Gentleman Sett (2)
The process of acquiring the Cedar Grove plantation proceeded without a hitch.
However, my original plan to essentially take over the plantation for a song required a slight modification. Alexander Parer, fearing he might not receive the full payment, had inserted several clauses that acted as insurance.
But even here, there were loopholes.
Since the payment wasn't strictly mandated in gold or silver, I could simply settle the debt cheaply with something like Greenbacks, whose value would plummet by the time the Civil War ended. No matter how meticulous a legal mind Parer was, he couldn't have foreseen the Civil War, so in the end, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
Furthermore, his meticulousness actually worked to my benefit in one specific area.
“Senator, my primary personal concern is that the terrorist organization known as the Arrow of Freedom might target this plantation again.”
“That is, of course, a natural concern. I shall request that patrols be reinforced.”
“No, there’s no need to go that far. No matter how much we reinforce patrols, those meticulous scoundrels will surely find a time when the guard is down. Rather, I intend to establish an internal security system within the plantation itself.”
“That certainly does seem more realistic.”
Until now, I had prohibited outsiders from entering under the pretext of protecting management secrets, but that excuse was starting to lose its effectiveness. If I tried to isolate the plantation from the outside world any further, it might lead to rumors that I was hiding something.
But thanks to our dear Mr. John Brown, who had so spectacularly stirred up trouble, I now had a justification that no one could challenge.
“I plan to begin extensive construction as soon as I take over Cedar Grove. ‘Fortification’ might be too grand a word, but after this recent disaster, I must ensure we are prepared so that no one can simply storm in from the outside.”
“Hmm, hmm. Indeed, you must.”
“However, the truth is that if I do this, people like John Brown or the Arrow of Freedom won't look upon me kindly.”
Isn't it true that in these matters, what one might call a ‘stack of unpopularity’ carries significant weight? If a slave plantation they had left half-ruined began to thrive again under a different owner, they would naturally be displeased. And then, wouldn't the owner of that plantation naturally become a target?
Senator Parer nodded repeatedly at this perfect logic, agreeing with me.
“If they dare to touch you, I will mobilize every ounce of law enforcement in this country to put a bullet in their heads, so do not worry too much.”
“Thank you very much. However, to prevent such an unfortunate incident, I intend to take the same measures not only at Cedar Grove but at all the plantations I own. Honestly, I’m only human, and I can’t help but feel anxious.”
If John Brown were to target Mississippi again, the most likely candidate would be none other than me, so who could call me a coward for being cautious?
“That is why I am telling you this; I looked into it, and to fully fortify a plantation, there are many procedures to report to the authorities and handle legally. It’s not exactly easy to let slaves carry weapons.”
“Ah, I see what you are saying. Certainly, it would not be easy for a young man like you to handle such matters alone. It takes a great deal of time, after all.”
The South, having been burned once by a massive slave rebellion in the past, regulated the possession of weapons by slaves almost pathologically.
“Under current law, it is true that slaves are forbidden from possessing any weapons, not just firearms, correct?”
“Of course. ‘Article 49 of the Mississippi Code: No slave shall possess or carry any gun, gunpowder, lead, or other weapon. Provided, however, that it is permitted if the master orders its transport. Upon discovery, anyone may seize the weapon and bring it to a judge for confiscation, and the slave shall receive up to 39 lashes, with the master bearing the legal costs.’ That is the law of our state.”
That’s quite strict.
But I suppose it had to be that tight to reassure the Southern planters who lived in constant fear of slave uprisings.
“But if the Northerners really attack, we can’t just stand by and let it happen. No one wants to end up like Duncan Skinner.”
“Since everyone in the South now knows about Cedar Grove and your acquisition of it, I will help you. There is an exception clause in that very Article 49.”
Parer flipped through a book, chuckled, and opened it to show me the contents.
“Look at this. ‘A justice of the peace may, upon the application of the master, grant written permission for the carrying and use of a gun within the master’s land boundaries for up to one year, and such permission may be revoked at will.’ It is written right here.”
Of course, I knew that. I had been diligently catering to Senator Parer, a renowned legal scholar and senator, precisely because of this clause.
“Then, could you perhaps help me a little so that I might receive permission from the judge?”
“Of course. Thanks to you, I have saved so much face in this recent incident. The justice of the peace in charge of Natchez is a drinking buddy of mine, so if I just ask him to look after you, you’ll have your permit by next week. Renewals will be automatic, so you have nothing to worry about.”
“Thank you. I will continue to trust and follow you, Senator.”
“However, be aware that this permit is not granted to the entire plantation, but only to specific individuals as an exception. So, make sure to select the trusted confidants you rely on for each plantation.”
To think things would be handled so easily—the power of influence is truly great.
With this, I had managed to bundle together the fortification of my plantations and the authorization for my slaves to carry weapons.
In reality, only a few would be officially permitted to handle guns, but who would be able to check every single one of them?
Once I trained everyone to shoot, if a problem arose, I would simply ensure there were no witnesses left behind.
Then, I could just claim that the only ones who actually fired were the authorized elites of our plantation, and the rest were merely carrying the weapons—who could say otherwise?
