The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-09
Bolts AND THE VIRGINIA sLAvEOCRACY.

No Northern Abolitonist has been de-
nounced with more malignity than the Buchan-
an " Democracy heap upon the head of John
NJ. Bolts. Even Governor WISE not content
with the torrents of abuse poured upon Mr..
Bolts by every Buchanan press and demagogue
in the State, descends from the Executive chair
to malign a man whom he cannot intimdate
or silence. One would suppose, from the tenor
of the Governors speech on the Goth Septem-
Der, that Mr.. Bolts had treated the people of
Richmond to such discourse as Theodore
Parker or Wendell Phillips is in the habit of
delivering in Boston. Traitor is one of the
mildest terms applied to him and Governor
Wise, forgetting the dignity of his station, re-
minds Mr.. Bolts that there is a Mayor, States
attorney, and grand jury, in Richmond,
whose duty it is to protect negro property =
ever negroes, negroes; Governor Wise can
think of nothing but the price OF negroes and
the election of Buchanan. And what, reader,
would you suppose is the offence of Mr.. Bolts ?
His offence hath this extent, no more: he de-
nounces the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
as a fraud, and an act of bad faith. The fol.
lowing specimens from Governor Wise's speech
of the 10Th ultimo will show what Democracy
means in Virginia:
"God only knows what the real intent of the
speech was; but / have no hesitation in saving
that / regard John Minor Bolts as utterly heed
less OF the effect of that speech, whether it tends
to elect Fillmore or Fremont, so Democracy
would be defeated. 1t is more Fremont than
it is a Fillmore speech. l undertake to say to
this agitator and disturber of our peace and
unity among ourselves, that there is Mayor in
this city, a Commonwealth attorney, and a
grand jury, and he had better look to the clauses
of the penal statutes of the code of Virginia,
which impose fine and Imprisonment for the
offence of speaking, writing, or publishing,
matter tending to impair the value of property
in slaves. Draw up the indictment-summon
a venire-read the statutes Introduce the of.
fensive Wilmot Proviso speech made years ago
in Powhatan, L believe, and his speech made
here few weeks ago in the African church
a fit rostrum for its Black Republicanism.
Give both in evidence to prove his confessions
| and the quo amino of guilt or innocence; and
if he could not be convicted it would be because
he would avail himself of some technical and
formal defence"
The following extract will show the spirit of
treason and black caiumny and blackguardism
which are prevalent in the Buchanan ranks in
Virginia:
"But, if Fremont is elected, is it wrong,
| they will ask, that one man is elected instead
OF another? Never will we say that that is n
wrong. Fremont is nothing. Cheers He
IL less than nothing, in my estimation En-
thusiastic cheers. He is but mere persona
ton of Black Republicanism, the bearer of the
black flag. Cheers. The question will not
| be, Shall Fremont reign over you and me ? but
it will be, Shall the black flag be erected,
shall the higher law be executed by the Presi.
ldent OF the United States, over the reign of the
Constitution and the laws2 Shall property be
invaded with impunity2 Yes; you will find
hundreds that will say-they begin already to
| say-'Oh wait!-wait for some overt act
wait for him to do some wrong!' Tell me,
will any person, entertaining feelings of self re-
spect, having the spirit and courage of man.
wait TO prepare for war, whilst its cloud is in
the horizon, until after the declaration Of war
| Is made? Tell me, if the hosting of the Black
tepublcan flag in the hands of an adventurer
| born illegitimately in neighboring State. If
not ill-begotten in this very city-tel me, if the
| hosting of the black flag over you by French
mans bastard, whilst the arms of civil war are
already clashing, is not to be deemed an overt
| act, and a declaration of war? Well, sir, you
will not only hear the cry, wait, wait, and that,
too, in the sacred name of the Union-that can
only be saved by action now-they will say,
wait, watt wait, not only in the sacred name of
conservatism, which they are crushing, but they
will go further"
Nothing can palliate this, but the plea of in
sanity. We have heard this hnted.