"Strong sense, deep feeling, passions strong,
A hate of tyrant and of knave,
A love of right, a scorn of wrong,
Of coward and of slave."
--_Halleck's Wild Rose of Alloway._
Although experience has shown that the appearance of a sheriff is by no
means a pledge of the appearance of a friend of the law in this
anti-rent movement, in our instance the fact happened to be so. It was
known to the "disguised and armed" that this functionary was disposed to
do his duty.[30] One of the rank absurdities into which democracy has
fallen, and democracy is no more infallible than individual democrats,
has been to make the officers of the militia and the sheriffs of
counties elective. The consequences are, that the militia is converted
into a farce, and the execution of the laws in a particular county is
very much dependent on the pleasure of that county to have them executed
or not. The last is a capital arrangement for the resident debtor, for
instance, though absent creditors are somewhat disposed to find fault.
But all this is of no great moment, since the theories for laws and
governments in vogue just now are of such a character as would render
laws and governments quite unnecessary at all, were they founded in
truth. Restraints of all kinds can only be injurious when they are
imposed on perfection!
[Footnote 30: The editor may as well say here, that, for obvious
reasons, the _name_s, counties, etc., used in these manuscripts are
feigned, the real localities being close enough to those mentioned for
the double purposes of truth and fiction. As one of the "honorable
gentlemen" of the Legislature has quoted our references to
"_provincial_" feelings and notions, with a magnificence that proves how
thoroughly he is a man of the world himself, we will tell all the rest
of the human race, who may happen to read this book, that we have made
this explanation lest that comprehensive view of things, which has
hitherto been so eager, because a street and a house are named in the
pages of a fiction, to suppose that everybody is to believe they know
the very individual who dwelt in it, should fancy that our allusions are
to this or that particular functionary.--EDITOR.]
The instant the commotion commenced, and the ladies fled, I took Seneca
and his fellow-prisoner by the arm, and led them into the library. This
I did, conceiving it to be unfair to keep prisoners in a situation of
danger. This I did, too, without reflecting in the least on anything but
the character of the act. Returning to the piazza immediately, I was not
missed, and was a witness of all that passed.
As has been intimated, this particular sheriff was known to be
unfavorable to the anti-rent movement, and, no one supposing he would
appear in the midst unsupported, in such a scene, the Injins fell back,
thus arresting the danger of an immediate collision. It has since been
privately intimated to me, that some among them, after hearing the
narrative of Eaglesflight, really felt ashamed that a redskin should
have a more lively sense of justice than a white man. Whatever may be
said of the hardships of the tenants, and of "poodle-usages," and of
"aristocracy," and "fat hens," by the leaders in this matter, it by no
means follows that those leaders believe in their own theories and
arguments. On the contrary, it is generally the case with such men, that
they keep themselves quite free from the excitement that it is their
business to awaken in others, resembling the celebrated John Wilkes, who
gravely said to George III., in describing the character of a former
co-operator in agitation, "_He_ was a Wilkesite, sir; _I_ never was."
The unexpected appearance of Dunning, the offending agent, too, was not
without its effect--for they who were behind the curtains found it
difficult to believe that he would dare to show himself at Ravensnest
without sufficient support. Those who thought thus, however, did not
know Jack Dunning. He had a natural and judicious aversion to being
tarred and feathered, it is true; but, when it was necessary to expose
himself, no man did it more freely. The explanation of his unlooked-for
arrival is simply this.
