Selections: Letter From Miss Webster

We find in the Boston Chronicle the following letter from Mis Webster, now in jiil in Kentucky, (o her former postor in Vergennes, Vt. The italicising appears to have been mada by the writer. Lexington, Oct. I2th, 1844. Rev. Harvey F. Leavitt: - Dearly Beloved Pastor, - It is withfeelingsmore easily jmngined than describcd, that I now toke up my pen to addres8 you. The present moment is with me a moment of thrilling in erest. I m not now as I have been for the last thirteen months, principal of the Lexington Academy. I am not now engaged in the capecity of teacher, that most pleaeing of nll employmentB. Bur, sir, I am, beheve me, 1 am a prisoner. Yes, sir; your daughter Delia ie at this wful moment witliin the confines of the dtyjaiL "For what?" For nothing, liereply. 'Then why," (you ask) a lady, an unprotected and defenceless ferpale in a di?tant clime, twelve hundred miles from home - from friends - from an aged doating father- from a beloved mother- frnm fond sisters - from an only brother - from all her heart hoíds dear; surrounded alone by strnngersí 'vhy shut up in close confinement witlnn those heavy locks, iron bars and prison walls; and this too in an enlightened country - in a land of gospel light and liberty? Imposeible." Ah! My Rev. Sir - 1 am cruelly suspected of being tineïured witli the foul blot ofabolitionism. Do you ask if I have changed my sentiment8? ;Vb, air, I have not; and I tho't my reputatioo to well established, - my character too well known to admit of a suspicion. 1 have oftenfrankly declared my sentiments in tbis community. It is well known that I favor colonizaron. It has been known ever eince I carne here. I have had no dispositionto conceal it. But have often told the people fiat 1 thought ourown beloved JYeie England enjoyed a more eminent degree of piely, and was f ar happier in every respect than th? South; and I believe it still, and still I wil! leclare it. and these grates nnd bars, ond prisn walls, 6hall reverberate my sentiments, and f I em puniihed for believing what I do, and nust believe, or for not believing whst I canlot believe, I will suflèr. But, thank God, hough the 'iberty of ihese feeble, defenceees limbs be trammelled, my cum cienco is ree. On one occnsion, (perhaps when over ex:ited,) I remarked in company, that if all the lack population could be banished from our oved country, I would cheerfully go myïelf to the wild and desert shores of África o tetch them that tliey have immorial eouls. This was, perhape, an imprudent remark. If iot pardon me. It is the only one lam guilty }f. At the time I feit it, and even now 1 cnow that I am prepared to recall it. But to the point. It is not for colonizaL ion principies I am imprisoned . I am imagned to be an abolition agent, sent on here by the New England Abolition secieties, for ihe exprese purpose of rendering the blnck lopulaüon u.neasy and discontented, and for aiáing and assisting them in every possib! way to elope from bondage. Now, sir, I pro test my innocence. But that doea not satiefy them. Tuey place no confidence in tny word, but require proof of every thinlc say. What renders the case more aggrnvating was the circumstunces nttending my arrest; - would give you a full detail had I time; wi do it in a future epistle. Suffice il lo iy that a Methodist clergyman, namcd Fairbank a friend of mine from New York, was in thi country on business; such as to render it im portantfor him lo fee other ministeis,membér of the Conference; and frequently to ride int other counties. By request of Mrs. Glass our landicdy, I inviied him what time he epen in the city to make a home .vith as, which: in vitation was accepted; nof, however, withou his paying in advance for his board. Whé the Sabbatb C8me. afler church bel! rang, h was mvited to preach in the first Presbyteri an church in this éiiy, of wiiich I am a mem b'er. He did so,thoúgh without preparation and wa every much eulogized. Indeed, I hav heard sevóral citizens ïcjiark, thut there wa npver before so good a sermón déliveréd i Lexington. Two weeks from thot da}' mor ning, tbere weré'three valuable servants miss ing. Á boy ríámed Iewis, aged about twen t-eix, with his wifc ond child. Hmdbill were immediutely printed and is-sued in everj direction. Riiiiners wcre hastily despalchrt on every road, and three hundred dolfats re ward ofFered for their apprehension. Th Sabbath and Monday weró spent in vain. - Not a trace could be fóünd,not a breáth hear