The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-10-16

papers after their return home strong y en-
pressye of the same noble sentiments. Even
to this lay also, there is familiar and pleasing
correspondence kept up between many of
those members and their friends by whom they
were enter tanned in that city.
Since that the Assembly has met in Hllila-
delphia, in Buffalo and Nashville in all of which
places there have been the same harmony Of
action crd the same cordially Of social inter
course. | was myselfa member of the Assem-
bly which met in Philadelphia in 1853. There
were many delegates from the South and deny
that any discrimination was made against
Southern men in that Assembly. am per.
suaded also that no members Of the Assembly
from any other part Of the country were more
cordially received, more respectfully treated,
or more kindly entertained by the citizens than
we're those from the South The same, have
been told was the case at Buffalo.
4 member Of the Assembly which recently
met in Nashville la: related to me the follow.
ing incident, which occurred in that body IN
direct conflict with your statements: An over
Jealous delegate from one of the Congresslnna'
Associations down East being admitted to the
floor as o corresponding member, so lar forgot
his whereabouts as to undertake to lecture
Southern members upon their "sins and duties:
Instantly dozen or more Northern members
.prang to their feet, each eager to cast the first
stone ut him. And among them, they gave
him very much such "Ielting down" as the
old man did to the young intruder whom nc
found rubbing his orchard. 'Mo>t handsomely
aud ably" snys my informant "wcre the South
4 r.. Il t,,,, ia horn hrlt
rem, without the necessity OF a Southern man
sa, ing word-snch men as DR.. Boardmen OF
Philadelphia, Dr.. Dumont of Newport, and
DR.. Rice of St. Louis, taking the lead in the
defencer
Instead, then, Of its being true that we of the
South are in danger Of being overpowered, aud
driven out by these avalanches Of abolition, OF
which YOU spoke in su earnest admonllon, the
fact is We have put them where they deserved
to be- on the outside, while we remain secure
within; have swept them from our whole arena
and there they will be compelled to stay--n"t
fragment Of that disturbing element left to
annoy. In stead Of ceaseless and intolerablu
disSel>irns as you stated--wc have perfect
peace! Instead Of impending and inevitable
division, 20 such thing is even in the distance
contemplated. Indeed we have nothing abont
which either to contend or divide! Such are
briefly the facts in relation to agitation, frater
nizaliun and the prospects Of division. But
there are other facts.
The principal religious newspaper of our
denomination is published in Philadelphia-'a
large and ably conducted paper called the
.Presby,erian." That papers now on the
25th yearof its age. 1t circulates throughout
the United States. 1t is one of the most con.
servative and reliable papers in the world. |
have never yet seen in it an "inteced' article,
nor one in any other way, offensive to the
South. We have also book publishing
establishment, called the Board Of Publiralion.
The members Of that Board are elected from
year to year by the whole General Assembly.
The majority Of the members arc always North
ern men. Our Publishing House is also in
Phisdel lphia-wlthin that vast r'gion whence
you have supposed nothing " clean" could ever
issue. The publications Of that Board amount
now to about five hundred different works.
Large and repeated editions of many Of them
have been for several years scattered all over
our country. They embrace q vast variety ct
subjects, and nre adapted to persons Of all
dren's books, and nursery lulabes" forming
no inconsidcmble portion of their issues! Aud
yet, sir, if you can point out a single paragraph
in any one Of them which directly or indirectly
nculcates abolition sentiments, you can do
what it is believed the whole South has thus
far been unable to do Indeed, it was precise.
y on these grounds that the Simon Pures"
who now constitute the Free Synod" Of the
West, left US. Our Assembly was firm as Gi
braltar against their seductions and assaults
and they could pour none of their lava streams
through any Of the presses Of either the Assem-
bly, or the Synods. They left; and for the
reformation" Of the rest of mankind they are
now doing their own publishing.
With little if any qualification, | believe that
the snme may he said Of the millions Of hooks
published by the American Sunday School
Union, the American Tract Society, and the
Episcopal Church--ay, and Of their newspa-
pers and chidren's papers also. which have an
immense circulation. And yet all these are
published North of the ine Indeed, nearly
all onr books, Of every kind, come from the
North. Large, then as Is the mass of rabid,
fanatical publications, vastly greater is the
strength, ard incomparably more numerous
are the works of those millions who have not
bowed the knee to the modern Baal. Nor do
agree with you that in regard to any Of these
matters is there anything porteutous Of worse
state of things in the future. So far as the
Old School General Assembly is concerned
the South may have the fullest confidence in its
future character and action. For not only are
its spirits audi principles thoroughly conserva-
tive; but it is all.powcrfuI, as regards ability
to keep out or suppress fanatioism or error of
whatever kind or under whatever name. And
81 determined have its members been that agi-