Uneasy at our manner of visiting Ravensnest, this trustworthy friend,
after the delay of a day or two, determined to follow us. On reaching
the county he heard of the firing of the barn, and of the attempt on the
house, and went in quest of the sheriff without a moment's delay. As the
object of Dunning was to get the ladies out of the lion's den, he did
not wait for the summoning of the _posse comitatus_; but, hiring a dozen
resolute fellows, they were armed, and all set out in a body for the
Nest. When within a mile or two of the house, the rumor reached the
party that we were besieged; and it became expedient to have recourse to
some manoeuvring, in order to throw succor into the garrison. Dunning
was familiar with all the windings and turnings of the place, having
passed many a month at the Nest with my uncle and father, both as man
and boy, and he knew the exact situation of the cliff, court, and of the
various peculiar features of the place. Among other arrangements that
had been made of late years, a door had been opened at the end of the
long gallery which led through one of the wings, and a flight of steps
been built against the rocks, by means of which certain paths and walks
that meandered through the meadows and followed the windings of the
stream might be reached. Dunning determined to attempt an ascent from
this quarter, trusting to make himself heard by some one within, should
he find the door fastened. Everything succeeded to his wishes--the cook
alone, of all the household, being at her post in the other wing, and
seeing him the instant he presented himself on the upper part of the
steps. Jack Dunning's face was so well known at the Nest, that the good
woman did not hesitate a moment about admitting him, and he thus
penetrated into the building, followed by all his party. The last he
kept concealed by sending them into the chambers, while he and the
sheriff drew near the door, and heard most of the speech of
Eaglesflight, the attention of everybody being given to the narrative.
The reader knows the rest.
I might as well say at once, however, that Opportunity, who, by her
position, had seen the entrance of Dunning and his party, no sooner
found herself alone with the prisoners, than she unbound them, and
showed them the means of flight, by the same passage, door and steps. At
least, such has been my supposition, for the sister has never been
questioned on the subject. Seneca and his co-rascal vanished, and have
not since been seen in our part of the country. In consequence of the
flight, no one has ever complained of either for arson. The murder of
Steele, the deputy-sheriff of Delaware, has given a check to the "Injin"
system, and awakened a feeling in the country that was not to be
resisted, in that form at least, by men engaged in a scheme so utterly
opposed to the first principles of honesty as anti-rentism.
When I regained the piazza, after thrusting Seneca into the library, the
Injins had fallen back to the distance of twenty or thirty yards from
the piazza in evident confusion; while the Indians, cool and collected,
stood to their arms, watchful as crouching panthers, but held in hand by
the calmness with which their leaders watched the progress of events.
The sheriff now required the first to disperse, as violators of the law;
with the penalties of which he menaced them in a voice sufficiently
clear and distinct to make itself audible. There was a moment during
which the Injins seemed undecided. They had come with the full intent to
inflict on my uncle and myself the punishment of the tar-bucket, with
the hope of frightening us into some sort of a compromise; the cowardly
expedient of a hundred men attacking and annoying one being particularly
in favor with a certain class of those ultra-friends of liberty, who
fancy that they alone possess all the public virtue of the nation, which
public virtue justifies any of their acts. All of a sudden, the entire
body of these virtuous citizens, who found it necessary to hide their
blushes beneath calico, fell rapidly back; observing a little order at
first, which soon degenerated, however, into confusion, and shortly
after into a downright scampering flight. The fact was, that Dunning's
men began to show themselves at the windows of the chambers, thrusting
muskets and rifles out before them, and the "disguised and armed," as
has invariably been the case in the anti-rent disturbances, exhibited a
surprising facility at the retreat. If he is "thrice-armed who hath his
quarrel just," ten times is he a coward who hath his quarrel unjust.
This is the simple solution of the cowardice that has been so generally
shown by those who have been engaged in this "Injin" warfare; causing
twenty to chase one, secret attempts on the lives of sentinels, and all
the other violations of manly feeling that have disgraced the
proceedings of the heroes.
As soon as released from all immediate apprehension on the score of the
Injins, we had time to attend to the Indians. The warriors gazed after
those who were caricaturing their habits, and most of all their spirit,
with silent contempt; and Prairiefire, who spoke a little English, said
to me with emphasis, "Poor Injin--poor tribe--run away from own whoop!"
