State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-07-05
From the New York Evangelist.
EXCITEMENT IN MISSOURI

There has recently been an unhappy ex-
element in Marion county, Mo-, on the
subject of abolition, which has led to sad
results. The stories from that quarter.
published IN the secular papers, are very
contradictory and extravagant, as well as
false IN many respects, and we have been
waiting with much anxiety for full state
ment from some of our friends there in the
hope of correcting the errors All that
we have yet received is the following let
ter from MIR CARAT, whose proceedings. il
is said, was the immediate occasion of the
excitement. Mr. CARAT is familiar ac-
qualntance of ours, and one whom we re-
gard as worthy of implicit confidence in
all that he says on the subject.
Quincy, Illinois, May 81, 1886.
Dear Brother Leavitt--I arrived at Mar
ion College about the first of May, with
company of young men who expected
either to enter the college as regular stu
dents, or the mission farms rs ''recruits."
Also, had in my care respectable COL
ored young man, and colored boy, both
from New York city, both provided with
tree papers, NC, as required by law TO adj
INIT them into the state of Missouri The
Younger was to have been bound to DR..
Nelson until twenty-one, and the other ex-
pected to reclte TO me or some other stu
dent, and support himself by manual labor,
until he should he qualified to 20 to the
land of his forefathers, Africa TO preach
the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ to the
heathen. For this, and for bringing such
library of books, &c. as chose, being n
white native citizen of the United States,
violent threats were thrown out Judging
it wisdom to remove the boys from the
state, at least while such excitement exis-
ted, l did SO. But meeting brother Nelson
on the bank of the Mississippi river, being
just on his return with his family from
Tennessee, and greatly desiring to avail
himself of the labors of the boy, particu-
Iarly at that time, while settling his family,
the boy was permitted to return and be
with him. The day after company of
men came from Palmyra to take the BOYS;
but not finding them as they anticipated,
they were greatly exasperatcd, and renewed
their threats; for which reason il was
thought best to re-remove the boy as soon
as possible. Accordingly it was done.
But notwithstanding this, a company of two
men from Palmyra began to beat up vol
unteers for mob on Sabbath day, May Is,
to come up to college. They could not
succeed in getting horses that night but
by O'Clock the next morning they mustert
ed between fifty and seventy men on horse
back, and few in carriages. Two hum
dred are said to have been enrolled, among
which were number of lawl ers, doctors,
and other public characters. They Pro-
ceeded to Marion College and the EMISSION
Farms" distance twelve miles, armed with
pistols, dirks, &c, and the most of them
also with clubs. Myself was their first OBJ
Ject. They arrived about twelve O'Clock,
and found me alone in the field blowing,
experimenting no danger. Brother VIII
liams (who owned the farm,) had gone TO
Illinois with the boy. was Immediately
taken prisoner by four men, and in few
moments was surrounded by the whole
gang, who had surrounded the farm, and
came galloping in from every quarter.
inquired under what authority they came,
but received no answer. again asked if
they had legal authority from the revised
statutes of the state of Missouri, and was
vehementy answered, "No, with dreadful
oaths,) but we come under mob law
"Lynch law" &c. l then addressed one
of the leaders, who was lawyer, and in
quired if the laws of the state of Missouri
will not protect its citizens, and you whose
office It is to enforce those laws, are found
at the head of n mob, what is our govern
ment good for? and what has our nation
come to? could not proceed. They
Immediately demanded my incendiary
books and pamphlets. 1 declared | DOS
sessed no book or books by such title.
But finally they became sufficiently cool to
tell me IN plain words that they wanted
my antl-savery books, &c. refused 10
give them to them until had the privilege
Of ,s.l. q
utes, which they granted after searching
the farmhouse throughout, in drawers,
closets, and not only my clothings and
trunks,but also those of the ladies' but TO
no purpose, us l had previously informed
them. When they commenced they de-
clared 10 the family that the mob consisted
OF gentlemen, and they would treat them
with politeness! After the above conduct.
and before they left the house they threat
ened the ladies' that if they were not out of
the house previous to Saturday night, they
would burn the house and give Them no
chance TO escape.
The whole group, in n long procession
escorted me IN great triumph through the
college campus or our way to DR. Nelson's.
They resdected him publicly, though they
a considerable among themselves.
then discovered to them the books thew
were in search Of On our return thew
halted at the college, and took two more
prisoners, brothers Benson, of New York,
and Smith, from -, who were stu
dents. One Of them, however, they let go;
but with the other, Mr. Benson, and myself
and the books, they prepared TO return to
Palmyra. Brother Nelson accompanied us
as far as the Mission farm, pleading with
them that theylwould let us go. Notwih-
standing his enireaties, backed by those of