of them. Till at Jength tliey began to leav off caring for the property, and only carei ti get hold of whoever it might be that ha oided them; By the by, norUiern and east cm peraonls are aKvays looked upon here wit a jealous eye; and on Monday éVéning,' be tween six and seven o'elock, Mr. Foirban was brested on suspicion and commilted t jajl. Whether hè Kaïd any thing thát gav them just grountf foï euspióion I cahnot 6ay but. have good reoéon to believe he di not. Át eleven Vclock the same níght, we wer arouscd by persons deeiring to see all letter and {lapéia in tlje pbsesion of AfÍ6S Wrfyer. I frankly nnd cheerfully delivered every ring of the kind intó their liand?; and more ver, gave them my trunks for inspection, and Tered tbem the key of my room. Tliey, owever,did not examine any thing Ihat night. ut you Jcnotc the ma.xim, "The more one has, he more he wants;" and near midnight I was scorted to this room, whence Í have not gressed e'mce thot mènYonfole hour. Next ay I took the liberty to inquire on wluit auïority 1 wns nrrested; and was answered, You have been in the company of on abolionist." Oh! what a black slain upon roy laracteri My reputution was now down. - ly flourishing school srattered to the four inds - and I not th'röwn upon the wide orld, but rtidely thrown into prison . Sume said, "What a mortification it must jeto your friends." Othera, "What a pity ou ever snw tbat man''- and others stil], Whut a heayy blow ït will be to ótir mothr.'' Some contrastèd my present unfortuate, degraded èondiïion, with what it had jeen for the last two years. While others ortrayeif ín livinff colora the horrors of a life i the penitentiary. And thtis, dear sir, my comforters so Mndly me consoled, As BtrongJy to remind me of the friends of Job of old. In the course of the day, (Tuesday,)1 a ïet er was found among papers in my posseseion, ddressed to me, wrilten, as is supposed, by n abolitioniot. It is on account of this leter that I am retained in custody; and for which, together with beingin the compnny of aid minister, I am informed the grand jury f Fayette county court have tound 8 true bül gairwl me; and am now under four indictïenls, each of which, if found guilty, may entence me to the penitentiary for tbe space f twenty years. Do nol starile at the tbóught. rejoice that our government i3 a: republican jovernment. I rejoice that we have Iaw9 by Vhiéh to defend our rights. And sir, in my present condition, l appeal to the tribunals of my country; and though these are imperfect, though innocence is not always a bucklér, yóu wiíí èe gratified to hear that I ask no mercy. All I want is justice. Ifthènewsof my arrest has reached your city, you will please read this èpistle to my pafents and friends (toothers if you choosej) if it has not, therifold it inviolatein your own breast; for Icannot endure the idea of paining their minds with unwelcome intelligence. I did hope to ' keep it from them entirely, but it bas been noticed in all the papers of this vicinity, i [and I understand in notwoalike.) It will probably soon come out in eastern arints. I wil] send you our city pajers. I suppose you would like to know how ' [ enjoy my new home. It is, sir, a very )leasant one, being retired frorn noise and ustle, though near the centre of the city. My room is large and commodious, being nineteen feet by twenty-five. It has two arge windows, and a grate for burning stone coal, which is the fuel most commonly used in this country. We have not yet, however, had any weather cold enough to need a fire. I am very contented and happy. Have a fine opportunity for reading and meditation. My food, though not of the plainest kind, has a good relish, and digests well. My sleep was never more sweet or' refresHing. - My dreams never more pleasant. I dance a little every day, which is the only éxercise I have, except making my own bed and sweeping my room. In fi'ne, I bélievé a prison life agreeswith me. My heakh is excellent, better than it has been at any time before, during the last ten years. - Am uniformly cheerful and in good spirits; so much so, that I seem to be a novel ty to all my visitors. I have twenty fellow prisoners. Their situatióft is truly distressing, being all crowded into small filthy dungeons - destitute of beds and other comforts. Mr. Fairbank is heavily ironed; and in' a stttall' dungeon, with fiftêèh others, mostly blucfcs. Two of his companions are to be execuféd in a few doys. Ji fè fortúnate for the present, that we are in