This was positively every syllable the men of the prairies deigned to
bestow on these disturbers of the public peace, the agents of
covetousness, who prowl about at night, like wolves, ready to seize the
stray lamb, but are quick to sneak off at the growl of the mastiff. One
cannot express himself in terms too harsh of such wretches, who in no
instance have manifested a solitary spark of the true spirit of freemen;
having invariably quailed before authority when that authority has
assumed in the least the aspect of its power, and as invariably trampled
it underfoot, whenever numbers put danger out of the question.
Old Susquesus had been a quiet observer of all that passed. He knew the
nature of the disturbance, and understood everything material that was
connected with the outbreaks. As soon as order was restored on the
piazza, he rose once more to address his guests.
"My children," he said, solemnly, "you hear my voice for the last time.
Even the wren cannot sing forever. The very eagle's wing gets tired in
time. I shall soon cease to speak. When I reach the happy
hunting-grounds of the Onondagoes, I will tell the warriors I meet there
of your visit. Your fathers shall know that their sons still love
justice. Let the pale-faces sign papers, and laugh at them afterward.
The promise of a red-man is his law. If he is made a prisoner, and his
conquerors wish to torment him, they are too generous to do so without
letting him go to his tribe to take leave of his friends. When the time
is reached, he comes back. If he promises skins, he brings them, though
no law can follow into the woods to force him to do so. His promise goes
with him; his promise is stronger than chains--it brings him back.
"My children, never forget this. You are not pale-faces, to say one
thing and do another. What you say, you do. When you make a law, you
keep it. That is right. No red-man wants another's wigwam. If he wants a
wigwam, he builds one himself. It is not so with the pale-faces. The man
who has no wigwam tries to get away his neighbor's. While he does this,
he reads in his Bible and goes to his church. I have sometimes thought,
the more he reads and prays, the more he tries to get into his
neighbor's wigwam. So it seems to an Indian, but it may not be so.
"My children, the red-man is his own master. He goes and comes as he
pleases. If the young men strike the war-path, he can strike it too. He
can go on the war-path, or the hunt, or he can stay in his wigwam. All
he has to do is to keep his promise, not steal, and not to go into
another red-man's wigwam unasked. He is his own master. He does not
_say_ so; he _is_ so. How is it with the pale-faces? They say they are
free when the sun rises; they say they are free when the sun is over
their heads; they say they are free when the sun goes down behind the
hills. They never stop talking of their being their own masters. They
talk of _that_ more than they read their Bibles. I have lived near a
hundred winters among them, and know what they are. They do that; then
they take away another's wigwam. They talk of liberty; then they say you
shall have this farm, and you shan't have that. They talk of liberty,
and call to one another to put on calico bags, that fifty men may tar
and feather one. They talk of liberty, and want everything their own
way.
"My children, these pale-faces might go back with you to the prairies,
and learn to do what is right. I do not wonder they hide their faces in
bags. They feel ashamed; they ought to feel ashamed.
"My children, this is the last time you will hear my voice. The tongue
of an old man cannot move forever. This is my counsel: do what is right.
The Great Spirit will tell you what that is. Let it be done. What my son
said of me is true. It was hard to do; the feelings yearned to do
otherwise, but it was not done. In a little time peace came on my
spirit, and I was glad. I could not go back to live among my people, for
I was afraid of doing what was wrong. I stayed among the pale-faces, and
made friends here. My children, farewell; do what is right, and you will
be happier than the richest pale-face who does what is wrong."
Susquesus took his seat, and at the same time each of the redskins
advanced and shook his hand. The Indians make few professions, but let
their acts speak for them. Not a syllable was uttered by one of those
rude warriors as he took his leave of Susquesus. Each man had willingly
paid this tribute to one whose justice and self-denial were celebrated
in their traditions, and having paid it, he went his way satisfied, if
not altogether happy. Each man shook hands, too, with all on the piazza,
and to us they expressed their thanks for their kind treatment. My uncle
Ro had distributed the remains of his trinkets among them, and they left
us with the most amicable feelings. Still there was nothing dramatic in
their departure. It was simple as their arrival. They had come to see
the Upright of the Onondagoes, had fulfilled their mission, and were
ready to depart. Depart they did, and as I saw their line winding along
the highway, the episode of such a visit appeared to us all more like a
dream than reality.
