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Selections: Extract Of A Letter From One Of Gerrit Smith's C...

Selections: Extract Of A Letter From One Of Gerrit Smith's C... image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
June
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

E. Tennessee, Apiil 1 6 1 h , 1842. I have eleven numbers of the New York Americnn of late da;es - nll ofwhioh indicare a favorable chsnge in pubüc sentiment in the Northern States. The goud people of the free States apoear alarme! at the despotic pretensions of the shveholding states. I hope that they will appear to resist the furiher unwsrrantable pretensión of Southern despots. It appears probable that a crisis will soon arrive when these claims will have to be met and decided. The slaveholding part of the South, with a powerwholly contemptible, appeor deiermined to lose no opportiiiiity to hurrv on mensures wiiich must decide thé momentous qnestion,whether the liberty of the North or the slavery of the South is to rule ihe nation. For a linie, War on the Creóle case was confidently predicted. Tl.ey said the nation was cnmmitied and could not retreat - th;it Mr. Webster's Instructions had committed the North - that England muet surrender the slaves liberat'd from 'he Creóle, or pay for them or war was inevitable. Fortunately a few members ofCongress have had the moral courage to conVince them of their error. The tone of the northern press has been snch as to lower tue host e [yicicnsions ot the Cjoutnem. An impression ia becoming general at the South, thnt abolitionists are incréa&ing very fast at the North. Sotne seern to snppose. that most of the intelligent and influential men of the North ae alreidy abnlitínnists, or at lenst giving them countenance and aid. A man of intplligence, who was conversión wifh me reCently on the subject, said that lie believ'd Mr. Birney wonld be elected President of the S. at the second election for that office. - Tlrsirnpression, which Í wouki hope the facts were such ns to justify, is having a favor nb e eifect in various ways on the South. Those opposed to slavery are more bold - and openly so. As the North become united, the friendo of the slave at the South will act more openlynu mure eiuueiiuy. jn a late leuer, i ínfcrmpd you that the snhject was debated hy two Sociei es in this country. The Societiis are formed for the pnrpose of diffusing useful knowledge by fobfltin? all stihjects calciilated to promote the design of the foundëre. TJe quesíion before tbemwas: "whether slavery or ntempernnce was ihe greater rintional evil.'' At - Rev. Mr. H and Mr. S - took Mie affirmative as to elavery. Mr. H. is a clergvman in the Methodist Church. Mr. S. Clerk of Mie Couüty Couri, both reputalile for t,ilentsi The drcision was, that stavery was the errcatpr nf the uvo vils. Next mornin, a slaveholrJpr called on Mr. H. somevvlmt excüetl iie snid, "I understand you h.-ive decided ihat intemperance is no national evil at all." Mr. H. '-O no sir. onlv that j-lavery is a grenter evil." Thcslaveholder: "I think snch a decisión very impropor Sir." H. 'Well F you are dissatisfíed we will hnve ihe rnutter trird over npain wheri you cnn have án np)ortuni!y of nriruing the question.'' Slavebolder; "No Sir, I cm no orator, Sir." Yesïerddy I mpi with a mnn wii' wns a few years since a slaveholder. He K;iid, "Mr. Í iiiulerstanc! you omploy no i-lavpg. Thnt you are much oppoppd to slftvery." I reolicd, "yon are corrpct, Sir, I rmpoly no elavef, and thmk slaverv a great evil - ruinons to the country otid injurious fobotli nvister & slave." "You are right, Sir, - I respect you for your opiiiions-.a few yenrs t=ince I had 22. Tt h:is ruined tne and injured tny familv. lt fostered habits which have made me co'mpletely insolTPnt. I aiP now goncr to apply for the bpn - efit of the Bankru'H Law." Insrances of' this kuid are not nnfrequen). finnkruptcy is very frequent nmong the plaveholders. With ihpm it is a calamity, for &livpry has unfitttd thein ' for business by which they might hope torecover.On the first