The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-19
READERS OF THE ERA IN HE SOUTH

READERS OF THE ERA IN HE SOUTH.
We are often asked whether we have read
ers in the South2 There are several subscri-
bers to the Era in nearly all the Southern
States and our exchange list in that quarter is
very extensive. Some readers sympathize with
Us, cordially; others hold opposite views but
desire to keep themselves we'll informed. We
give some specimens of the latter class. A sub
scriber in Alabama, renewing his subscription,
says-
81 have used diligence to circulate your valu-
able paper in my neighborhood, but have yet
failed to get any to join me in subscribing ior
it. My friends ore fond of borrowing 1t, and
lend freely. am toIerably free yet, and wish
to read both sides, especially when L pay Tor
what read Because | live by the labor OF
slaves, and say to one, go, and to another, come
and have paid my money for them, and do my
duty in feeding, clothing, and making them
comfortable is no reason why | should not
did not make them slaves; and if do a good
part by those under my control, shall receive
the credit of having done my duty. | take the
Saturday Evening Post and the Dollar Gazette,
but the Era is number one. 1t spares nobody,
not even the President"
There are people in the South, as we'll as the
North, who love plain speaking.
Another subscriber, also renewing, who lives
in Georgia, writes
"If had the leisure would write you at
length on the subject of Slavery, and show you
that while it has been no injury or disadvan-
tage to the Africans, but great benefit, that
it alone has built the cotton factories, and the
immense machine shops Herewith connected
has made the railroads and the improvements
Herewith connected-has sent the steamships
across the ocean-and, in short, made US what
we arc. Without cotton, these would never have
been, and that without slaves we never should
have had the cotton. Bat on these subjects
seldom speak or write; and as the Era is edited
in the right style and spirit, and as it is, to my
taste, one of the best newspapers IN the country,
cannot consent to part with 1t, and more es-
pecally as wish to continue my acquaintance
with the Abolitionists and Free Sellers. Who
is Bell Smith 81"
What follows is from the pen of citizen of
Virginia one of our sympathetic Southern
readers, who lately furnished US an article on
the Richmond Va.) Dispatch.
eAn article recently published in the Ma
tional Era commenting upon one in the Rich-
mond Dispatch, is asserted by the editor of the
latter paper, lwho certainly should be unques-
tionab'e authority On all matters Of fact,) to be
from the pen of Professor Charles d. Cleveland
This statement has given rise in our mind
to considerable doubt as to our own identity,
for we had supposed ourselves to be the writer
of the article in the Era; but whoever else we
may be, we decidedly are not Mr.. Cleveland.
According to the best of our knowledge and
belief, that gentleman is not aware Of our ex-
istence, and is as ignorant of the authorship of
the article in question as is the editor Of the
Dispatch.
Moreover, as to our being o fanatic we
are generally considered of a sound mind and
are also in good and regular standing. We
are not an Abolitionist in the obnoxious sense
of the term, neither are we Down East book
maker having never either written, printed,
or published, a school book in our Efe or been
connected with any one thus engaged. The
allusion to one who has never set foot on slave
SOIL, certainly fails to apply to our case as for
many years we never set foot on any other.
With regard to money making, the editor must
have formed a much higher opinion of our
finances than We ourselves, if he supposes that
to have been our engrossing pursuit.
Zone more word, and we have done. The
Dispatch seems to be considerably exercised con-
corning the style Of our article; but the fact of
his having attributed it to the pen of 80 ripe a
scholar and accomplished gentleman as Mr..
Cleveland, is, perhaps, rather better calculated
to give rise to feeling of 'selfcomplacency,'
than the structures of the editor Of the Dispatch
are to produce an opposite state of mind Evil
IDENTIFY however, our forte, in his opinion lies
not in style, any more than does his, in our
opinion, lie in biblical criticism"
WILLIAM WALKER, PRESIDENT OF LOWER
CALIFORNIA But a few days have passed
since our readers perused the remarkable
proclamation of this gentleman to the people
of the United States. More recent accounts
represent him and his men-his cabinet, army
and navy-as being in imminent peril. The
New York Times says of him
"He is q man Of much talent, evidently. and
of thorough education, having graduated in
medicine, both here and in Paris and after
wards passed through q course of legal study.
He is said, too, to have been remarkably ami
able in his disposition, and, until short time
before falling among flibusters, a lover of
peace"
Our accounts, heretofore received, represent
ed that, On the 81 of December, Mr. Walker
and his party made an excursion from San Di-
ego, where they had arrived on the day previ-
Gus, to capture the Governor or to forage; that
they were attacked by the Mexicans and beat
en-, with the loss of twelve or fourteen men !;
that they then fed, and took refuge in a house
at Ens2neba, where they were besieged by sew
eral hundred Mexicans, who cut off their boats
and prevented their reaching the Carolina,
which was anchored near by.
This may all be true ; but it does not come
from an entirely reliable source: for the Aita
California says:
"After the defeat of the filibusters at La
Grulla, vd9uero brought word to his employer,
Don Juan Bandini, that the flibusters had been
making great havoc among the cattle and other
property on his as well as other ranches
4" The fiibustering scheme was concocted
last winter or spring, and it is confidently as
serted by some, not unacquainted with the lead
ers, that the introduction of Slavery is one i'm
portant object in their aggression. The asser-
ton is rendered probable by the character of
those who favor the scheme by other circum-
stances. California is bitterly opposed to agi-
tation but she is true blue on the main point,
no Slavery on the Pacific.
"Oae portion of the scheme is, that the fill
busters shall divide among themselves the pub
lie lands, in pay for their selfsacrifcing patri
otism."
MISSISSIPPI SENATOR.
This mornings papers announced the nomi-