The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-19
From the New York Day Book.
Letter from Gen. McQ Hinn, w. C.,
TO Lewis TapfsaH.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5


SIR II have, for many years, been in the
habit of throwing all printed matter sent me
from the North, by vile Abolitionists and
! incendieries, in the fire; as consider their
! falsehood as only surpassed by the impu-
| dence of those who send them; but as you
| with some other fanatics) have seen fit to
send me, over your own signature, a COM
munication accompanying petition to
Congress, expressing doubt, whether
there be, or has ever been, any legal slave
~ in the United States," &C., will simply
say to you, that am perfectly satisfied you
are aware yourself that your every assertion
on the subject of slavery is as false and
mischievous, as your conduct in sending
them to me is impudent and insulting.
If you have humanity, as you profess,
which you cannot make me believe, you may
find around you, and perhaps in your own
employment, much more needy objects of
your benevolence than my or other slaves
in the South.
Go to a sewing establishment, perhaps
within one block of you, and relieve the
INDECENT mother, who makes shirt for six
cents, whilst her little ones at home are
shivering for want of fuel TO warm their
whitening frames, and are fast dropping into
untimely graves, for want of food and raj
ment to relieve their squalled wretchedness.
Go into the cellars and underground abodes
of hundreds in your city, of all sexes and
color, who associate together without even
rags to hide their nakedness, stepped in
every species of crime, whilst starving for
every comfort of life, and show your bene-
violence to them; and l would especially
recommend to you to bestow your benevo-
lence on those described in a recent address
to the New York public, by the Rev. L. NJ.
Pease, the benevolent head of the Five
Points Mission establishment as follows:
''Five wnters-dark and dreary winters
have we spent upon the Five Points, sur
rounded by want and suffering, by beggary,
shame and crime. The fact OF living here
is not in itself so hard as the lack of means
to supply the wants of the worthy poor, and |
to afford shelter and protection to the home !
less. We have been compelled, by our !
relation TO this people, TO witness lite bare |
lCtl llIo tlty uIlIll ILC
nails have been frozen from their toes, to |
see their skeleton fingers reached out to US, |!
and hear their cry for bread, when we have
10 bread to give. We have been compelled !
to leave the widow with her newborn babe |
upon her bosom, friendless and shelterless |
upon the street, because we had no shelter |
for her; to see boys ripen into criminal |
manhood, and girls into wanton womanhood. |
We have been compelled to hear hundreds !
of unfortunates beg in vain, even in the
name of our Saviour, for an opportunity to
reform, and when denied give up in despair.
and afterwards die hopeless; and all for
want of little of that on which thousands
are prodigal. This is hard.''
When you and your associates have veri-
fed your professions, and relieve your suf-
fering neighbors, it will be time enough to
send me anything relating to my slaves,
who, old and young, are well fed, clothed
and taken care of--better, | am satisfied,
than thousands of those who are beginning
TO doubt ''whether there be, or has ever
been, any legal slavery in the U. States.''
Until you have done these things, l hope
you will refrain from sending me more of
your false and insulting communications.
JOHN McQUINN.
To LEWIS TAPPAN, New York