Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-04-30
Mr.. Tlournoy and Slave

MI Flournoy and Slavery
The most miserable attempt yet made by IT,
Wise party in the canvass, SAYS the Richmond
Whig. The attempt to convict Mr.. Flournoy oi
unsoundness upon the question of slavery. 1--WE
have no patience even to nllude to it. 1t is vile
and atrocious SANDER, started for the purpose OF
inluring him where he is personally unknown
But it will ANONYMOUSLY fail of its object. And
not only SO, it will recoil with crushing force
upon 'hose who have originated it, and the party
that gives ii circulation. M man who has evei
seen or heard, or knows any thing about Thorn
as Staah spe Fl,srnoy, bat will revolt At the cf
fort to pray. him untrue To the South, aud the
State TINT gave him birth This base charge car
do him 40 harm. On the contrary. his friend,
and acquautances of all parties will be disgust
ed by il, and will repelit in tae most emphatic
manner by voting fot him at tho polls They
will never consent TO see patriotic, high toned,
and honorable gentleman hunted down by cnl-
umny so groundless and 40 gross"
when this charge was first made i" the En-
quirer, addressed note to Mr. Flolrnoy sim
ply calling HE attention 10 i. and with no expec.
taton that it oald ever be renewed. 4 few
days afterwards however, the Enquirer repeated
it, and affected to infer from our silence that il
was true. We, tbercupon, promptly and en-
phaticaly deniedit, stating that Mr. Flournoy
had never used the language, or entertained the
sentiment attributed to him. But all this seem
ed not to satisfy his ferocious enemies and though
deemng II wholly unnecessary, we are willing
for ther edihcation to publish the letter upon this
subject addressed 10 us by Mr.. Fournoy. Il is
10 nd SIN IS
ton, and will put at rest forever we hope the ri
diculous charge which has been made against
him" 1t is as follows
HAIIFAx c. H., April 9TH, 1853
Dear Sir:-On my return home on Yesterday
after an absence of several days professional
business, received your letter calling my atten-
ton 10 the charge made against me, by a cores
pendent OF the Enquirer, of unsoundness upon
the subject of slavery. The charge is 50 contempt
ible, that nothing but n respect for the public,
who might be deceived by il, and your desire 10
be put in possession of correct information in res
poet TO IT, induces me TO notice it.
Sometime in the year 1916, Il speak altogether
from memory,) Convention was held Mt char-
lotte {. ii, for the avowed purpose of consider
ing the best means Of improving the Roanoke
and its tributaries, the Dan and Stanton Rivers
After the delegates had assembled, aud to tho
surprise of all the counties in this region, il was
proposed to abandon the improvement of the Riy-
ers, and substitute the Railroad. Upon this
proposition, there was a good deal of discussion.
Our lamented friend Tunstall advocated the Rail
road and urged an evidence of the superiority
of Railroads, their success in many of the North
ern States. replied to him. and insisted that
the illustration not applicable TO this section
of country; that the population Of the Northern
States WAS a free white populations that our
was comparatively sparse population. and near
ly or quite half of il slaves and that con 1eni
ly the profits TO be derived from travel would bear
no comparison. This idea enforced by h T.
tistics of the different sections of country. VIA
language used am unable To say, after a lap
of about nine years, having no notes 1T the
speech to refer to, the discussion being eff hand
and unprecedented. | certainly did not use the
language attributed to me by the CORE spondent
of the Enquirer for never entertained such an
opinion. | am confirmed in my recollection by
the fact that in the spring of l5i7, less than a
year ntter the holding Of tho Convention be.
came candidate 10 represent this, the largest
slave holding district in the State in the Congress
CT the United States. while all the occurrences of
that Convention were fresh in the recollection of
tie people. and when the question OF slavery
growing out nj the acquisition of territory from
Mexico, had already begun 10 agtate the public
mn l. ihecanvass was warm and excited one
and resulted in my Election; aud duiing lis pro.
gress, no human being suggested that had ever
used. at any time or on any occasion, any expires
sion IN dsparagement of or hostile to the inst
tuition OF slavery. | served the term for which |
was elected, AM voted in the Congress of the
United States repeatedly upon propositions in
voiHing the slave interest of the South, and have
never yet heard the propriety Of any vote which
gave, questioned, and it is strange, after all
this, that n citizen of Charlotte, upon his fral
memory, should venture upon such a Charge
The Convention decided in favor of the Railroad;
the Legislature, few winters after granted u
charter, and having always been friend TO i'm
provement was the first of the citizens of Hall
lax to subscribe to its capital stock. These facts
you can state "by authority" if you shall deem
it necessary.
Your very sincere friend.
THOS. S. FLOURNOY.
To r. kIDGwAY ESQ, Richmond
This version of the affair which needs no con.
frmaton to any one who knows MI Flournoy,
or appreciate. his character, corresponds with
the recollections Of Mr.. Syme of the Peter sbur
Intelligencer, who was present as well as thos
of Mr.. VIM. c. Flournoy. whose authority wi
not be questioned oven by tho nssailants of h
brother. The insinua,on of iufdelty to III
South against Thomas s. Flournoy is too absur
to amount to a calumny in this section of II
State; but in other quarters it may not be wit
out effect. and we call upon the people of Il
Southside, to whom he is so generally known,
defend him against SO wanton and injurious
misrepresent alton. by doubling their zeal in /
behalf. and lifting him above the tide of prejudi
and distrust which may roll in from distant
gions of the State. 1t would be natural a
noble result of this foul attempt to wrong II