The true Democrat., 1856-03-11
A Just Rebuke.

The following, from Gen. MCQUEEN, of South Carolina, is in reply to letter received by him from the notorious abolitionist, LEWIS TAPPAN, and from other kindred spirits, ac. companying memorial to Congress embodying the idea that slavery never had any legal or constitutional existence in the United States:
 Washington, Feb. 9th, 1856
 SIR: l have, for years, been in the habit of throwing all printed matter sent me from the north, by vile abolitiOniStS and incendiaries in the fire; as 1 consider their falsehood as onlv surpassed by the impudence of those who send them; but as you (with some other fanatics have seen fit to send me- over your own sigma ture, communication accompanying a petition to Congress, expressing a doubt, whether there be, or has ever been, any legal slavery in the United States" etc., will simply say to you, that am perfectly satisfied you are aware yourself that your every assertion on the sub ject of slavery is as false and mischievous as your conduct in sending them to me is impu, dent and insulting.
 Ii you have humanity, as you professs, which you cannot make me believe. you may find around you, and perhaps in your own employ ment, much more needy objects of your bene- violence than my, or other slaves in the south.
 Go to sewing establishment, perhaps within one block of you, and relieve the indigeut mother who makes a 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 raiment to relieve their sJuaEd wretchedness. Co into the cellars and under. ground abodes of hundreds in your city, of all sexes and color, who associate together with out even rags to hide their nakedness, steeped Tn every species of crime, whilst starving for every comfort of life, and show your benev0- fence to them, and l would especially recom mend to you to bestow your benevolence on those described in a recent address to the New I ork public, by the Rev. L. M Pease, the be- nevolent head of the Five Points Mission es tabllshment as follows:
 Five winters-dark and dreary winters have we spent upon the Five Points, surrounded oy want and suffering, by beggary, shame and crime. The fact of living there is not in itself so hard as the lack of means to supply the wants of the worthy pCor and to afford shelter and protection to the homeless We have been compelled, by our relation to this people, to witness little bare feet treading the icy pave ments, until the 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 no bread to give. We have been com. pelled to leave the widow with her new born 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 unfortunate 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 thou sands are prodgal. This is hard"
 When you and your associates have verif6a your professions, and relieved your suffering nelghbors, 1t will be time cnongh to send me anything relating to my slaves, who, old and young, are we'll fed, clothed and taken care of better, 1 am satisfied, than thousands who arc beginning to doubt "whether there be, or has even been, any legal slavery in the United States" Until you have done these things hope you will refrain from sending mo more ol your false and insulting communications.
 JOHN MCQUEEN.
 LEWIS TAPPAN, New York.