The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-09-08

NONpy ''S'ts u pItStUt pOSIttpn nj the
Methodist societies in this county, because we
believe that it is calculated to exert a most dan.
gerons and alarming influence upon our slaves.
The subject has long since reached their ears
| and they already look upon those in favor of the
Church, North, as their friends, and upon those
in avor Of the Church, South. as their enemies.
A spirit of disaffec,ion and dissatisfaction is the
necessary result Of such a state of feeling and he
is but a poor Judge of frail human nature, who
| does not perceive that the transition from this
feeling to that fana'ical spirit which excited the
Southampton lnsurrection, is too easy not to be
justly apprehended.
We do nut believe that the members of the
Methodist Church in this county are actuated by
other than good motives, in the course which
they are pursuing. They compose a large and
highly respectable class OF our fellow citizens,
and are as patriotic and as much devoted to the
caase OF peace and good order, and the welfare of
society. as any other portion of our people. They
would, we are fully satisfied, be very unwilling
to do any thing in the least calculated To infict a
public injury, or to impair the value of our prop
erty IN, and more than all. 10 excite dissati.fac-
ton amongst our slaves or to do other than good
to that portion of our population and 10 ourselves
as we stand connected with them. Bnt whilst
we take great pleasure in doing Justice To the mo.
tives. and to the high character of our Methodist
friends. it is with the most unfeigned and pro-
found regret that we feel constrained To declare
il as our clear and settled conviction that the in
evitable tendency of their present position is Of
most dangerous and alarming character. And
we believe that a very large portion of our pen
Pile, out Of the Methodist Church, fully concur
with us in this opinion ; and that there are hun
dreds amongst us, who entertain the most serious
approximations and alarm upon this subject.
Under these circumstances we feel il TO be orr
duty-a duty we owe alike to ourselves, and to
the Methodist Church-frankly and publicly to
express our view, and to take all proper measures
to enlighten the public mind upon this subject.
and respectfully to ask the members of the Meth
odist Church in this county, to take it into con-
slderation, and to restore peace and a feeling of
security to this community, by severing their
connection with the Methodist Church, North,
and uniting with the Methodist Church. South.
We will not suffer ourselves to believe that
the members of the Methodist Church in Ac-
comack. hitherto 80 distinguished for their zeal
In every good work, will persist in a course.
which, to say the least of it.. ~jeopards the peace of
society and tends 10 expose our very ~firesides, not
only to constant distrust and apprehension, but. it
is believed, to the most imminent perils. No
sacrifice of principle IS required of them. By
uniting with the South, they will secure public
confidence, allay all excitement, restore peace and
harmony 10 this community, Danish all dislrust
and dissatisfaction, and still continue Meihodists
under the very Discipline by which they were
governed prior to the General Conference of 1874.
Methodlsm as II was prior TO that time, is the
Methodism of the South. And moreover. in dis.
solving their connection with the North, the
Methodisis of Accomack have no ties, such as
often bind pastor and people, TO sever, which
would not be severed, whether such dissolution
take place OF not because from the very nature
OF The iiinerancy, their ministers remain with
Them at iarthest not more than two years, when
they are usually succeeded by others. heretofore
wholly strangers to them. So far then as they
are 10 be effected upon this point, the only cues.
ton is. whether the strangers who are to minister
in holy things for them, shall come from the
North. or from the South; they are to be strangers.
whether they come from the one or from the other.
We cannot, therefore, but hope that a change re-
curing so little from them, and required of them
by such grave considerations of public policy, will
be at once, and cheerfully, made. We doubt not
that they are, at all times, as good citizens and
vIrtuous lovers of their country. fully prepared to
make much greater sacrifices upon the altar of
the public good, should public emergency call for
1t at their hands. We. consequently, appeal to
them with the utmost confidence in the premises.
Therefore,
Resolued. That George p. Scarburgh. VIM.
P. Bayly, Edward P. Pitts. John w. FL. Parker,
Charles B. Duffield. Louis c.. III. Finney, James
Northam, Edward o. FInney, Hugh G. Smith,
Thomas H. Parramore, George H. Bell, Edward
w. Taylor, Richard P. Read, and Robert j.
Poulson, be a committee to prepare and publish
an address TO the people, and 10 the Methodist
societies of Accomack. upon this subject, in con-
formity with these views.
On motion of Charles B.. Duffield, ESQ,
Resot0ed, That the proceedings of this meet
ing be signed by the President and Secretary. and
published in the Richmond, Norfolk and Ports
mouth papers.
The meeting then adjourned.
ROBERT j. POULSON, President.
JOHN w. GILLET, Secretary.
THE GALLANT WALKER AND HIS
RANGERS.
A letter writer from Matamoras says = had
a good sight of some Of the redoubtable RANGERS.
raised and commanded by the gallant Walker.
They are the :" rockiest" set | ever saw. They
now number about $50 men, and they are sworn
never to spare a Mexican. A large number of
them were prisoners at Perote, Mier, &c., and
retain a lively remembrance Of the treatment they
there received. They are well mounted, and
each one is obliged TO carry a horse rife, two
revolving pistols, a broad sword and bowie knife ;
some of them have two or three knives, and a
half a dozen revolyers in their belts. They are
under the exclusive control of their own officers.
There are about fifty now in Matam0ras, and a
harder set you never saw /; the balance are NOV.
ing up to Monterey. having volunteered to clear
the road tor Gen. Taylor. AS soon as a Mexican
sees one a coming along the sidewalk he becomes
invisible. Walker is the only man who has the
least command over them. They call themselves
" Fanning's Avengers" "Crockett's Remem
brancers, ""Bowie Boys, Travis Game Cocks
" Arista Bankers" &c.
The day that Gen. Taylor left Matamoras,
Walker went up to him and said, that the Ran.
gers were complaining very much of their mac
tivity, &C., and asked permission. to advance upon
Monterey. Gen. Il. consented, when Walker
said, we will be there in five days; the 9th we
take The place. and on the 10Th, we will have
your camping ground ready and await your arri-
val"