The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-02-09
The Assault upon Rev. VIM. c. CLARK
by the Border Ruf6ans.
s. ELIor, MAINE, Jan. II, 1856.

y. ILiUf, H1AlAEs Jan. i 4, ioCO.
FRIKKD BRowE-SIR: This is the
fourth attempt that have made to reach
you with the account of my voyage with
the Algerines of America on the Polar
Star. | wrote and sent you long and
full account the 6rst thing did after
was able TO situp. [ should write more,
but the hope of this ever reaching you
seems so small that am almost discour-
aged in trying. Yours Truly,
80 WM. C. CLARK.
The above, with the following slip
from an Eastern journal, is the first d.
rect communication We have received
from Mr.. CLARK since he left this city
in September last, for New England
Ed. HERALD OF FREEDoM
MEssRs. EDIToRs: Some of the pub
lie journals, for a few weeks last past.
have been presenting to their readers a
part of the history of a personal out
rage which l received from company
of Missourian Shareholders on the Goth
of September. on the Missouri river
Unfortunately for myself, | was taken
sick few days after my arrival in New
England, and have thus been prevented
giving the public full account of the
affair, as far as understand it.
After having travelled for seven weeks
in Kansas, and having witnessed the
richness of its soil, the abundance and
purity of its water, the unequalled beau
| ty of its scenery, with other advantages.
superior to those of any other portion of
America. if not of the world, and hay-
ing accomplished the object for which |
went out, | turned my course homeward.
| arrived in Kansas City on the 18th of
September, and the same day took pas
sage on the steamboat Polar Star for st.
Louis. Isoon perceived that among the
crowd of passengers on board the ques-
tion of liberty or slavery in Kansas Ter
ritory was one of deep interest and much
conversation. The passengers being
mostly from slave States, the reader can
readily Judge on which side their SYM
pathies were. / heard several state
ments made, of the sayings and doings
of the Free State party in kansas, which
| knew were not true, yet, not wishing
to have controversy, | let them pass
without correction. On the second day
of the passage, in the afternoon, as
company were by chance sitting togeth-
er in the cabin, some one brought up
some theological questions for discus
sion. think the first was the modes of
baptism, the next the perseverance of
The saints, &c. Finally one gentleman
present objected to the divine authentic
Ity of the Bible, on The ground that the
five races of f5men never could have had
one common parentage, objecting espe-
cially to the Indian and Negro races
Feeling an interest when | hear the Scrip
lures assailed. took The liberty to reply
to him. giving my views of the origin of
the indians found on this continent by
Columbus, which seemed to be saiisfac-
tory to those present. His objection to
tie common origin of the Negro race
was, that their minds hal not a capacity
for cultivation, and by nature were al
most desti ute of intelligence; and
hence he thought they must have had
another and inferior origin. | called his
att ,ntion to Hannibal the Great, who for
years was the terror of Rome and the
admiration of the world, he having been
of Negro de cent, and not of Phenician
as most OF the Cartlagenians were; al
SO to Hamlcar, the great mechanic-to
Euclid, tie Ia her of mathematics-with
some other illustrious minds that belong
ed to- thar oppressed race.
The above defence of the Bible gave
rise TO suspicious in the company that |
held anti-slavery sentiments. When
questioned upon this point { have too
much flankness in my nature, as well as
respect for the honest views | hold, to
dissemble on a plain point, l frankly
admitted thai | was opposed TO the er-
tension of slavery, and in favor of Kan
sas becoming a Free S ate. One Of the
company, starring forward from his seat,
with an earnest expression of eounten-
ance, a,ked me if | did not believe the
Bible sanctioned slavery. Why, said
he, good old father Abraham held slaves,
aud God never rebuked him for it
Without stopping to explain the differ
ence between ancient servants and mod
ern slaves, i then told him that Abra-
ham had son Ishmael by his wife's
servant maid, and that the Lord never
rebuked him for that, either; and that
David, man after Gods own heart, had
a number of vices which, were hardly
condemned under the diSpensations OF
his time but when the light of Chri,t-
ianity shone more brightly upon the
world, wherever it went. servitude, poly
gamy, Dc, were swept away, being suit
ed only 10 the dark ages. [ also called
his attention to the important fact that
for two hundred and fifty years after
Christ. wherever Christianity was receiv-
ed the relation between master and slave
ceased. and they were brethren. They
offered no further Scripture arguments
IN favor of the patriarchal institution,
and the conversation took political turn;
the doings of various public men. the
repeal of the Missouri compromise. &c.,
4 were discussed. apparantIy with the best