The North-Carolina standard., 1838-01-03
COMMUNICATIONS.
'oR THE NORTH cARoLINA STANDARD.

- MIR. EDITOR:-
! Nest very unjust prejudice should be excit-
ed against the Baptist church of this city, by the
late publication in your paper, of communica-
ton signed IAN owner of slaves" feel it to
be Of some importance" 10 bestow an attention
upon that piece, to which it is as little entitled
by it's own merits, as by my disposition for a
newspaper brawl.j This do, in Difference to
the feelings ola candid and generous community;
and not for the satisfaction ofan inYidious anon
ymous writer, who, in an insidious publication,
would Wantoniy expose an innocent portion of
society topIblic opprobrium. But for this con-
sideration. in bes:owing the least attention upon
this, matter 1 should feel painful sense of ap-
Proclamation to such objects as are repulsive to
the feelings of feVeryf enc who values personal
purity: and this duty being discharged, "An
owner OF slaves" may CRAFTY his maevolence,
or in self consequence, strut with magisterial
air into the public papers, quite to his hearts
satisfaction, without any interruption from my
self or (as apprehend1 the injured members Of
the Baptist church. The reasonable matter,
for which the Baptist church must be arraigned
in the gazetes Of the day, at the tribunal of pub
lie opinion by this patriotic sentinel of liber
ties, and guardian Of our laws, consists of two
parts. contained severally in the following words
viz: 1st. That visiting minister lately urged
the cotored members of the Baptist church in
this city, TO pay, certainly one dollar, and pos
sibly two dollars each, towards the salary of
the Pastor of that church the ensuing year, and
that they promised TO do it. End. That a pert
negro fellow of that congregation, is frequently
met in the streets, levying contributions upon
negroes. and even white people also. towards
said object ! I'' This is the matter of such i'm
portance I" to the owners of slares hereabouts; )"
this is so wonderful wonderment to this wonder
ing scribe, that for such supposed offence, the
Baptist church Of this city, and its friends,
must be published to the world, without warn
ing, without the mercy allowed them of confess
ing and forsaking their sins. as disturbing to
some extent, and endangering to greater, the
public peace and order Whether in the sequel,
this heavy charge will fall more properly upon
the Baptist church or their accusers. will be
cheerfuIly submitted to the real friends of order,
truth and justice. To these high misGeameun-
ors, so offensive to morals and portentous to
the public safety, beg leave to submit the fol
lowing remarks. 1st. Whatsoever any " visit
ing minister" in the confidence of the Baptist
church here, may have done, has been done o.
Penly and publicly; in a manner to convince e.
very one, that neither such minister, or his
friends, were ashamed or afraid of what was
done He has poked into no corner,-he has
held no secret cabals in the recess of his OBJ
scurity, he has fomented no discord nor as
persed any character. What he did, was done
in public meeting house, with open doors
If he has committed himself to the laws of the
country, let the injured law hold him response
bic. The Baptist church will not defend him,
For ministers disgracing themselves by their
crimes as we'll as for all other hypocritical pre-
tenders to religion. they feel no sympathy: but
will cheerfully resign them, when detected a.
mong them, TO the fate which their crimes may
deserve. End. If the object Of An owner of
slaves" was, as from his cant he would induce
US to believe, to know, whether the things of
which he speaks could "possibly be true," how
easy would it have been for him, under such
circumstances, to have ascertained this point,
without opprobriously publishing whole church,
clamorously vaunting about the authority Of
"owners of slaves" recklessly charging re-
Iigious society with "tampering" with the slaves ;
and threatening them with the interposition Of
their owners, and the authority of the laws
And how inconsistent wilh-candor, TO use no
harsher name,) was it, to do all this, upon no
better authority than that, OF that old and noto-
rious liar and defamer MIR. " Report" But be-
yond all, what an outrage upon all decency, to
have done it, when the veritabe author, is char-
tably hoping all the time, "that the story is
aoithOut foundation" Truly, whatever l may
think Of his charity, cannot much commend
his sense ofiustice This, is to arrest man
without crime, hang him without trial, and then
with the grimace of sanity tears, hope that the
story is without foundationl'' Well has Shaks:
peare said. "A man may smile, and smile, aud
be villain. >.
Sd. But il, independent of evidence. and indeed
in the hope Of our innocence, can owner Of
slaves" intended only premonitory castigation
of the visiting minister and the Baptist church,
(as jockeys previously lash their horses, to put
them in spirit for starting Tor as was the Gus