The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-05
A REMINIsCENCE,
PITTsBURGH, SEPT. 90. 1851

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 20, 1854
To the Editor of the National Era:
10 looking over some volumes Of the CORES
pondence of General William Irvine, who COM
manded Fort Pitt some time during the Revo-
luton, was much surprised by tho following,
from a letter to Col. Depeyster at Detroit, da-
ted Fort Pitt, August, 1888:
"No fugitive negroes have come into this
country during the last nine months, that
have heard of. | will cause tho advertisement
to be made public; and if all or any of the de-
scribed negroes can be found hero during my
command here, the owners may expect they
will be sent to Detroit the first proper opportu-
nifty"
This paragraph in the Generals letter will
probably surprise you as much as it did me-
This voluntary offer of an American General
to send "fugitivc negroes" into English terri
tory las Detroit then was at the mere request
of an English officer, manifssts an excess of
courtesy that could hardly be expected so soon
after the close of long and bloody war. That
an officer of the army should assume such
power within the Territory of Pennsylvania, SO
soon after the passage Of the glorious act for
the abolition of Slavery here, is really surpri-
sing and can only be accounted for by recol.
Letting that the military power was supreme
here, and that the noble principles of our law
had not extended to tho officers of the army
A few weeks after, viz 2 1 of October, 1888,
Gen. Irvine left here, and Major Marbury,
Marylander, succeeded to the command but
know nothing further about the fugitive me-
groesn
Though | expect but little good from the
slave States, | was pleased to see your notice of
the complaints of the injustice Of the appor-
tionment of Representatives in South Carolina
1t seems that the upper counties, which, if JUS
tice were done them, woold have one hundred
and one Representatives. have only seventy
eight; and the lower counties which should
have twenty-onc, have forty four-that is, the
favored region has more than double its share
while the prescribed counties have nearly one
third less members that justice would give
them.
The extract you give from the South Caro-
iinian is spirited and manly, but have been
too much in the slave States TO expect anything
more than brave aoords from thatquarter The
shareholders are so accustomed to rule with
IGOR there, and all others are so disciplined to
submission, that all their convictions of the
inequality and injustice to which they are sub
jected will evaporate in complaints
Was there one single Cassius M. Clay in each
of the slave States, much might be expected
from their labors have strong hopes Of Ken
lucky and if there were ono man of such tai
ent, energy, and decision, in Western Virginia,
| that fine region of country would present q
new aspect.
My writing now, however, was to say that |
was both surprised and grieved to learn that
the Daily Era was a heavy tax upon your
means. did not suppose it was very profta-
BILE, but certainly did hope and believe that
it was not losing concern.
Are we to despair of having a renewal of
the Daily? 1t will be q sore loss to do without
it. What is the prospect do not ask for
direct reply to myself, but hope that it may
suit you to refer to the subjecs again and again
in the Era
| am too old to take an active part in. can
wasting for subscribers to the Daily Era, and
my income is not sufficient to justify me in Of
ly would very cheerfully pay for half dozen
Dailies, rather than you should be prevented
from resuming its publication.
| really wish that either yourself or some Of
your active friends would suggest in time some
project, by which could be tested the probable
ity of the continuance of the Daily, at least
without loss.
have not often troubled you with letters
but believe me- have always loved the Era
and taken very deep interest in its welfare
Without the Daily Era during the last session,
| do not believe the people would have been
reused to full sense of the iniquity of the
legislation, nor would the resistance to that
legislation have been 80 decided had the Daily
Era not been there to watch Northern men,
bers with feeble bsckbones.
Permit me to suggest that sufficient use has
not been made in the Free Soil and Wing pa
pers of the statement of Democratic paper at
Chicago, /" that Mr. Douglas made no secret Of
his conviction that Pierce's Administration was
dead beyond hope of rcsuscitationn
Yours, respectfully NEVILLE B. CR,re