No interruption occurred to the return of these men, and half an hour
after they had left the piazza we saw them winding their way up the
hill, descending which we had first seen them.
"Well, Hugh," said Jack Dunning, two or three hours later, "what is your
decision; will you remain here, or will you go to your own place in
Westchester?"
"I will remain here until it is our pleasure to depart; then we will
endeavor to be as free as Indians, and go where we please, provided
always we do not go into our neighbor's wigwam against his will."
Jack Dunning smiled, and he paced the library once or twice before he
resumed.
"They told me, as soon as I got into the county, that you, and all
belonging to you, were preparing to retreat the morning after the
attempt to fire your house."
"One of those amiable perversions of the truth that so much embellish
the morality of the whole affair. What men wish, they fancy, and what
they fancy, they say. The girls, even, protest they would not quit the
house while it has a roof to cover their heads. But, Jack, whence comes
this spirit?"
"I should think that was the last question a reasonably informed man
need ask," answered Dunning laughing. "It is very plain where it comes
from. It comes from the devil and has every one of the characteristics
of his handiwork. In the first place, love of money, or covetousness, is
at its root. Then lies are its agents. Its first and most pretending lie
is that of liberty, every principle of which it tramples underfoot. Then
come in the fifty auxiliaries in the way of smaller inventions, denying
the facts of the original settlement of the country, fabricating
statements concerning its progress, and asserting directly in the teeth
of truth, such statements as it is supposed will serve a turn.[31] There
can be no mistaking the origin of such contrivance, or all that has been
taught us of good and evil is a fiction. Really, Hodge, I am astonished
that so sensible a man should have asked the question."
[Footnote 31: The frightful propensity to effect its purposes by lying
has come to such a head in the country, as seriously to threaten the
subversion of all justice. Without adverting to general facts, two
circumstances directly connected with this anti-rent question force
themselves on my attention. They refer to large estates that were
inherited by an Englishman, who passed half of a long life in the
country. In public legislative documents it has been pretended that the
question of his title to his estates is still open, when the published
reports of the highest court of the country show that a decision was
made in his favor thirty years since; and, in reference to his heir, it
has been officially stated that he has invariably refused to give any
leases but such as run on lives. Now it is of little moment whether this
be true or not, since the law allows every man to do as he may please in
this respect. But the fact, as I understand from the agent who draws the
leases, is precisely the reverse of that which has been openly stated in
this legislative document; THE PRESENT POSSESSOR OF THE ESTATE IN
QUESTION HAVING BEEN EARNESTLY SOLICITED BY THE TENANTS TO GRANT NEW
LEASES ON LIVES AND ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO COMPLY! In this instance the
Legislature, doubtless, have been deceived by the interested
representations of anti-renters.--EDITOR.]
"Perhaps you are right, Jack; but to what will it lead?"
"Aye, that is not so easily answered. The recent events in Delaware have
aroused the better feelings of the country, and there is no telling what
it may do. One thing, however, I hold to be certain; the spirit
connected with this affair must be put down, thoroughly, effectually,
completely, or we are lost. Let it once be understood, in the country,
that men can control their own indebtedness, and fashion contracts to
suit their own purposes, by combinations and numbers, and pandemonium
would soon be a paradise compared to New York. There is not a single
just ground of complaint in the nature of any of these leases, whatever
hardships may exist in particular cases; but, admitting that there were
false principles of social life, embodied in the relation of landlord
and tenant, as it exists among us, _it would be a far greater evil to
attempt a reform under such a combination_, _than to endure the original
wrong_."
