The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-05-10
PUBLIC MEETING.

The citizens OF this place mel IN the MasoHIC
Hall to-day, at 10 o'clock, a. m., to take into
consideration the rumors which had reached
them concerning person lately arrived here,
calling himself DR.. L. Major, Lecturer, on
the Philosophy of Animal Magnetism, and who
was suspected Of being an Abolition Emissa.
~.
On motion, Major Lewis O'Bannon was
called to the Chair, and James Mckenzie re.
quested to act as Secretary.
The Chairman stated to the meeting the Oh.
iects for which it had been assembled, and call.
ed upon those who knew anything about DR..
Major to make the Same known 10 the meet
ing.
Col. Is. H. Brown and others then stated
the information they had received concerning
this individual, and the opinions which he had
expressed in this community; from which il
appeared that Dr.. Major represented himself
as having come from the North few months
sincc-lhat he had there been m Abolitionist.
but that he ,oas not quite so much in taror OF
that doctrine now-,hat he spoke great deal
about slavery wherever he went, but professed
to be in faror of it-that in Beaufort District
he had been seen in field conversing withthe
slaves, who were gathered around him-thatthe
owner of these slaves ordered him off, and ques.
toned the slaves as to what they had been told
by DR.. Major but they would not answcr-that
The citizens Of Robertvile had threatened 10
take him up, and that he had expressed surprise
the samo table with their owners. 1t appear
ed also that DR.. Major was travelling oith a te-
male not belieued to be a ,ohite person.
These matters h'' e been submitted, J. Pat.
terson Esq. adj .. the meeting on tue course
TO be taken un ,ese circumstances, and ad.
vised and inves.. ,ation into the facts.
E. Belinger. Jr. Esq. then made few re.
marks expressive of his views OF the matter,
and offered the following resolutions which
were unanimously adopted:
l. Resolved, That DR.. L. Major, who pur.
ports to be a lecturer on the philosophy Of ami.
NAL magnetism, but of whose sinister designs in
relation to our peculiar institutions we have re.
ceived sufficient proof be, and he hereby is, re.
quired to quit the village Immediately.
2. Resolved, That there be Committee of
three appointed to carry the above resolution
into effect and to transmit to his Excellency
such information as may be necessary for Ere.
cutiue action in the premises.
8. Resolved, That the same Committee do
institute such other proceedings as may be ne.
cessary to enforce the A. A., 1914, and to pro.
iect our Stares.
The Chair appointed Messrs. E. Bellinger,
Jr., ]. Patterson, and ]. M. Hutson the Com
mittee Of three under the second resolution; and
the meeting adjourned TO meet again at the call
the Chair.
On re.assembling, Mr.. Bellinger. from the
Committee OF Three, reported that they had
made known TO DR.. Major the resolutions adopt.
ed, and had alloaced him too hours to get ready
to start. But on DR.. Majors asserting his in.
nocence and claiming to be heard in his own
defence, the Committee, in order to avoid the
least appearance of injustice, had suspended
action. And as the individual was present,
Mr.. Bellinger moved that he be now heard &C.
cordngly. TO this the meeting readily assent.
ed, and Dr.. Major then went into defence OF
himself He admitted that he was opposed 10
slavery in The abstract, and that the citizens
Of Beaufort District had charged him with be.
ing an abolitionist, but he denied the truth Of
the statement which charged him with having
harangued any slaves or interlerred with the
institution Of slavery. He said he had discussed
question of slavery with great many persons
in the South, referring to them by name, but
had done so in private, and protested that he
was "pro.slapery man. He also said that
he had challenged the citizens Of Robertsuile to
hold public meeting to hear his uieus on sla-
very, and in all his lectures, but one, since he
had heard fthe suspicious against him, he had
explained his opinions ofthe condition Of slaves,
said that at the North he was an abot:onist and
considered that slavery was oppressive and in.
furious to the negroes, but here his opinions had
been modified; and said that he ,Oas preparing
a course Of sic lectures, to be delivered in Bos.
ton, on the subject Of SLAVERY.
DIR. Major went ipto these matters at consid.
erable length, and ras listened to Uah great