American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-09-20


The Christiana Murder.
The Baltimore Sun, Of this morning, pub
fishes the following letter from the Rev. Mr..
Gorsuch to Gov Johnston, in which he replies
to the letter Of the Governor:
WAsHEoros, Sept. Is, 1851.
Hon. Vim. r. Johnston, Govanotc Pennsylvania.
The undersigned, a SON Of the late Edward
Gorsuch, the victim of abolitionist enthusiasm
and high-handed rebellion, is sorry that so
painful duty is imposed upon him as that to
which he now addresses himself He writes to
you, sir, with no vindictive feelings, but only
to assure you, what he desires every one to
know, that he thinks the lack of official prompt
ness on your part has resulted In the escape,
hitherto of the slaves, and some Of the princi-
pal 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 as 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
CHASTITY spectacle. 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 natural that then you should have
been rejoicing at this, the first fruits of your
official and personal hostility to the rendition
of fugitive slaves. Did we not well know what
you have done to render imperative the law
under whose protection my father 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 in
duced 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 was searching,
were to be free at the age of twenty-eight
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 requisi-
ton from the Governor of Maryland for that
free negro, "Abe Johnson" But you would
not deliver him up, and sent my brother home
convinced that further effort in that respect
was unnecessary. That " Abe Johnson" it is
said, was present among the rebels on last
Thursday morning.
have read some letters which you wrote to
some gentlemen of Philadelphia, who were
urging you to action. marked the strong
contrast between your words and actions. Now,
sir, if you were 80 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 proclama-
ton as soon as you reached Philadelphia If
it ought to have been done at all, were there
not stronger reasons to have it done on the first
day, when the murderers were at hand, than on
the tyM, when most of them had escaped You
cannot 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 actors in that tragedy were ar
rested, 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 rioters
still wet with the blood of innocent and peace
able men--were triumphing in their victory, and
their confederates congratulating themselves
upon successful treason! Why, sir, did you not
show your promptness then? You applaud the
decision, energy, and promptness of the Lancas-
ter county officers, and in this l most heartily
concur; but in proportion. as you praise them
you condemn yourself. You knew of the insur-
rectionary movement before they did. Ii they
had waited, as you did, until the fifth day, to
do what ought to have been done on the first,
you could not have applauded them. You must,
therefore, sir, be self condemned.
Do you know that thirty-six hours passed
before one writ was taken out against these
men? Do you know that Mr.. Thompson, the
States attorney, and Mr.. Reigart to protect
their own lives and TO quell the spirit of resist
ance which fortified the traitors and terrified
the loyal, had to collect posse of men from
iron-works and diggings on the railroad? Do
you know that not a magistrate or constable
would act until compelled that the sheriff re-
fused to act; that your attorney general, true
to his superior, would not aid these men whose
activity you now SO zealously commend?
With these facts, sir, before us, we cannot
be charged with calumny in saying, that we do
honestly believe that your proclamation would
never have seen the light, had you not feared
that the activity of others would censure your
own indifference.
We believe that the majority of Pennsylva-
mans are right. We have been pleased at the
zeal, and gratifed with the sympathies of many
we have met. But, sir, if the laws shall now
be sustained if the country shall be satisfied
that Pennsylvania is right; if the South is to
find that this law will not be inefficient; be as
sured that not one particle of the honor will be
given to the Governor. We will not say that
he has acted traitorously; that by his previous
course he has been the indirect occasion of this
outrage; that the blood Of Edward Gorsuch is
on his skirts; but we must say that he has not
been |" clear in his great Office" but recreant
to the trust imposed in him.
Much more in sorrow than in anger, sub
scribe myself your much injured friend,
j. 8. GoRsUoH.
CALTroRsIA.-In the news just received there
is nothing Of much importance. Business was
brisk at San Francisco; the mining operations