After little Tommy left, the Captain deposited a sum of money with the jailer to supply Manuel’s wants.  The jailer performed his duty faithfully, but the fund was soon exhausted, and Manuel was forced to appeal to his consul.  With the care for its citizens that marks the course of that government, and the characteristic kindness of its representative in Charleston, the appeal was promptly responded to.  The consul attended him in person, and even provided from his own purse things necessary to make him comfortable.  We could not but admire the nobleness of many acts bestowed upon this humble citizen through the consul, showing the attachment and faith of a government to its humblest subject.  The question now was, would the Executive release him?  Mr. Grimshaw had interposed strong objections, and made unwarrantable statements in regard to his having been abandoned by his captain, the heavy expenses incurred to maintain the man, and questioning the validity of the British consul’s right to protect him.  Under the effect of these representations, the prospect began to darken, and Manuel became more discontented, and anxiously awaited the result.

In this position, a petition was despatched to the Executive, asking that the man might be released, on the faith of the British Government that all expenses be paid, and he immediately sent beyond the limits of the State.

But we must return and take leave of Captain Thompson, before we receive the answer to the petition.  The day fixed for his departure had arrived.  He had all his papers collected, and arose early to take his accustomed walk through the market.  It was a little after seven o’clock, and as he approached the singular piece of wood-work that we have described in a previous chapter as the Charleston Whipping-post, he saw a crowd collected around it, and negroes running to the scene, crying out, “Buckra gwine to get whip! buckra get ’e back scratch!” &c. &c.  He quickened his pace, and, arriving at the scene, elbowed his way through an immense crowd until he came to where he had a fair view.  Here, exposed to view, were six respectably dressed white men, to be whipped according to the laws of South Carolina, which flog in the market for petty theft.  Five of them were chained together, and the other scientifically secured to the machine, with his bare back exposed, and Mr. Grimshaw (dressed with his hat and sword of office to make the dignity of the punishment appropriate) laying on the stripes with a big whip, and raising on tip-toe at each blow to add force, making the flesh follow the lash.  Standing around were about a dozen huge constables with long-pointed tipstaffs in their hands, while two others assisted in chaining and unchaining the prisoners.  The spectacle was a barbarous one, opening a wide field for reflection.  It was said that this barbarous mode of punishment was kept up as an example for the negroes.  It certainly is a very singular mode of inspiring respect for the laws.