"I suppose these gentry fancy themselves strong enough to thrust their
interests into politics, and hope to succeed by that process. But
anti-masonry, and various other schemes of that sort have failed,
hitherto, and this may fail along with it. That is a redeeming feature
of the institutions, Jack; you may humbug for a time, but the humbuggery
is not apt to last forever. It is only to be regretted that the really
upright portion of the community are so long in making themselves felt;
would they only be one-half as active as the miscreants, we should get
along well enough."
"The result is unknown. The thing _may_ be put down, totally,
effectually, and in a way to kill the snake, not scotch it; or it may be
met with only half-way measures; in which case it will remain like a
disease in the human system, always existing, always menacing relapses,
quite possibly to be the agent of the final destruction of the body."
My uncle, nevertheless, was as good as his word, and did remain in the
country, where he is yet. Our establishment has received another
reinforcement, however, and a change occurred, shortly after our visit
from the Injins, in the policy of the anti-renters, the two giving us a
feeling of security that might otherwise have been wanting. The
reinforcement came from certain young men, who have found their way
across from the springs, and become guests at the Nest. They are all old
acquaintances of mine, most of them school-fellows, and also admirers of
the young ladies. Each of my uncle's wards, the Coldbrooke and the
Marston, has an accepted lover, as we now discovered, circumstances that
have left me unobstructed in pursuing my suit with Mary Warren. I have
found Patt a capital ally, for she loves the dear girl almost as I do
myself, and has been of great service in the affair. I am conditionally
accepted, though Mr. Warren's consent has not been asked. Indeed, I much
question if the good rector has the least suspicion of what is in the
wind. As for my uncle Ro, he knew all about it, though I have never
breathed a syllable to him on the subject. Fortunately, he is well
satisfied with the choice made by his two wards, and this has somewhat
mitigated the disappointment.
My uncle Ro is not in the least mercenary; and the circumstance that
Mary Warren has not a cent gives him no concern. He is, indeed, so rich
himself that he knows it is in his power to make any reasonable addition
to my means, and, if necessary, to place me above the dangers of
anti-rentism. The following is a specimen of his humor, and of his
manner of doing things when the humor takes him. We were in the library
one morning, about a week after the Injins were shamed out of the field
by the Indians, for that was the secret of their final disappearance
from our part of the country; but, one morning, about a week after their
last visit, my grandmother, my uncle, Patt, and I were seated in the
library, chatting over matters and things, when my uncle suddenly
exclaimed--
"By the way, Hugh, I have a piece of important news to communicate to
you; news affecting your interests to the tune of fifty thousand
dollars."
"No more anti-rent dangers, I hope, Roger?" said my grandmother
anxiously.
"Hugh has little to apprehend from that source, just now. The Supreme
Court of the United States is his buckler, and it is broad enough to
cover his whole body. As for his future leases, if he will take my
advice, he will not grant one for a term longer than five years, and
then his tenants will become clamorous petitioners to the Legislature to
allow them to make their own bargains. Shame will probably bring your
free-trade men round, and the time will come when your double-distilled
friends of liberty will begin to see it is a very indifferent sort of
freedom which will not permit a wealthy landlord to part with his farms
for a long period, or a poor husbandman to make the best bargain in his
power. No, no; Hugh has nothing serious to apprehend, just now at least,
from that source, whatever may come of it hereafter. The loss to which I
allude is much more certain, and to the tune of fifty thousand dollars,
I repeat."
"That is a good deal of money for me to lose, sir," I answered, but
little disturbed by the intelligence; "and it might embarrass me to
raise so large a sum in a hurry. Nevertheless, I confess to no very
great concern on the subject, notwithstanding your announcement. I have
no debts, and the title to all I possess is indisputable, unless it
shall be decided that a _royal_ grant is not to be tolerated by
republicans."
"All very fine, Master Hugh, but you forget that you are the natural
heir of my estate. Patt knows that she is to have a slice of it when she
marries, and I am now about to make a settlement of just as much more on
another young lady, by way of marriage portion."