Is this the true power of a Senator?
“Senator, shall we seriously push forward with the Natchez Stakes we discussed? Now, when such unsettling incidents have occurred, is the perfect time to hold a large-scale event to show that we have suffered no damage at all.”
“Oh! Yes, yes! As expected, your thinking is truly profound. I will ensure it is pushed forward, so do not worry. Hahahaha!”
If I could share in this power just by investing a little in horse racing and catering to his whims, what could be a more profitable business than this?
I would have to stick to him like a leech until the war broke out.
* * *
“For that reason, those who have received authorization on our plantation will now be able to carry and use weapons.”
“Ohhh! Weapon usage?”
“Does that mean we can shoot guns too?”
“Leave it to me! I will undergo grueling training and put a bullet in the head of anyone who dares to harm our Master!”
Just as our respectable Senator Parer had boasted, the justice of the peace’s permit arrived at near-light speed.
However, because the issue of slaves handling firearms was extremely sensitive, there were still procedural matters to address.
“To state the core of it first, obviously, not everyone on the plantation is allowed to use guns. For Cedar Grove, three people have received permits, and I intend to select 5 to 10 people from each of the other plantations, totaling about 25 permits.”
25 might sound like a small number, but even with just this many permits, I could keep plenty of firearms on the plantation and utilize others as troops in an emergency.
Though, of course, the management of guns and ammunition would have to be meticulous.
“Therefore, I will take applications first. But keep in mind that those who become authorized weapon users must undergo separate training in addition to their duties, and must always show upright behavior, attitude, and loyalty so that outsiders cannot find fault.”
The authorities wouldn't conduct ideological screenings on the slaves themselves, but there was always the possibility that sheriffs or patrol militias might pick a fight or try to probe us for no reason.
If they weren't people who could handle such situations wisely, it was better not to grant them permits from the start, so this selection process was, in fact, a necessity rather than a choice.
“First, my secretary Leo, our head field foreman Ben, and Sam, who must guard our supplies, are mandatory permit holders, so they must attend training. For the rest, I will take applications and select suitable candidates, so if any of you are interested, express your intent to the foremen.”
In truth, one might think having a weapon permit is all good, but from an individual’s perspective, it isn't necessarily so.
They could only carry weapons within my private property, and the moment they harmed someone else with those weapons without my permission, they would be subject to immediate flogging.
Furthermore, the probability of white people who were uncomfortable with the idea of slaves carrying weapons picking a fight under the guise of ‘verification’ would increase, and if they were careless with the firearms, they would be in for a world of trouble, so it wasn't exactly a bed of roses.
However.
“...Everyone applied?”
“Yes. Even the female slaves working in the mansion and the clinic have applied.”
“What is their reason?”
“They say they want to undergo training so they can protect you, Master. And they say that no matter who threatens you, they will kill them themselves.”
“No... I’ve told you, there’s practically no one crazy enough to storm all the way into this plantation, right?”
I was grateful for their tear-jerking loyalty, but this meant I would have to interview them one by one.
If I had known this, I would have just left it to the field foremen.
“I think you are taking this too lightly, Master. Those who receive weapon permits will likely become the envy of everyone on the plantation.”
“Why? It’s a weapon they can’t even use freely.”
“A loyal guard who carries a gun to protect the Master. How cool would that look? They are essentially your personal Elite Guard.”
Leo shrugged, clearly showing his own hidden expectations.
“An Elite Guard... I suppose that could be true. Though I don’t intend to actually take them around with me everywhere.”
“Of course. The only person who can truly be called your Elite Guard is me, Leo, who is always by your side.”
“Then use that point to woo Sarah. You still haven’t asked her out, have you?”
“Ah, no, why are you bringing up Sarah? We are currently discussing the critical issue of protecting you and the plantation...”
“Enough. Regardless, I can’t interview hundreds of people individually, so you narrow it down to about 50. I’ll pick half from there.”
If these guys could read and write, I could just have them write self-introductions, but since only a few slaves on the plantation had mastered literacy, it was inconvenient in many ways.
Even if I wanted to teach them, Mississippi made it illegal to teach slaves to read, so they had no choice but to learn on their own like Leo.
But wait.
Now that I could fortify the plantation and tighten security, who would know if I taught them to read or write novels?
Teaching everyone would be impossible, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to select a few smart ones to learn literacy for faster and more accurate transmission of orders.
“Leo, once the renovations at Cedar Grove are done and internal training is finished, select 10 smart and loyal ones from our plantation.”
“Understood.”
After all, unlike a gun, literacy is invisible.
Even if they could read and write, if they just pretended they couldn't in front of others, what could anyone do about it?
Even if they were caught, I could just act surprised and say, ‘My slaves are so smart because they take after their Master, they must have taught themselves.’
Since I, their Master, am so smart and successful, and the slaves who respect and follow me so dearly want to emulate me, what could I possibly do?
From the clinic and the dating house to military training and a makeshift school.
It seems like I’ll keep adding more and more things, but what does it matter?
It’s just a plantation with a few more special, badass features, that’s all.
Really.