Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1842-06-07

SnoTI extract vi speech Saiu 10 nave
been delivered before the General Con-
ference held al the city of Baltimore in
ls26,-by Rev. Il. Griffin, one of the DEL
ega;cs from Mssissippi,-which we clpt
from the Natchez Free I raider. Mr.. Grit.
fiji has written letter to the Editor of the
Free Trader in reply to said report, Civ
ing an outline of the original. In order to
set Mr.. Griffin right before the public as
well as TO give publicity TO the same, We
cheerfully copy. Read it:
From the Natchez Free Trader.
IN old fashion Methodist-Letter from
Rev. Thomas Grifin-His Speech in
hc General Conference.
The following pithy letter will explain
itself. A few weeks since, we adverted
to Mr.. Grifin's speech and quoted him
as having said that the aboIitioinists
should be "rammed, crammed, damned
and double damn into a forty-four
FOUNDER and shot into hill" This, it
will be seen, was an error, though we
can scarcely regret it,as it has been the
means Of drawing from him an outline
of his famous speech. What he says on
the subject of abolition is admirable
more pointed than any thing we have
ever seen in print, and we hope the east
ern papers, and particularly the. Cinti's-
natl Anti-AJolitionist, will give it an
extensive cirulation. We are sure the
PicayuRe, and other papers that have
copied OUR article will set Mr.. Griffin
right before the public. Our venerable
correspondent may be assured, we had
no wish to disturb his retirement for we
have known him from childhood and
many Of his nearest relatives have ever
been among our most valued lriends;but
we quoted his remarks for the moral
influence that the words Of an old and
faithful Preacher Of the Gospel always
evert. Writing from the impression Of
an interview that ACQUIRED seven years
ago, we made an error which his letter
will now correct.
MADISON COUNTY, 9Th May, 1912,
Mr.. Editor--In the language of Chas
V. Of Germany thought had "growr
old before my time" For several year:
have been in private life, and was will
ling to let my body and name descend
in silence to the grave, and | courted
neither slab nor willow to tell wher,
| lay. But you have deemed in pre-
per to draw me from my beloved
retirement, and my name is in the
Free Trader and the New Orleans
Picayune, and yesterday l learned
it was in another Of the public prints
| The reason | notice this is because my
words have been made to say what
never intended TO say. The Statement
you have made is true in part. If yoI
publish this, you will have the tue Stat
ofthe case. lis known TO you that Mis-
souri, had formed a constitution an
come forward for admission into tn
Union. 1t is to we'll known, the com
motion and discussion thus produce
for me to detail the cause. | passe
through Washington city soon aite
this case was disposed of, but 1t wa
obvions the excitement. had not sut
sided. On the Ist May, 1926, tn
Methodists held their General Confer
ence in Baltimore. We had not bee
in session but few days, when a res
olution was introduced to prohtbl
Shareholders from filing o6fciaI station
IN the church III future. The delegate
from some Of the non-slaveholdin
States began to come down upon tn
subjectin manner very new and tines
pected. A man would have thougl
} there was scarcely any crime on earl
but slavery. A variety ofnet0 coiSed e,
presions were employed, to rend'
those connected with slavery as rid
: culous as possible. In lacth appea
I ed as five southernors would be blow
g away like chaff before the tempes
DR.. Capers of South Caroliua, made
$ powerful sympathetic appeal. Son
J! few others from the south made speecl
es. But they were 100 much iii
suppliants for my feelings. 1t was Il
= FIRST time l ever had seat in so lear
f ed body Of men. Though not We
e old, l knew l was old enough to
a wiser than | was, was sensible Of n
a defective education, and the few yea
e of my ministerial action had Set
j spent on the frontiers of the Unto
But knew that was not the time
finch from responsibility. II had tri
| could not have made set speeC
1t was neither more nor less tn
the vent of my natural feelings---'
off hand shot. / well rememb
the outlines and point sprung I
ns.L4- s..m~ -