Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-09-16
! Anfcloite Of Bishop Baseonl.

j. In a biographical sketch in tht
! Lhdies' Repository, the following
laiecdoteis is told Of the late Henry
fB Bascom, T.. d., one of the Bish-
OPS of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South
About the year 1880 it u as
II fought advisable, by the lead ding
m en in the colonization cause, then
in its infdncSs to send a secret agent
It'd the south; and this perilous and
al Iluous office Was rendered to Dr.
Bhscom, by the Board at Washing
top, which b he promptly accepted. A
IN bre dangerous position could not
hd I've been assigned to him at that
/ titne. The movements of the Colo
or Hization Society wereIthq IN regarded
wi th extreme Jealousy al Ild distrust
bJ tie entir re south, The Society
W; IS believed to be hostile to the
@p pbcrliar institution, and.its efforts
met 4ith. the same violent Opposition,
dehuhciatioH, and threatemng$, in
the south, that afterward attended
the action. Of the 'Abolitidnists. In
dekd, Colonization was, at that time,
very little understood, and was re-
gafded as Synonymous with Aboli-
Eti9ns The people Of the south were
consequently most bitterly opposed
toit, and ina state Of violent ex-
ieitement at+he time DR.. Bascom
iactepte1.ffs missjon.
/. His Instructions were to proceed
to New Orleans, and, after conferring
privately with a few persons WHO
were known to be favorable to the
movement, act as he thought most
prudent. On arriving there, and
consulting with. his friends, he found
tllat.it would be a most hazardous.
undertaking to attempt to hold a
Epublic meeting; and, acting under
| the ADVICE lof those with whom he
consulted, lie determined toIleaye the
'eity7without publicly announcing the
Object of his visit, He had, howev-
er, spoken in seyeral places in Ken
.tueky before going to New Orleans,
and, his position being known, his
arrival had, therefore, created con-
siderable excitement. This so rap
idly increased that a meeting was
held by a number Of citizens, at
which.severhl inflammatory speeches
were delivered, and resolutiomi
passed requiring him to leave the
city. A committee Of furious and
excited individuals ls was appointed to
wait on lin, and notify him to leave
within twenty-foqr hours, or take
the consequences: at this time the
Hon. NIr. Dawson, Of ST. Francis
vile, AFTERWARDS a member Of Con-
gress from Louisiana, a bold, gallant
and impqlsiVs man, was on a visit to
New Orleans. He VAS a man of
real mettlc, and no excitement ever
arose, where he Was that he diF q not
join one side or the other, AMI gem
orally, he was inclined to the weaker
side, True to his nature, whei& the
excitement arose agaillst DR.. Bdscom,
Dawson, although he was, persq nally, |
a-t6tal stranger tp him, assumed a
bold stand in his defence, and imme-l
diately set about.5 plan for his pro-
lection. How he succeeded we shall |
presently see.
The committee called on DR. Bas- I
com, informed hilA of the excited
state Of public faeIEng, and ordered
him to leayealfe Gil y in ttyenty-lour
hours, or Make tic consequences,
which they asseltedb would be most !
serious. "Gentlemb bn,' said he iY
reply, Il had intent led to leave .t9 |
merrow morni1ig; but now, since ybu I
have Qr7oyea me toHeaye, | shall ire
main tbeao days ldngef- | AMI an
American citizen, and claim the
right guaranteed. to| me by the CSa- & ]
stitutian Of my country INC
committee were -,tlunderstruek byI
the boldness of this reply and hast |
ily left the room. I
The committee hId scarcely iisap-
peared before loud voices and the
tramp of men we're heard approach !
inc the room. Anticipating some I
thing serious, DIR. Baseom arose, ap=l
the door, Rnd, looking into
The hall. SAW advancing toward him a
hinge crowd of rough men, led BY |
one who had the al f and dress Of 4
He fbaflessly confronted
th EN-, and demanded q the object oil
I'll en crrand- Mr. Davson-ter q