The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-10-25
THE HON. MR. KEITT AND THE CHURCHES

Mr.. Calhoun in his alarm speeches on the
subject of Slavery, was in the habit of refer
ring, in ominous terms, to the agitation of that
question in the great religious bodies, and its
tendency to break up the connection between
the Northern and Southern sections.
Mr.. Keitt, one of his disciples, is following
in his footsteps. In a late speech at Spartans
burg, S. c., intending to produce weighty
impression on his hearers, he announced that
|" the Episcopal and Presbyterian churches
were in a state of great agitation on the sub
ject of Slavery, were on the eve of disunion,
and that disunion was inevitable. The pious
men of the South were scandalized at this, and
the Rev. Mr.. Baird stepped forth to defend the
Presbyterian Church, and vouch for its Pro-
Slavery orthodoxy. The bare idea that any
respectable portion of its membership should
be opposed to system which invests one man
with full power to make another man work for
him without wages, to deny him education, and
sell him like brute, was not to be tolerated.
The reverend gentleman indicated his brethren
of the North against the foul libel.
This stirred up the Episcopal brethren, one
of whom, the editor of the AshviUe IN. C.)
Spectator, addressed letter to the Hon. Mr..
Buxton, pastor of the Episcopal Church in that
place. Mr.. Buxton rejoices to inform the pub
lie that the communion to which he belongs
has really no history to present of its connec.
ton with Slavery, for the subject has never
once been named for discussion, or in any
way" in the General Convention of the Church.
Perhaps, he says, it would be asserting too
much to say, that there are not to be found
private members of the Episcopal Church at
the North, who hold extremely erroneous sem
timents or are even fanatically influenced on
the subject of Slavery; but such persons, it is
well known, could not for moment gain a
hearing upon the floor of any Diocesan Con.
vention in the land, not to say our General
Convention" AS fine illustration "of the
spirit of our Church press" he adds, I" take
the following paragraph concerning the recent
Wheeler case, which l cut from a late number
of the Banner cfhe Cross, published in Phila
delphia:
" AbolhiOnism. know not why the
Friends Revie,c, of this city, should be con-
tnued to be sent to us, with marked articles in
relation to the notorious, or, rather infamous,
passmore Williamson. 1t cannot be supposed
that we can feel the least sympathy in his be-
half or do otherwise than heartily approve the
| firm course and righteous decision of Judge
Kane; who will not fail, we hope, to maintain
the majesty of the law in this and all similar
cases."-Banner, Aug. %.
The beautiful, Christian spirit displayed in
this paragraph, renders eminently proper the
assumption by this paper, of the title, Banner
Of the Crosse"
The editor of the Spectator adds his testi-
mony:
owe will take occasion here to say that, du-
ring residence North of some three years. we
became acquainted with several Episcopal min
listers, and with many laymen of that church,
with whom we were in the habit of freely con.
versing In reference to the question of Slavery
and OF the whole number of our acquaintance,
we did not converse with one who was not de-
cidedly opposed to the Abolitionists."
We hope Mr.. Keitt will be entirely satisfied !;