with lee in virginia-第6章

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！



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　thrashed

by　a　fellow　a　head　shorter　than　himself。　　It's　blackguards　like　him

who　give　the　Abolitionists　a　right　to　hold　up　the　slave…owners　as

being　tyrants　and　brutes。〃



The　Jacksons　were　newcomers　in　Virginia。　　Six　years　before；　the

estate；　of　which　the　Cedars；　as　their　place　was　called；　formed　a

part；　was　put　up　for　sale。　　It　was　a　very　large　one；　and　having　been

divided　into　several　portions　to　suit　buyers；　the　Cedars　had　been

purchased　by　Jackson；　who；　having　been　very　successful　as　a

storekeeper　at　Charleston；　had　decided　upon　giving　up　the　business

and　leaving　South　Carolina；　and　settling　down　as　a　land…owner　in

some　other　State。　His　antecedents；　however；　were　soon　known　at

Richmond；　and　the　old　Virginian　families　turned　a　cold　shoulder　to

the　newcomer。



Had　he　been　a　man　of　pleasant　manners；　he　would　gradually　have

made　his　way；　but　he　was　evidently　not　a　gentleman。　　The　habits　of

trade　stuck　to　him；　and　in　a　very　short　time　there　were　rumors　that

the　slaves；　whom　he　had　bought　with　the　property；　found　him　a

harsh　and　cruel　master。　　This　in　itself　would　have　been　sufficient

to　bring　him　disrepute　in　Virginia；　where　as　a　rule　the　slaves　were

treated　with　great　kindness；　and　indeed　considered　their　position　to

be　infinitely　superior　to　that　of　the　poorer　class　of　whites。　　Andrew

Jackson　had　been　for　a　few　months　at　school　with　Vincent；　lie　was

unpopular　there；　and　from　the　rumors　current　as　to　the　treatment　of

the　slaves　on　the　estate；　was　known　by　the　nickname　of　the

〃slave…driver。〃



Had　Vincent　been　the　son　of　a　white　trader；　or　a　small　cultivator；

he　knew　well　enough　that　his　position　would　he　a　very　serious　one；

and　that　he　would　have　bad　to　ride　to　the　border　of　the　State　with

all　speed。　　He　would　have　been　denounced　at　once　as　an

Abolitionist；　and　would　have　been　accused　of　stirring　up　the　slaves

to　rebellion　against　their　masters；　a　crime　of　the　most　serious　kind

in　the　Southern　States。　　But　placed　as　he　was；　as　the　heir　of　a　great

estate　worked　by　slaves；　such　a　cry　could　hardly　be　raised　against

him。　　He　might　doubtless　be　filled　and　admonished　for　interfering

between　a　master　and　his　slave；　but　the　sympathy　of　the　better

classes　in　Virginia　would　be　entirely　with　him。　　Vincent；　therefore；

was　but　little　concerned　for　himself；　but　he　doubted　greatly

whether　his　interference　had　not　done　much　more　harm　than　good

to　the　slave　and　his　wife；　for　upon　them　Andrew　Jackson　would

vent　his　fury。　　He　rode　direct　to　the　stables　instead　of　alighting　as

usual　at　the　door。　　Dan；　who　had　been　sitting　in　the　veranda

waiting　for　him；　ran　down　to　the　stables　as　he　saw　him　coming。



〃Give　the　horse　to　one　of　the　others；　Dan；　I　want　to　speak　to　you。　

Dan；〃　he　went　on　when　he　had　walked　with　him　a　short　distance

from　the　stables；　〃I　suppose　yen　know　some　of　the　bands　on

Jackson's　plantation。〃



Dan　grinned；　for　although　there　was　not　supposed　to　be　any