"Roger!" exclaimed my grandmother, "surely you do not mean what you say!
Of as much more!"
"Of precisely that money, my dear mother. I have taken a fancy to a
young lady, and as I cannot marry her myself, I am determined to make
her a good match, so far as money is concerned, for some one else."
"But why not marry her yourself?" I asked. "Older men than yourself
marry every day."
"Ay, widowers, I grant you; _they_ will marry until they are a thousand;
but it is not so with us bachelors. Let a man once get fairly past
forty, and it is no easy matter to bring him to the sacrifice. No, Jack
Dunning's being here is the most fortunate thing in the world, and so I
have set him at work to draw up a settlement on the young lady to whom I
refer, without any rights to her future husband, let him turn out to be
whom he may."
"It is Mary Warren!" exclaimed my sister, in a tone of delight.
My uncle smiled, and he tried to look demure; but I cannot say that he
succeeded particularly well.
"It is--it is--it is Mary Warren, and uncle Ro means to give her a
fortune!" added Patt, bounding across the floor like a young deer,
throwing herself into her guardian's lap, hugging and kissing him as if
she were nothing but a child, though a fine young woman of nineteen.
"Yes, it is Mary Warren, and uncle Hodge is a delightful old
gentleman--no, a delightful young gentleman, and were he only thirty
years younger he should have his own heiress for a wife himself. Good,
dear, generous, sensible uncle Ro. This is so like him, after all his
disappointment; for I know, Hugh, his heart was set on your marrying
Henrietta."
"And what has my marrying, or not marrying Henrietta, to do with this
settlement of fifty thousand dollars on Miss Warren? The young ladies
are not even connected, I believe."
"Oh! you know how all such things are managed," said Patt, blushing and
laughing at the passing allusion to matrimony, even in another: "Mary
Warren will not be Mary Warren always."
"Who will she be, then?" demanded uncle Ro, quickly.
But Patt was too true to the rights and privileges of her sex to say
anything directly that might seem to commit her friend. She patted her
uncle's cheek, therefore, like a saucy minx as she was, colored still
higher, looked archly at me, then averted her eyes consciously, as if
betraying a secret, and returned to her seat as demurely as if the
subject had been one of the gravest character.
"But are you serious in what you have told us, Roger?" asked my
grandmother, with more interest than I supposed the dear old lady would
be apt to feel on such a subject. "Is not this settlement a matter of
fancy?"
"True as the gospel, my dear mother."
"And is Martha right? Is Mary Warren really the favored young lady?"
"For a novelty, Patt is right."
"Does Mary Warren know of your intention, or has her father been
consulted in the matter?"
"Both know of it; we had it all over together, last evening, and Mr.
Warren _consents_."
"To what?" I cried, springing to my feet, the emphasis on the last word
being too significant to be overlooked.
"To receive Hugh Roger Littlepage, which is my own name, recollect, for
a son-in-law; and what is more, the young lady 'is agreeable.'"
"We all know that she is more than agreeable," put in Patt; "she is
delightful, excellent; agreeable is no word to apply to Mary Warren."
"Pshaw, girl! If you had travelled, now, you would know that this
expression is cockney English for agreeing to a thing. Mary Warren
agrees to become the wife of Hugh Roger Littlepage, and I settle fifty
thousand dollars on her in consideration of matrimony."
"This Hugh Roger Littlepage," cried Patt, throwing an arm around my
neck; "not that Hugh Roger Littlepage. Do but add that, dearest uncle,
and I will kiss you for an hour."
"Excuse me, my child; a fourth of that time would be as much as I could
reasonably expect. I believe you are right, however, as I do not
remember that _this_ Hugh Roger had any connection with the affair,
unless it were to give his money. I shall deny none of your
imputations."
