The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-10-17

Not one who knows me believes me capable of
committing an incendiary act.
In conclusion, have TO request you to pub
lish this imperfect defence; feel that am ua-
able to defend myself against the grave and i'm
portant charge which has been made against me.
II taking the National Era, or writing the letter,
| il an incendiary act, was, and still am gno-
rant of it; and still hope the public viii acquit
me Of any such crime, committed either inten-
tionally or unintentionaly. Thus You will per-
ceve that am driven from my home unproyided
for, by ruthless mob, and ! received n letter
the other day from friend saying that il will
be unsafe for me TO return home yet at
| e ELISHA Belts"
sW The Southern Press is requested to pub
lish the foregoing.
Thus stands the case.
Now the first question is, whether the Ma
tional Era is an incendiary paper. Let us see.
The very number Of the Era, that of August
30, in which Mr.. BETTs' first letter appeared,
contains an extract from the Free Presbyterian,
an abolition paper in Pennsylvania, ofwhieh the
following is the first paragraph:
IMPRISONMENT OF W. L.. CHAPLM--We pub.
lish in another column an account Of the arrest
| and Imprisonment Of Mr.. Chaplin, formerly ed-
tor Of the Albany Patrot, for assisting the escape
of the slaves of Messrs Toombs and Stephens
from Washington city. The National Era is
| out in condemnation Of his conduct We have
no heart to join in this censure. The slave
holder is simply pirate, holding by thiefs title
his fellow man in bondage, who has precisely the
same right to be free as himself This being
the case, it is not only the right, but the duty
of the slave to get free whenever he can by law
full means. The only lawful means in his power
is to run away. 1t is therefore his right and
duty, whenever achance Of escape is presented,
to embrace it. If it be right for him to make
his escape, it is of necessity right 10 assist him.
Therefore the act of Mr.. Chaplin, for which he
has been arrested and committed to prison, was
we honestly believe, pleasing in the sight of
God" 1885,. ..> :.,.
And on this the editor of the, National Era
comments as follows:
"We have not censured the slaves of Messrs
Toombs and Stephens, or any others, for at
tempting to escape from slavery. They are
bound by no moral obligation, no compact, no d
law to which they or their ancestors have ever
given their assent except the law OF physical ne
cessity. 1t attempting to achieve their freedom,
they have only done what every man with an
honest impulse in his breast will say promptly
that he would have done. We have not and !
shall not condemn them" ..,..an,qe
Now here is direct incubation of the pre-
cept that it is the right and duty of slaves to {.
run away from their masters. This is clearly
incendiary in a community where slaves are held
under the laws =" H. ,.,a<A
Now what is the position of Mr.. Belts? He
lives among shareholders and slaves. In the
very paper which contains the incendiary senti- 4
ment there is a letter from him, announcing that
he likes the paper we'll" and he subscribes for {
and receives it. Some Of the slaves can read. p
If they get hold of this paper they will find that
"A white man in their own neighborhood believes
that it is right for them to escape. When called
on to know if he is the author of the letter he,
avows it. Is the residence of such man, in
such neighborhood compatible with its safety!
Now Mr.. Belts says in his defence, which
we republish from the Era, that " it is because
am not disunionist that am thus prescribed"
and he writes quite fippantly both in his letter
to us, and in his defence in the Era, dersive of
fire eaters" and says " l am utterly opposed to
the present movements for secession dsunion, 81
rebellion and Southern confederacy." This at
tempt to change the issue and to obtain sympathy
from certain quarter, indicates only conscious
ness of the weakness of his case.
The proceedings of the people and Postmaster
at Eufala present the greatest and gravest diff
Guilty that besets the present union between the
North and the South. Whilst this union lasts,
what is the hope of terminating the anti-slavery
agitation? This agitation is incendiary, and the
Government of the Union gives it protection and
power The speeches of anti-slavery members
of Congress, are published in the two organs at
Washington, and together with the papers of
anti-slavery editors, are transmitted through the
Federal Post Office -.
The doctrines they contain tend to incite the
slaves to INSTRUMENTATION, desertion and rebel
lion-tepd directly to destroy not only the pro-
perty but the lives Of Southern citizens. Now,
nobody who believes the States have any rights,
will deny them the right of making and execut-
ing police laws to protect their own lives and
property-by suppressing incendiary publica-
tons. But these would come in conflict, in the
eyes Of Northern majority, with freedom of
speech, of the press and of the post as they are
asserted in the present Constitution. ",- Yg@
What then is the South to expect? Is she to
submit to the circulation of speeches in Con-
gress, of newspapers, and perhaps before long
of Presidents messages, denouncng her insttu-
tons as immoral and her citizens as barbarous.
dishonest and despcable! Can any institution
withstand an inflamed and vindictve sentiment
of hostility against it in the minds of majority
armed with the powers of its own Government!
Certainly, slavery cannot, for it rests on the
moral superiority of the ruling race-and if that
race is denounced, prescribed and villified by
the press, by the rostrum, and by Government,
the effect on the mind Of the slave is inevitable.
Nay, so well known is this, that it is made a :
plea in favor of submitting to every Federal .
nnrnssinn tho ,brnisS;ar;st. &c Al. S,A..L L.