week of this month the Circuit court was held at . I t,iet rhere with Esq. a vory northy mnn from county. I had a converpation vvith hirn nbont the Anti-SInvery Society there. He snid it was prosperóos - ihat ihey had freq-ient mreting8,.abd npprehemled no' difficulty. The inri cations of public sentiment wero po fnvora blo connty, ihnt I had thöoght of to my friends to fiirin on e - and sliould have done po but tbr en occiirrence o:) Wednesday morning' of the court week. News rame in town tJiat a pfevfe owneri by had killed o mnn ty ifie name of BonPon--rianperoii6'y wounded and wife nnd bnrnt ui] his buüding. The excitement was hifíh- a niimher went otit nrmed to take him - wesocr leatned that he was taken, and near town. Son after thaf, the mob had determined to hanir him on the oppo.-.ite bmk of iheRiver; this was snppested to n member of 'hebarandby him to the Court. His Hon., Judpe nt once ordered the civil authority to arre-t any thintr of the kind.and to brine 'he prisonpr to the town. Ho ttaftbrouglit iïi and placed in Jnil The mob nppeared nnxinii6 to hnngr ,rn l„It a ]jttje nfraifl „nPSS hpy cotild obtain the coiinirnnncp of llie fpnd ng mpn. One come to t-ee tho State's Attorney Mr, ¦ ¦¦, and inquired if he tbould iticeit, ifihey took him out of the jhü an.l hiiug hitn. He replied he would indirt everv one -liding or abctling, for murder. Anoiher sp.kf i to Jiidge - i and inqnired if t her wouJd be any harm in taking liitn out of jail nd haiicing him. He s;.id none only the Court will o.der the Sheriff to hang you.- Wil he? Yes, every one of yon. Nolsatwfied, one of thptn pot a drum, and beat up lor yonmteprs to go and Ivmg him. The Grandj'iry fouml a Bilí against him insiantly. The Sheriff anested him whüe boating his drum. and bn.ught him into conrt- he wa bound over for trial next term; with this, all symptoma of violence ceised. The slave was brought into oourt on Satnrday mornin- a member of the Bar, rose and stated tothe Court, that he had known him tbr years tlmt he waa a wpII known mnniac - that he killed a negro in Co. wnshed his hants aitfl face in his blood, suick his head on a pole, thon told another negro to iell his mnsier to cali the doctor. He was then confined in j il threeyears and diseharged as a maniac sold for a trifle as a mnniac - brought into ._ Co. and sold to m as a maniac, he knowmsr nli the facis. He bas been worse at times, thiiii otbersbut supposed 'obe dnngerousat all limps. Dunnnr thïn pjccitement the pood citizens mnuifested a detcmination to sustain the iaws, and preserve order. The disorderlv iiave boen tanght sorne respect for the laws". At the lust three terms of the Circuit Courl, which has three sessions onnnally, there were over 100 convictioils for gamblin'g, a conviction in every case tripd, bul one. About 20 con ictions for retailing ardent spirits. The nne9 for gambling were from 10 to 50 dollar, with cofits from 40 to 50 dollars each. For retailinsr spirits, fines from 10 to 30 dollars, costs about the same as in gamblingr cases The Temperance cause is making some progress. In the adjoining Cotinty over 1000 signaturas were obtained to the "total abstinencp pledge in one week duririg the Spring Court term. In most of the Counties of Easi Tenn. special efforts in the good canse are about to be made, or nre in progress. Last monih when aboul to go to , ourlnte County surveyor, a very worthy man, met with me, and requested me to do him a favor. He siid his colored man had rrn awny, nbout the Christmas holidays, and hnd since been ly ing out in the woods; that he had a wife ín Jefferson co. and a motlier 15 miles above. He wished me t o cali, as ho thonght it would be on my road and sec his mother, and if I cóuld, the slave; andassure her and him, ifl could mert with him, that ifhe vonld return, he should hüve no punishment, but as kind treatmetii ndtn,-fwG; a.?.1 further inducement, that it was his intention to buy hia-wqfe, ií' circumstanceshould uiake it possible for him to do so; that he could live with his fumily. He added, you niay assure him on your own responsibiüty, th.it he can rely on my promise, uid ifhe has these assurances frum vou, hewil!, I think, return. I inquirid ns to tht cause ofiiis leaving. He s.