prison, for public excitenrsnt is raging to such a height, that were we let out, I presume it would not be ten minutes before we would b in'humanly butcheíVcr ïft the streets, without judge or jury. I teil my alccusers that I defy them, 'all powerfül' a's they are, to find an individual in' the State, old or young, black or white, bond or ffee, that Will pfove thnt he kas, or ever had, the remotest grounds for even siispeclhtg me to be an dbolitionist. They will try their best, and I cnnnot say what they mny accomplish,' for it is my candid opinión, there are hundreds in this vicinity who woulj in the twinklingof an éyc, testify to any thing, 110 rtiatter iokat, for the sake of money; or i f they thought perchance there vas a possibüity that by their oat'hs pimishïnent might rest upoh: in ë head of an aboliiiori'tèt. But whatíiver fáéy do, I ani still their friend. Kéntuckians Tiitle know the friendship they are ahusing. This allant State is not aware of the strength of my attachment. She little thinks she has a warm-hearted friend and advocate in hsr inüflfensive,. submissiv pritonier. Andthough I am doomed, through mistaken apprehensions, to finish out my three sdtfre years in yonder tfèh of criminaM and felons, still, sir, Ilove Kentucky; and would as chëerfully and heartily do any thing in ítíy poVfrèf for her happineáá aria prosperíty, as though it were my own dear native land; and long after this heaft titüi ceased her vibrations - long after thes8 lips are cold in death- and after thi's hañd has ce'ased to moved, may this testify to the manly bravery, noble generosity, the zealous patriotism, and chivalry of proud Kentucky. I shall have my fría! some time between this and March. Thè judgè héis given me permission to select any day I choose, and he will hold a special term of the court for that purpose. As the public sentiment - which I am sorry to' èay-- is very much against me, I shall defef iny trial awhile until the heat of the excitement shall ha(; subsided. My bail ís Jive thousand dollars: Yoü sèè from thi (hef think rhe of no litlle tonsèqüènce: - Mr. Fairbank's baïl iè the same; making their prizè óf ten thousand dollars value. I am infofmed Kentucky never was stf fortúnate before as to get höid of án abolitionistj and thal théf now intend ou'r punishment shall sösatfrifé thè Nörth and East, that no more agents will ever be sent itíto their borders. Mr. Fairbárik has writíeñ to' Mr. Arthur Tappan oF N.' York. for help,also to several othérs. Please teil my dear mother (if shü must know ü,) not to grieve on n4y account, nor give herself the Ièasf tittéöSi-' néss. Teil tier I have not yet shed a tear, and why should.-she weep?' Thé Lord knows what is for thè best; and Í can patiently wait, firmly belleving hë ill so order all thitigs asislíáribést'prD-" mote his glory. Teil my beloved father' itsèems tó have" a very happy influence óri tHe minds óf the people, virhèn 1 teil thëtii that' F wai ; not brought up to be an abólitiöiiist; whe'n' i I teil them that all such principies aretirely confi-ary tö' riiy training IF they fully believed me in this," if .they coüldf know to a certainty that my father is proslavery, and had ever been' an enemy and strenuous opposer to the abölitïöft' cause, 1 have no doubt it woüid opérate gjedïly fó' nYy sdvanlage; but théy seeni to think, as a matter of course, that ali northern and éasterh persons aré diílitíacery. How vastly they mistake the realily. Also please teil my father, tW Gen. John M. M 'Calla, a particular friend and patrón óF miñé ttté céíebaféd Democratie elector öf this i Státej 'tbgtíiéi1' with the fanlóus Gen. Coombs,: tHè Whig elector, arid'his partner, Mr. Sfiy is my coïmsel. The Hon. Henry Clay has'álso givé me encouragément of appeanhg irithy behalf. If he does, all will be well, ás he is a grear fá?ófite iü this commuhity.' All ïne'e'd note, is fiinds. Í haVe óhly one hundred arid fifteen dollars by mëV- This will not do much tovvards" payftï laifryers. P anV advised lo eniplby fhe Hon. Daniel Websier, büt the want of funds preventsmy w riting to hinii' Tn'è fees of lawyers, already émployéd dmount' to' seveii huhdredand fiïly d'ólïarsl They exposé therngeives to gréat cènsute for appearing at aH on; this" éxclting question. Now my dea r Mr. Leavitt, I tirant yöM and my father, and Br. Bard," and all the rest ót yoü, to set youf wits to Work to see what can be doné for an uhfor'tú.ná'fe prisonef. I was arVestéd" óh! the 29th of Sèptémfter.' Yours, ver'y respéctfóllv: