Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-09-25
prom the Pennsylvania Of September IL
The Christiana Tragedy-Resistance to the
National Law.

on Thursday evening. in Philadelphia, had the
Of terrible tragedy in Lancaster county, growing ori
Of attempt the part of citizen Of Maryland TO
recover fugitive slave slaves belonging to him. The
facts of the bloody affair laid before readers
yesterday, and to-day publish contrmatory de-
tails. Human life has been deliberately sacrihced by
endish resistance TO the law, State that boasts oil
her fervent eay the Unon and glories her cheer
Lul obedience to the Constitution citizen OF another
State the pursuit Of his constitutional rights, endea-
yors TO his property and is shot down in cold
blood by the fugitive himself The subsequent
that marked this melancholy proceeding including the
serious woundng OF the occr oil the law are such as
might have been expected from the violent and tragcal
beginning.
IL is absurd mince matters such subjects and
the Of this whole community traces the oil
these bloody tumults the poor deuded and ren-
zied blacks but those reckless agtatos who counsel
and applaud opposition to the established laws Of the
land. In tins State, ONE MAN conspicuous because
his official position, and influential becsu~e he that
position for purposes Of sectional excitement, openly pro-
claims hostility the Fugitive Slave Law and deber
ately urges such amendments to il would make u no.
thing than blank sheet of paper But this is not
all Not only does he urge this fatal modification OF the
law ITSELF but he refuses sign bill intended by the
Legislature carry out the provisions OF that law IN
good faith. THAT MAN IS WILLIAM F. JOHN
STON GOVERNOR OF PENNSYLVANIA. He
has Just returned from the West. where he publicly
socated with men who publicly assa tn Fugitive Slave
Law. He has just returned from region where he
openly advocated the trial by jury Tor the ngtive in the
State to which he may escape and this in utter defiance
of the opinions Of such patriots Henry Clay. who
destroy the whole right of the Souherner his proper
ty. In the same quarter he daily and deliberately
pledged himself the bill repeating State law
which operated against the enforcement Of the Congress
sonal statute. Arguments like these. coupled with by
pocrtca expressions Of sympathy for the coored
have formed the staple Of his speeches among The West
ern Aboironsts and agiiators. This language oper-
ates upon the slaves like appeal TO violence. Ii is
the voice of command calling upon those who at
home to the throas of their masters and upon those
who escape into other States shoot down in cold blood
comes TO reclaim them.
We do not overrate the influence Of Gov. Johnston
when charge upon him, and upon such as hm-the
Sulvans Of Butler the Howes of Mercer, and the Ste
venses Of Lancaster-a his active and ardent support
ers-and all notorious AbolitionistS-the dreadful
possibility for the guilty deed which took place Thurs
day afternoon. We do not overrate the effect Of that
bloody trsnsacon-the effect upon the Souththe effect
upon the Nortthe effect upon the slaveaad the effect
upon ourseres In the South the Disunonsts will seize
upon It ms proof that in this sterling old Consii
uiIonai State the owner Of the slave cannot demand
hls property without rskng losing his life. In
the North, the Abolitionists will gather encouragement
r 'm this fearful fuilment OF the preachngs and pro-
phecies of their Black and British Upon the
slave himself it will operate like an invocation TO rapnc
and to murder, making him longer the obcdient
Want of kind master hut the vigant enemy watching
the hour when he may fire the home that has sheltered
him. and take his freedom and his masters hearts
blood at the same moment. Among the masses of the
whites in the North-those who daily fear the presence
Of the coored man in many Of the walks of labor and
those who reco with horror from all attempts unite
the two races either in toll political social rights
among these the Of the murder OF white by
blacks will create the most intense excitement Such
are few OF the consequences of the most atrocious
movement that dema gogues originated disturb
happy people, and TO overturn noble system OF gov
eminent.
We may lie accused as Of we shall be accused
Of desiring make political capital of this sad and
shocking affair However il may result, whomsoev
er II may damage duty is plain and that is hold
those accountable who have urged these dangers to the
-hara lav Ua6 lilo 6axfr
That sch would he the inevitable consequences Of these
attacks upon the by JOHNSTON and
other agitators, have thousand tunes prophesied
and proclaimed and similar apprehensions have been
expressed in other parts Of the country We should be
base indeed IT, in such uncture, did not speak
pontedly and fearlessly.
Governor JOHNSTON is now in Berks and will doubt.
less this evening he in Philadelphia On Monday
ming, he is to speak the assembled Wings of ihs city
He will he received with high honors. He will he wildly
welcomed by his partisans. He will doubtless deny all
participation in agitation that LOOKS such sequel
that which has broken upon the community in this
terrible catastrophe in Lancaster county. But he will
not deny that he is in favor of fatal modification of the
Fugitive Law-and that he refused tn sign and is pledg
ed to veto the bill repeating the Obstruction Lawand
he dare not deny that these, his favoe arguments
used to influence and TO proraet the excitement the
slave question. Such is the man whom Phiadelphians
are called upon 10 honor as a public beneIactor
These Abolition agitators, and those no encourage
them, not only prepare the way, have seen, {"
murder and In Instruction, but they are Themselves the
zeal for the slave, they forget the White In their by
pocritca hostility to slavery, they would plunge into ruin
the whole fabric of rational freedom. Laughing at all
idea OF danger the Union, they applauded the
ere OF those who come in pursuit of their property with
the Law in their hands Protected themselves from the
horrors they would precptate upon Others they excite
an Ignorant population in the South violence upon
their masters and prepare the way for war Of races
in the North. And while all this is being done, they de-
mand to be rewarded with the highest offices the GIFT
OF the people, as if to acquire an additional influence TO
degrade the South. and t destroy the country itself
No such deed OF blood that In Lancaster county
ever yer taken place in this country There have been
disturbances elsewhere, when the law Of Congress was
enlorced and death ensurd but under widely diff.
erent circumstances Boston has been intensely excit.
ed mobs have collected IN New York, in Buffalo, and
have yet been witnessed consequences Of en-.
forcing the Fugitive Statute. We are deeply panied
that IL should have taken place in Pennsyl State
tion between the North and the South and so constant
No population could he attached the Union than
ism None have gone far in the nth in effective
double wrong, then, that Fanaticsm should work ont
this bloody tragedy on the soil of the Keystone State
hut u Is wrong perpetrated by Few reckless men, re-
at variance with the opinions and feelings of a com.
handing majority Of our people.
on Again.
The Inteigcncer Of this morning, says: