The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-09-24

FUGITIVE SLAVES In VIRGINiA.--Th Wv he
vile (Va) Gazette charges the instruction in
that neighborhood to an abolition emissary BY
the name of Bacon, who seduced four negroes
to run away. They were overtaken while in
Grayson county, by FIVE or six white men of
Grayson. The negroes were armed with knives,
spears, and with one or two weapons made Of
broken English scythes The white men had one
or two guns. The negroes assaied the whites,
and the scythes were used With terrible effect.
Samuel Bartlett was struck in the forehead,
and his head split open, cutting into the br4in an
inch or two the whole length Of the head He
lived about eight hours. Alfred Bartlett, his
brother, who had a gun, and who fired it merely
to wound, in attempting to relieve his brother,
had his left wrist and hand badly cut--almost
severed from the arm. Yet after this, he knocked
two Of y e negroes down, and left them for
dead. One of he negroes thus knocked down
had stabbed Mr.. Wilcox, whom he had under
him on the ground, through the neck, and was
in the act of inhic ing more deadly wound,
when thus prevented by the wounded Bartlett.
John Clements was struck by one of the ne
groes, who used scythe across his head, and his
skull was cloven from temple to temple--the
brain cut in upon the whole way, from one to
two inchcs--and yet there are hopes Of his re-
covery. VIM b. Hale was severely injured
standing the terrible wounds inflicted upon the
white men, two of the negroes were secured
The other two (both believed to be wounded,)
made their escape, and so far US we know, are
yet out, though holly pursued. Bah. Sun.
THE SocmrY FRIENDS AND THE SEAyERr
QUEsrlos.-We have received report Of the pro-
ceedngs Of meeting of the Representative Com
mitiee Of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of
Friends upon the subject Of the fugitive slave law
held some months ago. We make such extracts
from il as will show what the views ofth society
in relation TO obedience to the law
"We donol know Of my civil government where
the religion feelings Of is members are more pro-
perry regarded than the one under which We live
1t professes to be founded recognition fsqual
rights between man and man, and to allow each
of its citizens the privilege ofworshppng the Su-
preme Author Of his existence in the manner
which he believes conducive TO his o wn hap
piness.
Nv hist we do not feel at liberty to oppose the
law'of The land by any demonstration of violence
whatever, or to speak evil Of those who enacted
them, we have the right OF calmly and firmly
maintaining ground against wrong and Unjust
ice, and Of giving livingevidcnce of our faith, by
suffering, If necessary, for cause which we be-
eve to be founded in truth,
"We are therefore solicious that the freedom of
the save should be advocated in that spirit which
bears faithful testimony against evil, while il
breathes kindness and good will towards those
who bold them in bondage. To attempt TO
coerce our Southern brehcrn to give up that
which they conceive to be their legal property.
instead ofconvincing them Of the wrong thew are
doing by holding their felow-men as slaves. will
almost necessarily lead to excited and exasperated
feelings, in which the still small voice of truth is
seldom heard. We are apprehensve that such !
course would be more likely TO close up the vay
of those who might be rightly qualified to labor
among them, than il would be to mitigate the evils
o. slavery. ft4
we would recommend our members firmly to III
adhere to the principle OF acting conscientiouaIv
and uprightly, according to the light received and
to decline on such grounds to be made the instru.
men's OLA law that requires them to assist IN re-
turning human being into bondage which we
believe is not sanctioned by divine authority. but
which, on the contrary, appears to US to have been
established in violation Of those Christian pr1pei
pies which we profess.
"And we aso recommend them, in their inter
course with the colored people to undue them as
far M lies In their power with thar Cbristan 49,,
of meekness and suffering which becomes H. fn,
lowers Of the Lamb ;snd TO counsel them thai tbyv
oherno resistance. by carnsl wear ons, to whatever
injustice or oppression may fun to their los "A
land I" :" '"i