Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-09-18
SPECTATORS
lDwARDsVnLE, SEPTEMBER IS, 1919

II statement Of Facts relative to the PRO
ceedfnS8 Qf mob IF shareholders at
Roon'S Lick, in July, 1919. By Hum
FHREY SMITH.
AT campmeeting held near Frank
lin, in the Missouri territory, in May or
June last, IN conversation with a Mr..
Sexton, | asked him how he could be a
member OF the methodist church, and at
the same time hold negroes in slavery,
as 1t was contrary to the discipline of the
church; at which he was offended. Sc
veral shareholders came near to defend
their cause, who said that God had made
negroes for slaves, and white men for
masters, or he would not suffer it to be so.
BY this time the preachers and hearers
were all collected round, to hear what
was said. No one said any thing on the
part OF freedom but myself. Several
spoke In favor of slavery. A great fell
low came up to us, and sworc he would
Kill me--that he had killed two, and
would kill me also. One of the preach
ers counted the number of oaths he took.
The preachers came to me, and request
cd me to be silent | gave them assur-
ances that | would. Some swore they
would not suffer man to stay in the
countrythat said so much against slavery;
the principal part of which was, that
wished the restriction of congress might
take place.
On the 18th of July, about q O'Clock
at night, man called at my door for en-
tcrtainmcnt. l got out of my bed and
went to the door. He asked me my
name, which told him. then disco
vered that he had his face partly masked.
He instantly caught hold of my right
hand, and hauled me past the corner of
the house. At this instant, three or four
men rushed from behind the corner with
clubs, and beat me ON the head, and fell
to the ground. 1t was some time before
] recovered my recollection, when |
found them hauling me towards the fence.
| caught hold of the fence, and hung to
it with all my strength. All this time
some were beating me, and some endea-
goring to pull me over the fence. My
wife came to my assistance, and threw
swingling-board at the man who had me
by the hand, and broke his hold. My
wife was struck across the eye with a
club. We broke through the rioters,
got into the house, and boted the door.
A short time after, a great shout was
heard in the woods, thirty or forty rods
from the house. | then fed into the
cornield, and staid until all was quiet.
Upon returning to my bed | could not
sleep, in consequence of the wounds l
had received. The next day many of
my neighbors came to see me, and said
they were astonished at such conduct.
Some of my friends warned me of ano-
Their party that intended to make me visit
upon the same business. A few DAYS
after this riot, camp-meetng was held
about four miles from my place of resi-
dence. neglected attending it, fearing
some accident might take place. l was
informed by a friend, that one OF the
shareholders declared to him, that there
were twenty at the meeting who would
have beaten me, had | attended it.
HUMPHREY SMITH.
STATE OF ILLINOIS, Personally appearedbe-
Madison County, IS. s fore me, Thornton Pee
piles, justice of the peace in and for Madison
county, Humphrey Smith, who made oath that
the above statement is true, according to the
best ofhis knowledge and belief. Given under
my hand this 18th day of September, 1919.
7HORNTOV PEOPLES, Up.
Note. Boon's Lick is the place from
whence it was gravely proposed, few
weeks ago, to send missionaries to civil
ize the people of Illinois.
COMMUNICATIONS.
A shock of an earthquake was felt here
on the morning of the I'd inst. at half past
. O'Clock. 1t appeared to move in d.
rection from S. S. w. to N. N. E.; and
the oscillations of the earth continued
about one and half minute. The at
mosphere at the S. w. was hazy, and
without wind.
Another shock was also felt on the
morning of the 10th, which appeared to
e. 81.