Had the Governor referred to the “characteristic kindness” of the jailer, his remarks would have been bestowed upon a worthy man, who has been a father to those unfortunates who chanced within the turn of his key.

In another part of his message, commenting upon the existence of disgraceful criminal laws, the management and wretched state of prisons, he says, “The attorney-general, at my request, has drawn up a report on the subject of prisons and prison discipline.”  Now, if such were the facts, the reports would be very imperfect to be drawn up by one who never visits the prisons.

We are well aware that he called for this report, and further, that the attorney-general, in a letter to the sheriff, (of which we have a copy,) propounded numerous questions in regard to the jail, calling for a statement in full, particularly the amount of fees paid to certain functionaries; those charged to the State, and the average number of prisoners per month, from Sept. 1851, to Sept. 1852, &c. &c.  That letter was transmitted to the jailer-a man whose character and integrity is well known, and above reproach in Charleston-with a request that he would make out his report.  He drew up his report in accordance with the calendar and the facts, but that report was not submitted.  Why was it not submitted?  Simply because it showed the profit of starving men in South Carolina prisons.

We have the evidence in our possession, and can show the Executive that he has been misled.  We only ask him to call for the original statement, made out in the jailer’s handwriting, and compare it with the calendar; and when he has done that, let us ask, Why the average of prisoners per month does not correspond? and why the enormous amount of fees accruing from upward of fifty “colored seamen,” imprisoned during the year, and entered upon the calendar “contrary to law,” was not included?

It is a very unhealthy state of things, to say the least; but as the sheriff considers it his own, perhaps we have no right to meddle with it.

All this clamor about the bad influence of “colored seamen” is kept up by a set of mendicant officials who harvest upon the fees, and falls to naught, when, at certain hours of the day during their imprisonment, they are allowed to associate with “bad niggers,” committed for criminal offences and sale.  If their presence is “dangerous,” it certainly would be more dangerous in its connection with criminals of the feared class.

Take away the fees—­the mercantile community will not murmur, and the official gentry will neither abuse nor trouble themselves about enforcing the law to imprison freemen.

The end.  The Project Gutenberg EBook of Manuel Pereira by F. C. Adams ******This file should be named mnlpr10.txt or mnlpr10.zip******

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