Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-11-25
POLITICAL CHARACTER OF oHIo-E CONTRA.

An article from the scioto Chillicohs Gazette which
published several days ago. at the request Of FRIEND
has ELECTED the suboined reply which justice requires
that We should also place before our readers:
FOR THE scIoro (oHIo) GAZETTE
GENTLEMEN: An article in your paper Of Friday, No
vembsr Sd, giving some reasons "why there has never
been great consolidated party in Ohio, contains this
unguarded staemeat The third aud southern part OF
the eastern division principally settled by Vrginans
who very naturally brought with them prosavery feel
ings," &C.
About onehalf of the early settlers Of Southeastern
Ohio did from Virginia. but Of these the great mass
migrated from Virginia. chiefly for the purpose Of avoid
ing the evils Of slavery by settling in free State This
is known to all Of our early settlers need not multiply
instances but viii the families Of Edward Tn and
Thomas worthington who, in 1884, brought to Chicohe
seventy slaves from Virginia and liberated tbem
and who were followed by many wko did the same thing
mention these men, known to be decidedly anislave-
ry and who had given these pledges of their sincerity
because for long time afterwards they filed popular
stations in the gift Of their citizens who would not
thus have honored them had they coincided in sent
ment and opinion
In fact If there was from the beginning any where in
Ohio than another decided and enlightened oppo-
stion slavery it amongst these immigrants from
slave States of whom, in order to escape from its
evils had liberated large portion Of what the laws Of those
States considered their property but which they could
conscienhousy hold and others having property
had been feelngly taught how poor thing poor white
who labors for his living is usually both by
slaves and 6lave-owners In slave State
On other political and local questions these emgrans
naturally sided with their old friends and neghbors and
this with the statesmen and patriots of Yrgnia
for the desnies Of Virginia then in the hands Of
statesmen and patriots, and such letter as Henry A.
Wise has lately written would then have been met by
universal shout of scorn and dersion.
That they should be pro-slavery under these crcum
stances is just natural and than that the
Purtans of Plymouth Rock escaping from persecution in
England, should have gone for Church and King But
having clearer view than any other portion Of popu-
aton Of oil sides Of this great evil and knowing the So
ca and moral excellence Of the vast majority Of the
pie Of the slave States they have been less ready than
others to join in sectional crusades against them.
This believe to be the whole truth and the correction
of statement here is the more necessary
ignorance and maevoence have been busy in spread
ing error elsewhere.
Opinions African slavery have only recently crystal
zed into definite FORMS the extremes being known to the
American people Abolioniss and pro slavery men,
Tor sGretes to coin short word both bad and danger
factons the latter the baser and sord not
having enlightened and generous principle to be-
gin with, but the former the dangerous from the
peryersion Of noble and generous sentiment to the pur
poses of fraternal hatred and civil
read your article with much interest II is on very
interesting subject anu contains many of the reasons
which have aided in preventing the people of Ohio from
being long subject the domination of any political party
the chief cause however, being in my estimation the in
teigent and Yide-awake character Of people, who
will permit any party any Of their public agents.
however exalted to neglect their duty abuse their
power without swift retributon
With great respect, NORTHWEST.