Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-09-02
A VOICE FROM vIRG MA.

Our readers will recoilect that Mr.. I'm
derwood, of Virginia, who was a dele
gate TO the Philadelphia. Convention, has
been outlaped by his neighbors and COM
! PEELED to leave the State-the slaveocracy
not permitting him to return to his family
and properly. AT a meeting al New York
/ on the I'd instant, Mr.. Underwood was
/ present, and made some remarks-as we
find them reported in the New York Her
aid. We ask for them (says the Boston
Atlas, careful perusat. They come
/ from one who has sat at the feet of the
great men-one who has listened to the
councils of Madison-one who has been
IA disciple of Jefferson, and learned con-
stitutional liberty as understood by them
He has lived under the influences of sla-
very; has seen its bighting power demor-
allzing the community, and drawing the
lIfe-blood of society, as the vampyre does
from the unconscious feet of its slunber-
ing victim; he has felt It's despotic power
upon his own head; and now he stands
forth TO proclaim, in words of sober ear
nestness, truths, which tell powerfully up
on the hearts and understandings of free
men. No language uttered by resident
North of Mason x Dixon's line. will car
ry such conviction as the words uttered by
Mr.. Underwood. The Report reads thus:
cleveland Herald.
One Of the earliest teachings which he
was permitted to learn from the lips of his
widowed mother, was to give all honor to
labor, and the very first lessons of his
! youth were intended to neulcate in his
mind the dignity and importance which
should ever be attached to him who strove
/ to cultivate and beautify the earth. TAr-
plause. He was taught in infancy to be-
heve, that of all classes of society, the in
dustrious and peaceful portion of the COM
munlty, which was far removed from what
was termed the aristocracy, was the mos
powerful ami useful. He was early in
structed in the principles of Jefferson, to
believe that freedom was the right of ev-
cry human being; and one of the first
prayers he was taught, was that the time
might come when the sun, in its glorious
circuit, should not rise or set upon SIM
gle master or slave. Applause In
his boyhood he was permitted to sit at the
talle of Madison, and he we'll remembers
ed IN what glowing terms that eloquent
man used to lament the blighting and
withering effect of slavery upon the fair
fields of the Old Dominion. In his bov-
hood, animated by those sentiments of the
rights of man, the dignity of labor, and
the glorious mission OF freedom, he made
a pilgrimage to Montice llo, and as he
stood uad- Il the gIal.a oaks i,,lat sps.ad
their branches to heaven over the grave
Of Jefferson, be recalled to mind the
words of the immortal statesman, when
he proclaimed eternal hostility TO every
species of oppression and slavery, and
when he declared that the Almighty had
no attribute that could take sides with the
. oppressor. Applause. 1t was in the
early period of his life, too, that he made
a visit TO Mount Vernon; and as he looked
upon the tomb enshrining the ashes of
the Father of his Country, he thought of
his nolle life, devoted, both III camp and
cabinet, 10 the cause of liberty and his
country, and he thought, too, of the glo,
rious and immortal crown of that life-at
+ that solemn moment, and the making of
his last viii and estanent-when he gave
freedom 10 every slave upon his plana-
ton. Applause. He thought, too, of
the precious legacy which Washington
had left his countrvmen, which seemed to
him even more precious than his Fare
well Address-inore precious because it
was written with his own right hand; and
came fresh and warm from his own great
/ heart. He alluded othe letter which he
wrote TO his most intimate friend-a friend
dear to his heart, dear TO .he patriots of
the R yolution, and dear to the friends of
/ liberty throughout the worId-the Mar
qrns de Lafayette. Applause. Inthat
letter, deploring the evils of slavery he
prescribed remedy for them. What
was the occasion for writing that letter.
They all remembered, doubtless, that af-
ter Lafayette had fought the battles of
freedom, and aided so gallantly in secu-
ring their national independence, enthu-
s,astically inspired by love of liberty,
he visited one of the French West India
Islands, bought plantation, and not only
emancipated the slaves upon it, but made
a present of the plantation to them. He
wrote TO Washington, informing him of
what he had done, who in reply said
" My dear Marquis-The at You have
done is like YOU. 1t does honor TO your
head and heart. Slavery is a most blight
ing curse upon the Old Dominion, and
know of lut one way of getting rid of it. y
What was the way he prescribed for get
ting rid of slavery! 1t was not the pre-
scription of Drs. Cass, Douglas and Bu-
chanan-it was not by squatter sovereign
ty, tut it was, to use bis own language,
by Legislative authority" and he added
- so far as my vote shall go for that pur-
pose II shall never be wanting" Ap-
plause. These were the sentiments OF
Virginia in her earlier and better DAYS
These were the sentiments in which he
(the speaker had been instructed, and
which he had entertained thus far; and
they were the sentiments which he in
tended to impress upon his children, and
which he would carry TO the grave with
him..
They might ask why these sentiments
were no longer popular in Virginia. He