Spirit of the age., 1853-05-04
C ON municatiOns.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
THE ANNIVERSARY IN PITT.
A GREAT OUTRAGE.

THE ANNIVERSARY IN PITT.
A GREAT OUTRAGE.
On yesterday, according to previous appointment,
the members of Philanthropic Division, with mem
bers Of some sister Divisions, and a large number
OF our citizens male and female, repaired to Ty !
sous meeting house. for the purpose of celebrating
their Anniversary expecting to enjoy the rich treat
Of hearing our distinguished friend and co-aborer,
Philip s. White, deliver one Of his most eloquent
and highly Interesting lectures. Nlen they had
nearly reached the meeting house, it ascertain
cd that lawless and drunken mob, composed of
"nixed multitude" pre-occuped the ground; and
with drum, ffe, fiddle and horns were making the
day " hdeous with their yclls." Ii had been cur /
renty reported for week or more before, that the
worshippers Of Bacchus would make such demon i
stratoh on this occasion; but, coniding in the
general sobriey Of the citizens, and supposing them
10 DO law-loying and law abiding men, the Sons
were not inclined to give credit to the numerous
reports in circulation. Ii had been reported, (and
the truth OF the st1tements now pretty well attcs
ted that one hundred dollars had been offered to
two individuals, hlty to each to give Mr.. White
beating Why this was not carried into execution
/ know not, unless tho presence Of so many Sons
intimi1atcd those who were to carry out tins base
and diabolicM purpose. On the day Sunday pre-
vious to celebration, according to the testimony
Of several eye and witnesses, Mr.. Benjamin
Bynum, a hard-shcll Baptist Preacher, preach
ed at Tyson's, and informed his audience that be
had a heavy weight on his heart, and could not
rest until he had unburdened himself The nigh
ty load under which he grOaned, aud from which be
was Travelling in pain to be delivered" was, r.
S. Whitcd,d our iHHiUcrsary! III then harangued
tho people about their rights, and exhorted them to
shed bloodto fight for their liberties, their fore
fathers did Need We wonder, Mr.. Editor, ut the
result? What, sir we to think, when indi-
yidual protesting TO be a man of God is 80 lost to
all Of proprety, Of sefrespect and Of right,
rs to utter such sentiments from the Pulpit Are
not such REASONABLE sentiments indictable? Must
he not bs regarded as aiding and abe ting in all
that fOliowedt Was no not exciting the people to
riot and boodshcd? Is there no law for this in
North Carolina? IL not, order il farce, light is
mOckery, and human rights nothing. But
this is not all. After meeting, an instrument Of
writing, drawn up by some unknown, unknown to
mel and ignorant man, circulated for sigma
lures. In this instrument, which attests the igno-
rance Of the writer, il charged that. the object
Of tho Sous 10 establish law religion, sc. This
preamble was signed by many, and by some who
ought to have known IL embodied gross and will
ful falsehoOd. We understand the names Of all the
sgners Of this declaration of hostility, are in the
possession OF our friends; and it Is to bo hoped
that, when justice IL mctcd out 10 tho guilty perpe
traitors Of yesterdays outrage, these aiders and a.
betters will not be forgotten. Some of the signers
were members Of churches! Do not be astonshed,
for some Of than belonged to the anti missionary
Baptist church, aad to the Disciples, OF
Christian Baptists, they are sometimes called,
also signed il! Here, Mr.. Editor / could shed Il
4
ten bat will wipe it away and let the truth go
forth tp the world.
But let me proceed. When we arrived on the
ground, we found the doors nailed up, and the yard
occupied by q miserable looking company, compo-
sed Of dirty, ragged mon and boy1, with few
others OF mora respectable appearance, who should
have bushcd to be seen in such company. NeaI
the church door they had erected a pole, with 4
banner streaming from it's top. on which was in
scribcd-"U UNION AND LIBERTY" They shoul(
have inscribed on it-Rmm oad riot for their Who'll,
object was to prevent the Hbeytg Of speech to out
rage humanity, and bid defiance to law But sir
let 1t DO recorded to her holor, young lady tin
only daughter Of one Of our most estimablc citi
zens tore down their flag and caused it to trail i,
the dust Tho rabblo had barrel Of brandy neal
st hand' and from this they poured the spirit
down to keep their spirits up
Some 0f the citizens broke open the doors Of tn
meeting housc-a house which has been used as
free one Tor forty years-and the congregation wen
In and took their seats and listened well as the
could to Mr.. White for more than one hour. w
then adjourned to q neighbours house about n mil
distant whore n Barbecue was prepared. Uayin,
partaken Of this Mr.. White again commenced ad
dressing us but he had not proceeded far befor
tho same mOuy crew came upon us again, drivinl
the ladies from their carriages and pressing towar
Ar. White. In consequence Of the confusion, h
closed his remarks by speaking, in his peculiar an
eloquent style, Of tho noble deed Of the lady VIII
had pulled down their hag.
Temperance acted with dignity and forbearanc
which merit the hi CHEST commendation. They coul
have demolished the whole party with ease, but bt
ing lovers Of peace and order, they forcborc lea,
Ing it 10 the civil authorities Of the land to brin
the offenders Co Justice. But, sir, will these mel
with all their aidcrs and abcttors, be brought
juHcs? Shall It band Of law,ss men. under pr
tenfo Of defending tho " house Of Cod be permi
tod to nail up the doors of free meeting house 2
Shall band OF drlnlen men and boys, under pr
NfG Ff g
bo allowed to molcat the peaceabe citizens of Il
Commonwealth at .hcir public meetings, and
unwhipt Of JUSTICE Shall they be allowed to i
suit the ladios, outrage deccpcy, and disturb Il
quiet Of the whole community, and 20 unpunishe,
Shall they be permitted to 20 the premises
an honest and upright farmer, aud modest peac
able assambage met there by his permission, al
not be CONDEMNED by every man and woman in t
State possessed of honest hearts and upright inte
tons2 Ii 80, farewell to iibcrty-our country
lost!
Pitt county H. dsCraccl The writer Of this h
been in four or five Of the States. but never befo
did h) witness such outrage on law and order.
cannot describe the scene as it was 1t is a fo
blot-a gaugrenous spot, upon the reputation Of t
county, whicd nothing but the rigid admiuistrati
OF law can wipe OF ciIace Ii is n carrion h!e
lab whose stencil will tajnt the moral atmosphere
the State. Citizens, lay the hand OF justice the
men make an example Of them, and thus wipe
the foul stain from your cscutcheon.
What cared these men for religion or the me
ing house Can any man in his senses believe II
they had any respect whatever for the church ?
We're the men who signed that document so stun
ns to suppose that Htoral lecture could deseerate
house? IL no desccration to go there "
dram, t.o, I'D lies, horns, trHmpets and brandy
No. this WAS all right; but for the people to asse
hle there peacc0hly, 10 discuss n great moral gr
ffon. then the house is dcsccrated! 1t was no d
coration for Mr.. Bynum to lecture against temp
ance, and advise The shedding Of blood. This
could do on the Lo,d's d,y. aud it was all rigl
but IT was wrong to meet there on Mpudpy and
tufo in ffror Of temperance, beneyoonce and 10
Tel IL not among the Arahs, pahli>h it not am,
PagsRe. that ia North Carolina. in Pitt county,
In tho 18th Century, such sentiments aS these
held and propagatcd! An EYE WITNESS
AYsoy Co., April 10th, 1853
In beautiful spot in this county live
man whose daily employment it is to d
out his deadly posons to his numerous !