Just as this was said, the door of the library was slowly opened, and
Mary Warren appeared. The moment she saw who composed our party, she
would have drawn back, but my grandmother kindly bade her "come in."
"I was afraid of disturbing a family party, ma'am," Mary timidly
answered.
Patt darted forward, threw her arm around Mary's waist, and drew her
into the room, closing and locking the door. All this was done in a way
to attract attention, and as if the young lady wished to attract
attention. We all smiled but Mary, who seemed half pleased, half
frightened.
"It _is_ a family party," cried Patt, kissing her affianced sister, "and
no one else shall be admitted to it, unless good Mr. Warren come to
claim his place. Uncle Ro has told us all about it, and we know all."
Mary hid her face in Patt's bosom, but it was soon drawn out by my dear
grandmother to kiss it; then my uncle had his turn, and Patt hers. After
this, the whole party, except Mary and I, slid out of the room,
and--yes, and then it was _my_ turn.
We are not yet married, but the day is named. The same is true with
respect to the wards, and even Patt blushes, and my grandmother smiles,
occasionally, when gentlemen who are travelling in Egypt just now, are
named. The last letters from young Beekman, they tell me, say that he
was then there. The three marriages are to take place in St. Andrew's
church, Mr. Warren being engaged to officiate.
The reader will be surprised to hear two things. My engagement with the
daughter of a poor clergyman has produced great scandal among the
anti-renters, they who so loudly decry aristocracy! The objection is
that the match is not equal! That equality which is the consequence of
social position, connections, education and similarity of habits,
thoughts, and, if you will, prejudices, is all thrown away on these
persons. They have no notion of its existence; but they can very well
understand that the owner of an unencumbered and handsome estate is
richer than the heiress of a poor divine, who can just make the year
meet on $500 per annum. I let them grumble, as I know they must and will
find fault with something connected with myself, until they have got
away my land, or are satisfied it is not to be had. As for Opportunity,
I have been assured that she threatens to sue me for a "breach of
promise;" nor should I be at all surprised were she actually to make the
attempt. It is by no means unusual, when a person sets his or her whole
soul on a particular object, to imagine circumstances favorable to his
or her views, which never had an existence; and Opportunity may fancy
that what I have heard has been "the buzzing in her own ear." Then the
quackery of Legislatures has set the ladies at work in earnest, and he
will soon be a fortunate youth who can pass through his days of celibacy
without some desperate assault, legal or moral, from the other sex.
Besides, nothing can be out of the way, when it is found that the more
popular and most numerous branch of the Legislature of New York really
believes it can evade that solemn provision of the Constitution of the
United States, which says "no State shall pass any law impairing the
obligations of contracts," by enacting, as they can regulate the statute
of descent, that whenever a landlord dies, the tenant, by applying to
the chancellor, can have his leasehold tenure converted into a mortgage,
on discharging which the land will be his, unencumbered! We have heard
of a "thimble-rig administration" in England, and really that
industrious nation seems to have exported the breed to this country. How
many of those who voted for such a law will like to see the ayes and
noes on the journals of the Assembly ten years hence? If there should be
one such man left in the State, he will be an object of humane
commiseration. We have had many efforts at legislative chicanery, and
some that have been tolerably clever, but this is a palpable experiment
in the same way, made for a reason that everybody understands, that has
not even the negative merit of ingenuity. Our own courts will probably
disregard it, should the Senate even concur; and as for those of the
United States, they will, out of all doubt, treat it as it ought to be
treated, and brand it with ignominy. The next step will be to pass a law
regulating descents, as it is called, under the provisions of which the
debtors of the deceased can meet his obligations with a coin technically
called "puppies."
Jaaf drivels away. The black occasionally mumbles out his sentiments
concerning past events and the state of the country. An anti-renter he
regards as he would a thief, and makes no bones of saying so. Sometimes
he blunders on a very good remark in connection with the subject, and
one he made no later than yesterday is worthy of notice.
