Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1842-11-17
Lhf zpmrhuur9 2rtrHiMiam.
1HURsD3Y. .N'OpEHBER II. 1912.
TIFF. ABOLlTIONlSTS.

H'sh hhfuise, MOI only as eAhibcd IN Their political
ton, but also in their personal activity and zeal What
event, past or In expectancy, has stimulated them
these renewed Efforts unable TO conjecture be
yond the manlt desire Of the most furious among them
10 kill of Mr. Clay, whom they seem to hate with even
more than Loco Foco bitterness and inens ty under
The Influence perhaps, Of the vain and lille hope tha,
tho hes desparilng OF his election may be induced To
relnqulsh Their purpose of running him, and that in hei,
easerness for success, they will consent to concentrate
their sufrages upon individual less obnoxious 10
them than the great Kentucky statesman Bot If This
be their object, they may well assured that they
reckon without their host and that they will be sadly
disappointed in their design Believing as we sincere
ly do, that the policy Of the party against which we
have so long warred is ennenty penicous in its effects
upon all the great interests Of the country and equally
as well satisfied, on the other hand that the measures
advocated by the party with which we are associated
would if fairly tried be conducive TO the permanent
prosperity Of those interestsyet intense is our alb
horrence of the Aboonsis, that We would rather vol.
for any Loco Foco, howeye. ultra in his destructive
opinions, than &c contribute, by word or deed.
10 '' success OF any man. Wing though he might
be- who would purchase their support by the slight
est effort to conclllae their good will That there
are many good men among them very probable for il
Is no uncommon thing, in the bloody annals of Fana
clsm, to see men, distinguished for their virtues in other
respects, and not unrequenly for the power of their
intellect, led by the impeuosity of their feelings, the
preparation Of the most daboca deeds undo, the insane
belief like 81. Paul in his furious cnmity the Chris
tan faith, that they were doing God service! While
we roget the errors u such men, who necessarily
unhorm"d on the subject, OF not grossly mlsnfomed }
and Therefore easily msled we can have tolerance
Tor those among them, who, whether from personal
uves, or for political purposes seek to kndle and to in
flame an incendiay spirit, fatal to that sectional har
mony, which Is the basis aud mus, be the of our
mon. Indeed we look TO the dissolution Of the federal
compact as the necessary and inevitable consequence OF
much longer perseverance, in such assaults upon South
ern rights and feelings those which have recently
CURED. II is impossible that they be submitted to,
indeed, without some early and decisive efforts put
stop TO them-and unless this be effected by the
voluntary action o the authorities of the slaveoldng
States, upon frank aud manly appeal them by the
South, must announce 10 them, in the language of
the Declaration OF Independence that we hold them as
we hold the rest Of mankind in war; in peace
friends"
We published, some days ago, letter from Wash
ingon to the editor of the n. Y Commercial Advertiser
stating that many slaves in the District Of Columbia ind
in the adjacent counties Of Virginia aud Maryland had re-
Gently made their escape, and that of the owners Of
the ASCENDING slaves had been written TO by Gent
Smith, celebrated fanatic. of Peterborough, New
York. informing him that his slaves beyond his
reach, and advising him To give himself further rou-
Bile about them. The publication ths fact has induced
the Danvle Reporter 10 nser, similar letter from the
same man, written in March last two citizens of that
place.
The Reporter says, that some time during the
of 1871 AUSTIN slave, belonging to the estate of Maj
Alfred Bethel decd late of Danye. aDsconded from
the person to whom he hired for the year. and
dngs had of his whereabouts until March last,
when Col. John Price. the administrator of MAJ Beth
els estate, received from Gerrtt Smith an epise
ting that he was then with him. ard offering 500 for
his legal manumlsson. The Danvie paper adds that
the slave above referred to is skiliu mechanic, and
had hired annually for between 400 and 500 dollars. and
after his masters DEATH was appraised as $500 Ger
Smiths offer. therefore, of 90 for his ec papers,"
added insult to injury.
But the question for of the South to consider. is,
mhd is The remedy for these gross outrages pcrpetrated
openly and ayowedy, by the citizens Of one of the States
Of the cjniederacy upon those Of another? And
icss thai the answer TO this question. is full Of deicacy
and difficulty 10 one who desires the perretuity OF the
Union upon the principles which gave ii birth, and who
would regard It's dissolution calamity only OF less
magnitude than perpetual submission these assaults,
ION our ri,hs, feelings, and our Safety The lie
gsa,ure Of Virginia, two years ago passed realiaory
statute but, then predicted, it has proved mere
brutm tm'aen. Shall we appeal, then, TO Congress To
maintain nvolae the compromises of the constitution
Or shall we again attempt by State action, to counter
act aud overawe these vile ncendaries9 five believed
that Congress could be relied upon pass efficient laws
the subject, that if enacted those laws could be
enforced in the savehoding States we should still
doubt the expectancy Of requiring the interference of the
general government. What, then, the States, sep
ara y, dol We not certain that it would not be
good policy to cal Southern Conrention for the purpose
OF determining upon some concerted action in reference
to this all imporan, question. But ourseve.
with barely throwing this hnteaving il for others
of more authority aud influence, take it up, and to
urge it, if they believe the time has for the adop
ton of decisive measures and thai his is the best mode
of concerning and rendering elicacious those
iIthis plan should be deemed nexpedient however, or
Unnecessary, at the present tme the Legislatures Of
the saveholdng States should each for itself, prompt
y adort such measures its peculiar position may
render mos oi'acous, not only in protecting their own
citizens but III Furnishing those who attempt TO njnre
hem This is man.ieslly the duty of all governments
and, In pursuance oft. ifa man come among MS and