-iid he was himseli ïrom home- t bul the slave became much intoxicated in the morning. His wife requested liim totake care of the cattie - there was some disorder arnon them which required impedíate attention. He gave her a flut contradictioh, and went imtnedintely away, he supposed through fear of piiniehment. During the few years he had i)viied iiim, he had neverpunishedhirn; aslhiswasthe first offence, he and his wife would both fnrgive it- they supposed it owing to his intoxication and that, I think he said, was the first instance.- boon after coming into this Staie I formed an acqtmintance with his master--hë ia a man of 'm amible diepositiön, kind to his slaves- j hink he owns three- strictly rearding hia word at aj] times. I told my frienti that knowing hii uniform kindness ti his slaves-and, as there was so much benevolence i his request, I would cali and see the slave'p mot her and communicate the whole to her, and slave, if I saw him, but that, I could favor no coercive measures. He did not wish any. When "il my way 10 miles abóve -I nquired for the owner of his (the slaves) mother.- Í was told that he was a slave dealer,lhen porie o the S. West with slaves. I determined to cali as I came to his house. I introduced myself to His wife, told her the nature of my eriand. She called the mother, a woman of about 50 years of a?e, to the front of the h use. She had the appearance of beinf an m1elhent wel) bred old lady-I told hei 1 was authorized to nsiüre her son of the ordón of his master, nud of kind trentment if lie would return- that he had pledged himself to me ihat he should not be punishedj but as a further indncement he would endeavor to buy his wife lor him. S;iid she had not seenmm ior more umn two yenrs- if she sliould see him, she wüuld advise liim tD return. Slie had no dcnbt Mr.- would keep his word, as he had tated trwne. Shi said she had anotlier son whose nu me w.s Jess. He was abont to he sold with 11 his ftmily- that it Blttiost distracted himhe had left ubout the snnieiime. Slie stipposed ihry hnd met and gone torre her to the f ree Sla les. This conjecture of the o!d larly is probably the true one. I dismissed rhe old lady nnd inok a seat in the house, The inqtiirv was f I could learn i any thitig of him. I told the l.idy, that his nv ther thoupht that he had gone to a free State. She said, she pnpposed so, that fhere wdiiM be no use in fbHóWtttj? them. That her lineband had two whn had gone to Indiana and that he liad heard uhere they were. "Does your husband inlend r oincr aOer ihem?': 9 .O(l ye "' n"' lt wonld be more than his 1ife is worth to go there af;er them. There was onr neighbór Mr whowent 10 Pa. after one, and they had to cali out a r?{riment of soldiers to protfct lm life. The lawrers cnüed him n So.ithern bloodhonn ', ihat hnd comenfipr his pounl of fle.-h. Tlie cause was decided ap.iinst him, and he thonht liimhelftvftj] rTto pet aWy alive- O no, when they are therè fhey are safe-my husband will nevër go ihore t. risk his life "after thetn - One of them w.-nt to the riv.r and pretended to be very drtink and took the canoe to cross in the evening. Next mornng, he was miefitf. They fonnd the canoe down stream with his hat and hotile, and supposing him to be drowned, raked the river for h is. body. I had heard of 'e tour f o Pu . There in no doubt liec-jmeaway ranch frightened. Alröosj in the ame neiírhborhooíf. fhere were two men by the rrnme of-, who wenl to Indiana after a runaway slave. Tney introduced tbemgelvee os aboütioaUis, md bythat rr.eans found the runnwny slave and atrrmpi.ed o bring him olF. YVhat occurred nfierwards we do not knuw. only that they camc nwuy 'vithout him - and are L.ad lluü they are nlive. Tlio impression is bicuming common wiih the slave catchers that they fake tufir lives intheir hands when they fjo into the free States after slaves.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News