"What dem feller want, Masser Hugh?" he demanded. "Dey's got one half of
deir farms, and now dey wants tudder half. S'pose I own a cow, or a
sheep, in par'nership, what right I got to say I will have him all?
Gosh! dere no sich law in ole time. Den, who ebber see sich poor Injins!
Redskins mis'rubble enough, make 'e bess of him, but dis Injin so
mis'rubble dat I doesn't won'er you can't bear him. Oh! how ole I do
git--I _do_ t'ink ole Sus can't last much longer, too!"
Old Susquesus still survives, but an object of great hatred to all the
anti-renters, far and near. The "Injin" system has been broken up,
temporarily at least, but the spirit which brought it into existence
survives under the hypocritical aspect of "human rights." The Upright of
the Onondagoes is insensible of the bad feeling which is so active
against him, nor is it probable that most of those who entertain this
enmity are conscious of the reason; which is simply the fact that he is
a man who respected laws to the making of which he was a party, and
preferred to suffer rather than be guilty of an act of injustice.
NOTE BY THE EDITOR.
Here the manuscript of Mr. Hugh Roger Littlepage, jun., terminates. That
gentleman's feelings have probably forbidden his relating events so
recent as those which have since occurred. It remains, therefore, for us
to add a few words.
Jaaf died about ten days since, railing at the redskins to the last, and
talking about his young massers and missuses as long as he had breath.
As for his own descendants, he had not been heard to name _them_, for
the last forty years.
Susquesus still survives, but the "Injins" are all defunct. Public
opinion has, at last, struck that tribe out of existence, and it is
hoped that their calico bags have been transmitted to certain
politicians among us, who, as certain as the sun rises and sets, will
find them useful to conceal their own countenances, when contrition and
shame come, as contrition and shame will be sure to succeed such conduct
as theirs.
It may be well to add a word on the subject of the tone of this book. It
is the language of a man who feels that he has been grievously injured,
and who writes with the ardor of youth increased by a sense of wrong. As
editors, we have nothing more to do with that than to see, while calling
things by their right names, that language too strong for the public
taste should not be introduced into our pages. As to the moral and
political principles connected with this matter, we are wholly of the
side of the Messrs. Littlepage, though we do not think it necessary to
adopt all their phrases--phrases that may be natural to men of their
situations, but which would be out of place, perhaps, in the mouths of
those who act solely in the capacity of essayists and historians.
To conclude,--Mr. Littlepage and Mary Warren were married, in St.
Andrew's Church, a very few days since. We met the young gentleman, on
his wedding tour, no later than yesterday, and he assured us that,
provided with such a companion, he was ready to change his domicile to
any other part of the Union, and that he had selected Washington, for
the express purpose of being favorably situated for trying the validity
of the laws of the United States, as opposed to the "thimble-rigging" of
the New York Legislature. It is his intention to have every question
connected with the covenants of his leases clearly settled, that of
taxing the landlord for property on which the tenant has covenanted to
pay all taxes; that of distress for rent, when distress must precede the
re-entry stipulated for by the leases; and that of any other trick or
device which the brains of your "small-potato" Legislature may invent in
order to wrong him out of his property. As for ourselves, we can only
say, God give him success! for we are most deeply impressed that the
more valuable parts of the institutions of this country can be preserved
only by crushing into the dust this nefarious spirit of cupidity, which
threatens the destruction of all moral feeling and every sense of right
that remains among us.
In our view, Oregon, Mexico and Europe, united against us, do not
threaten this nation with one-half as much real danger as that which
menaces at this moment, from an enemy that is now in possession of many
of its strongholds, and which is incessantly working its evil under the
cry of liberty, while laying deeper the foundation of a most atrocious
tyranny.
I forgot to add, Mr. Littlepage significantly remarked at parting, that
should Washington fail him, he has the refuge of Florence open, where he
can reside among the other victims of oppression, with the advantage of
being admired as a refugee from republican tyranny.
THE END.