"It's a bad business keeping these niggers here all night,
Swizer-you know I've done the clean thing with you several times,"
said Dunn, pointing his finger at the Dutchman; who winked, and
coming from behind the counter, slipped something into his hand, and
stepping to the door, assumed some threatning language against the
negroes, should they ever came back to his store. A large portion of
those who came for liquor were negroes, who looked as if they were
parting with their last cent for stimulant, for they were ragged and
dirty, and needed bread more than liquor. Their condition seemed
pitiful in the extreme, and yet the Dutch "corner-shop keeper"
actually got rich from their custom, and so craving was he upon
their patronage, that he treated them with much more courtesy than
his white customers.
These "Dutch corner-shops" are notorious places in Charleston, and
are discountenanced by respectable citizens, because they become the
rendezvous of "niggers," who get into bad habits and neglect their
masters' or mistresses' business. Yet the keepers exert such an
influence at elections, that the officials not only fear them, but
in order to secure their favors, leave their rascality unmolested.
Well might a writer in the Charleston Courier of August 31, 1852,
say--
"We were astonished, with many others, at the sweeping charges made
in the resolutions passed at the HUTCHINSON meeting at Hatch's Hall,
and were ready to enlist at once to lend our voice to turn out an
'administration' that for two years permitted 'moral sentiment to be
abandoned,' 'truthfulness disregarded,' 'reverence for religion
obliterated,' 'protection to religious freedom refused,'
'licentiousness allowed,' 'and a due administration for vice,
neglected.
Pages:
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137