"A system so imperfect should be revised, lest innocent men be made
to suffer its wrongs," said the Captain.
They continued their walk through several very pretty parts of the
city, where fine flowering gardens and well-trimmed hedges were
nicely laid out; these, however, were not the habitations of the
"old families." They occupied parts of the city designated by
massive-looking old mansions, exhibiting an antiqueness and mixed
architecture, with dilapidated court-yards and weather-stained
walls, showing how steadfast was the work of decay.
The colonel pointed out the many military advantages of the city,
which would be used against Uncle Sam if he meddled with South
Carolina. He spoke of them ironically, for he was not possessed of
the secession monomania. He had been a personal friend of Mr.
Calhoun, and knew his abstractions. He knew Mr. McDuffie; Hamilton,
(the transcendant, of South Carolina fame;) Butler, of good
component parts-eloquent, but moved by fancied wrongs; Rhett,
renouncer of that vulgar name of Smith, who hated man because he
spoke, yet would not fight because he feared his God; and betwixt
them, a host of worthies who made revenge a motto; and last, but not
least, great Quattlebum, whose strength and spirit knows no bound,
and brought the champion Commander, with his enthusiastic devotion,
to lead unfaltering forlorn hopes.
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