and brands of red-hot irons innumerable: but as my

  readers will be sufficiently sickened and repelled already, I will

  turn to another branch of the subject.

  These advertisements, of which a similar collection might be made

  for every year, and month, and week, and day; and which are coolly

  read in families as things of course, and as a part of the current

  news and small-talk; will serve to show how very much the slaves

  profit by public opinion, and how tender it is in their behalf.

  But it may be worth while to inquire how the slave-owners, and the

  class of society to which great numbers of them belong, defer to

  public opinion in their conduct, not to their slaves but to each

  other; how they are accustomed to restrain their passions; what

  their bearing is among themselves; whether they are fierce or

  gentle; whether their social customs be brutal, sanguinary, and

  violent, or bear the impress of civilisation and refinement.

  That we may have no partial evidence from abolitionists in this

  inquiry, either, I will once more turn to their own newspapers, and

  I will confine myself, this time, to a selection from paragraphs

  which appeared from day to day, during my visit to America, and

  which refer to occurrences happening while I was there. The

  italics in these extracts, as in the foregoing, are my own.

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  These cases did not ALL occur, it will be seen, in territory

  actually belonging to legalised Slave States, though most, and

  those the very worst among them did, as their counterparts

  constantly do; but the position of the scenes of action in

  reference to places immediately at hand, where slavery is the law;

  and the strong resemblance between that class of outrages and the

  rest; lead to the just presumption that the character of the

  parties concerned was formed in slave districts, and brutalised by

  slave customs.

  'HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

  'By a slip from THE SOUTHPORT TELEGRAPH, Wisconsin, we learn that

  the Hon. Charles C. P. Arndt, Member of the Council for Brown

  county, was shot dead ON THE FLOOR OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, by James

  R. Vinyard, Member from Grant county. THE AFFAIR grew out of a

  nomination for Sheriff of Grant county. Mr. E. S. Baker was

  nominated and supported by Mr. Arndt. This nomination was opposed

  by Vinyard, who wanted the appointment to vest in his own brother.

  In the course of debate, the deceased made some statements which

  Vinyard pronounced false, and made use of violent and insulting

  language, dealing largely in personalities, to which Mr. A. made no

  reply. After the adjournment, Mr. A. stepped up to Vinyard, and

  requested him to retract, which he refused to do, repeating the

  offensive words. Mr. Arndt then made a blow at Vinyard, who

  stepped back a pace, drew a pistol, and shot him dead.

  'The issue appears to have been provoked on the part of Vinyard,

  who was determined at all hazards to defeat the appointment of

  Baker, and who, himself defeated, turned his ire and revenge upon

  the unfortunate Arndt.'

  'THE WISCONSIN TRAGEDY.

  Public indignation runs high in the territory of Wisconsin, in

  relation to the murder of C. C. P. Arndt, in the Legislative Hall

  of the Territory. Meetings have been held in different counties of

  Wisconsin, denouncing THE PRACTICE OF SECRETLY BEARING ARMS IN THE

  LEGISLATIVE CHAMBERS OF THE COUNTRY. We have seen the account of

  the expulsion of James R. Vinyard, the perpetrator of the bloody

  deed, and are amazed to hear, that, after this expulsion by those

  who saw Vinyard kill Mr. Arndt in the presence of his aged father,

  who was on a visit to see his son, little dreaming that he was to

  witness his murder, JUDGE DUNN HAS DISCHARGED VINYARD ON BAIL. The

  Miners' Free Press speaks IN TERMS OF MERITED REBUKE at the outrage

  upon the feelings of the people of Wisconsin. Vinyard was within

  arm's length of Mr. Arndt, when he took such deadly aim at him,

  that he never spoke. Vinyard might at pleasure, being so near,

  have only wounded him, but he chose to kill him.'

  'MURDER.

  By a letter in a St. Louis paper of the '4th, we notice a terrible

  outrage at Burlington, Iowa. A Mr. Bridgman having had a

  difficulty with a citizen of the place, Mr. Ross; a brother-in-law

  of the latter provided himself with one of Colt's revolving

  pistols, met Mr. B. in the street, AND DISCHARGED THE CONTENTS OF

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  FIVE OF THE BARRELS AT HIM: EACH SHOT TAKING EFFECT. Mr. B.,

  though horribly wounded, and dying, returned the fire, and killed

  Ross on the spot.'

  'TERRIBLE DEATH OF ROBERT POTTER.

  'From the "Caddo Gazette," of the 12th inst., we learn the

  frightful death of Colonel Robert Potter. . . . He was beset in his

  house by an enemy, named Rose. He sprang from his couch, seized

  his gun, and, in his night-clothes, rushed from the house. For

  about two hundred yards his speed seemed to defy his pursuers; but,

  getting entangled in a thicket, he was captured. Rose told him

  THAT HE INTENDED TO ACT A GENEROUS PART, and give him a chance for

  his life. He then told Potter he might run, and he should not be

  interrupted till he reached a certain distance. Potter started at

  the word of command, and before a gun was fired he had reached the

  lake. His first impulse was to jump in the water and dive for it,

  which he did. Rose was close behind him, and formed his men on the

  bank ready to shoot him as he rose. In a few seconds he came up to

  breathe; and scarce had his head reached the surface of the water

  when it was completely riddled with the shot of their guns, and he

  sunk, to rise no more!'

