North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-09-27
Christiana, September II, 1851.
Letter from the Rev. Mr.. GOrsuch to
Gov. Johnston.


The following letter from the Rev. Mr.. Gorsuch
to Gov Johnston. in which he replies to the letter
of the Governor, has been handed u.s. says the Bal
tmore Sun, for publication
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1s, 1851.
Hon. ". f. Johnston, Governor Of Pennsylvania ::
The undersigned, son of the late Edward Cor
such, the victim of the abolitionist enthusiasm and
high-handed rebellion, is sorry that painful du
ty it imposed upon him that to which he now
addresses himself. He writes to you, sir, with no
vindictve feelings but only to assure you, what he
desires every to know, that he thinks the lack
of official promptness on your part has resulted in
the escape hitherto of the slaves, and some of the
principal murderers of his father. 1t would have
tended in some degree to relieve the anxiety of the
family and friends of the deceased to have known
that the Governor of the State in which this foul
murder was committed had acted as promptly and
efficiently the circumstances demanded.
| know that you passed within few yards of
where the body of my father lay, the afternoon of
the same day on which he was murdered. The
cars stopped at the door of the house. Some of
the passengers went in to look at the ghasty spec
tacle. But, sir, you did not. You, who ought,
because of your responsible station, to have been
most interested, showed the least concern. And
this is not to be wondered at. 1t would seem nat
ural that then you should have been rejoicing at
this, the first fruits of your official and personal
hostility to the rendition of fugtive-slaves. Did
we not well know what you have done TO render
imperative the law under whose protection my faith
er entered your State to secure his property, in
manner strictly legal, some excuse might be found
in our minds for your strange inactivity. But we
knew your course. We had watched it with pain,
and we did not expect you would be induced to
change it even at this extraordinary crisis
Allow me to call your attention to fact, which,
perhaps, you will remember. Those slaves, for
whom my father searching, were to be free at
the age of twenty weight. They were detected in
selling stolen wheat to a free negro. Before the
writ which was gotten out against him could be
served, he escaped to Pennsylvania. This brother
of mine, now so near to death, was sent to you
with a requisition from the Governor of Maryland
for that free negro, ABE Johnson" But you would
not deliver him up, and sent my brother home con-
WINGED that further effort in that respect was I'M
necessary That "Abe Johnson" it is said, was
present among the rebels last Thursday morning.
/ have read some letters which you wrote to some
gentlemen in Philadelphia, who were urging you
to action I marked your strong contrast between
your words and actions. Now, sir, if you were so
anxious to vindicate the honor of your State so
proud to have these offenders arrested why did you
not initiate the noble example Of the Executive of
the United States Why did you not issue your
proclamation soon as you reached Philadelphia |?
1t 1T ought to have been done at all there not
stronger reasons to have itsdone on the first day,
when the murderers at hand, than on the
yjffth when most of them had escaped? You can
not plead ignorance of the riot, for it was well
known to you. You will not pretend to say that
1t was more necessary when several prominent &C
tors in that tragedy were arrested, and the whole
neighborhood secured by vigorous young gentlemen
from Maryland, BY host Of your own citizens and
United States military, than when every one that
desired the punishment of these murderers and
traitors was afraid to move when the roters-still