or what are your political principles

"That I shall not do. You should have patience to investigate these things, and not allow your feelings to become so excited. If I turn him and his son adrift, I'm answerable for their lives if any accident should occur to them," rejoined the captain. "Are you a secessionist, captain, or what are your political principles? You seem determined to protect abolitionists. That scoundrel has been associating with a nigger, and eating at his house ever since he has been here." "Yes, yes, and we'll be d--d if he isn't an abolitionist," joined in a dozen voices, "for he dined at Bill Webster's last Sunday on a wild-turkey. Nobody but an infernal abolitionist would dine with a nigger." "As for politics, I never had much to do with them, and care as little about secession as I do about theology; but I like to see men act reasonably. If you want any thing more of me, you will find me at Colonel Whaley's plantation to-morrow." Thus saying, he stepped into his boat and returned on board of his vessel. Just as he was getting under-weigh again, whiz! whiz! whiz! came three shots, one in quick succession after the other, the last taking effect and piercing the crown of his hat, at which they retired out of sight. Fearing a return, he worked his vessel about two miles farther up and came to anchor on the other side of the channel, where he waited the return of the tide, and had an opportunity to put his affrighted passengers on board a schooner that was passing down, bound to Charleston. The secret of such an outrage is told in a few words. The man was a timber-getter from the vicinity of New Bedford, Massachusetts, who, with his son, a lad about sixteen years of age, had spent several winters in the vicinity of the Edisto, getting live-oak, what he considered a laudable enterprise.