  'MURDER IN ARKANSAS.

  'We understand THAT A SEVERE RENCONTRE CAME OFF a few days since in

  the Seneca Nation, between Mr. Loose, the sub-agent of the mixed

  band of the Senecas, Quapaw, and Shawnees, and Mr. James Gillespie,

  of the mercantile firm of Thomas G. Allison and Co., of Maysville,

  Benton, County Ark, in which the latter was slain with a bowieknife.

  Some difficulty had for some time existed between the

  parties. It is said that Major Gillespie brought on the attack

  with a cane. A severe conflict ensued, during which two pistols

  were fired by Gillespie and one by Loose. Loose then stabbed

  Gillespie with one of those never-failing weapons, a bowie-knife.

  The death of Major G. is much regretted, as he was a liberal-minded

  and energetic man. Since the above was in type, we have learned

  that Major Allison has stated to some of our citizens in town that

  Mr. Loose gave the first blow. We forbear to give any particulars,

  as THE MATTER WILL BE THE SUBJECT OF JUDICIAL INVESTIGATION.'

  'FOUL DEED.

  The steamer Thames, just from Missouri river, brought us a

  handbill, offering a reward of 500 dollars, for the person who

  assassinated Lilburn W. Baggs, late Governor of this State, at

  Independence,
on the night of the 6th inst. Governor Baggs, it is

  stated in a written memorandum, was not dead, but mortally wounded.

  'Since the above was written, we received a note from the clerk of

  the Thames, giving the following particulars. Gov. Baggs was shot

  by some villain on Friday, 6th inst., in the evening, while sitting

  in a room in his own house in Independence. His son, a boy,

  hearing a report, ran into the room, and found the Governor sitting

  in his chair, with his jaw fallen down, and his head leaning back;

  on discovering the injury done to his father, he gave the alarm.

  Foot tracks were found in the garden below the window, and a pistol

  picked up supposed to have been overloaded, and thrown from the

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  hand of the scoundrel who fired it. Three buck shots of a heavy

  load, took effect; one going through his mouth, one into the brain,

  and another probably in or near the brain; all going into the back

  part of the neck and head. The Governor was still alive on the

  morning of the 7th; but no hopes for his recovery by his friends,

  and but slight hopes from his physicians.

  'A man was suspected, and the Sheriff most probably has possession

  of him by this time.

  'The pistol was one of a pair stolen some days previous from a

  baker in Independence, and the legal authorities have the

  description of the other.'

  'RENCONTRE.

  'An unfortunate AFFAIR took place on Friday evening in Chatres

  Street, in which one of our most respectable citizens received a

  dangerous wound, from a poignard, in the abdomen. From the Bee

  (New Orleans) of yesterday, we learn the following particulars. It

  appears that an article was published in the French side of the

  paper on Monday last, containing some strictures on the Artillery

  Battalion for firing their guns on Sunday morning, in answer to

  those from the Ontario and Woodbury, and thereby much alarm was

  caused to the families of those persons who were out all night

  preserving the peace of the city. Major C. Gally, Commander of the

  battalion, resenting this, called at the office and demanded the

  author's name; that of Mr. P. Arpin was given to him, who was

  absent at the time. Some angry words then passed with one of the

  proprietors, and a challenge followed; the friends of both parties

  tried to arrange the affair, but failed to do so. On Friday

  evening, about seven o'clock, Major Gally met Mr. P. Arpin in

  Chatres Street, and accosted him. "Are you Mr. Arpin?"

  '"Yes, sir."

  '"Then I have to tell you that you are a - " (applying an

  appropriate epithet).

  '"I shall remind you of your words, sir."

  '"But I have said I would break my cane on your shoulders."

  '"I know it, but I have not yet received the blow."

  'At these words, Major Gally, having a cane in his hands, struck

  Mr. Arpin across the face, and the latter drew a poignard from his

  pocket and stabbed Major Gally in the abdomen.

  'Fears are entertained that the wound will be mortal. WE

  UNDERSTAND THAT MR. ARPIN HAS GIVEN SECURITY FOR HIS APPEARANCE AT

  THE CRIMINAL COURT TO ANSWER THE CHARGE.'

  'AFFRAY IN MISSISSIPPI.

  'On the 27th ult., in an affray near Carthage, Leake county,

  Mississippi, between James Cottingham and John Wilburn, the latter

  was shot by the former, and so horribly wounded, that there was no

  hope of his recovery. On the 2nd instant, there was an affray at

  Carthage between A. C. Sharkey and George Goff, in which the latter

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  was shot, and thought mortally wounded. Sharkey delivered himself

  up to the authorities, BUT CHANGED HIS MIND AND ESCAPED!'

  'PERSONAL ENCOUNTER.

  'An encounter took place in Sparta, a few days since, between the

  barkeeper of an hotel, and a man named Bury. It appears that Bury

  had become somewhat noisy, AND THAT THE BARKEEPER, DETERMINED TO

  PRESERVE ORDER, HAD THREATENED TO SHOOT BURY, whereupon Bury drew a

  pistol and shot the barkeeper down. He was not dead at the last

  accounts, but slight hopes were entertained of his recovery.'

  'DUEL.

  'The clerk of the steamboat TRIBUNE informs us that another duel

  was fought on Tuesday last, by Mr. Robbins, a bank officer in

  Vicksburg, and Mr. Fall, the editor of the Vicksburg Sentinel.

  According to the arrangement, the parties had six pistols each,

  which, after the word "Fire!" THEY WERE TO DISCHARGE AS FAST AS

  THEY PLEASED. Fall fired two pistols without effect. Mr. Robbins'

  first shot took effect in Fall's thigh, who fell, and was unable to

  continue the combat.'

  'AFFRAY IN CLARKE COUNTY.

  'An UNFORTUNATE AFFRAY occurred in Clarke county (MO.), near

  Waterloo, on Tuesday the 19th ult., which originated in settling

  the partnership concerns of Messrs. M'Kane and M'Allister, who had

  been engaged in the business of distilling, and resulted in the

  death of the latter, who was shot down by Mr. M'Kane, because of

  his attempting to take possession of seven barrels of whiskey, the

  property of M'Kane, which had been knocked off to M'Allister at a

  sheriff's sale at one dollar per barrel. M'Kane immediately fled

  AND AT THE LATEST DATES HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN.

  'THIS UNFORTUNATE AFFRAY caused considerable excitement in the

  neighbourhood, as both the parties were men with large families

  depending upon them and stood well in the community.'

  I will quote but one more paragraph, which, by reason of its

  monstrous absurdity, may be a relief to these atrocious deeds.

  'AFFAIR OF HONOUR.

  'We have just heard the particulars of a meeting which took place

  on Six Mile Island, on Tuesday, between two young bloods of our

  city: Samuel Thurston, AGED FIFTEEN, and William Hine, AGED

  THIRTEEN years. They were attended by young gentlemen of the same

  age. The weapons used on the occasion, were a couple of Dickson's

  best rifles; the distance, thirty yards. They took one fire,

  without any damage being sustained by either party, except the ball

  of Thurston's gun passing through the crown of Hine's hat. THROUGH

  THE INTERCESSION OF THE BOARD OF HONOUR, the challenge was

  withdrawn, and the difference amicably adjusted.'

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  If the reader will picture to himself the kind of Board of Honour

  which amicably adjusted the difference between these two little

  boys, who in any other part of the world would have been amicably

  adjusted on two porters' backs and soundly flogged with birchen

  rods, he will be possessed, no doubt, with as strong a sense of its

  ludicrous character, as that which sets me laughing whenever its

  image rises up before me.

  Now, I appeal to every human mind, imbued with the commonest of

  common sense, and the commonest of common humanity; to all

  dispassionate, reasoning creatures, of any shade of opinion; and

  ask, with these revolting evidence
s of the state of society which

  exists in and about the slave districts of America before them, can

  they have a doubt of the real condition of the slave, or can they

  for a moment make a compromise between the institution or any of

  its flagrant, fearful features, and their own just consciences?

  Will they say of any tale of cruelty and horror, however aggravated

  in degree, that it is improbable, when they can turn to the public

  prints, and, running, read such signs as these, laid before them by

  the men who rule the slaves: in their own acts and under their own

  hands?

  Do we not know that the worst deformity and ugliness of slavery are

  at once the cause and the effect of the reckless license taken by

  these freeborn outlaws? Do we not know that the man who has been

  born and bred among its wrongs; who has seen in his childhood

  husbands obliged at the word of command to flog their wives; women,

  indecently compelled to hold up their own garments that men might

  lay the heavier stripes upon their legs, driven and harried by

  brutal overseers in their time of travail, and becoming mothers on

  the field of toil, under the very lash itself; who has read in

  youth, and seen his virgin sisters read, descriptions of runaway

  men and women, and their disfigured persons, which could not be

  published elsewhere, of so much stock upon a farm, or at a show of

  beasts:- do we not know that that man, whenever his wrath is

  kindled up, will be a brutal savage? Do we not know that as he is

  a coward in his domestic life, stalking among his shrinking men and

  women slaves armed with his heavy whip, so he will be a coward out

  of doors, and carrying cowards' weapons hidden in his breast, will

  shoot men down and stab them when he quarrels? And if our reason

  did not teach us this and much beyond; if we were such idiots as to

  close our eyes to that fine mode of training which rears up such

  men; should we not know that they who among their equals stab and

  pistol in the legislative halls, and in the counting-house, and on

  the marketplace, and in all the elsewhere peaceful pursuits of

  life, must be to their dependants, even though they were free

  servants, so many merciless and unrelenting tyrants?

  What! shall we declaim against the ignorant peasantry of Ireland,

  and mince the matter when these American taskmasters are in

  question? Shall we cry shame on the brutality of those who