Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-09-02


horrors fully as great as any that ever at
tended the African slave trade Not be-
ing able to obtain slaves abroad, the ex-
treme Southern States turned to purcha-
sing them In the Northern Slave States,
and the consequence was that these States
became slave breeding ones. The result
has been, that the number of slaves now
annually sold in Virginia was between
10000 and 2o,000, and the price they
brought was from $50 ,G0O, 900 to %, ,OOO,-
900. This mighty interest, growing SO
naturally, had produced corresponding
change IN the sentiments of Virginia. =
He stated these facts partly in excuse, as
the reason for the course Virginia had
taken upon the question of slavery in late
years. 1t was far from him to say any,
thing that would reflect upon Virginia, for
he loved her, and he could truly say,
:. Virginia, With all thy faults, | love thee
still" He trusted that the time was not
far distant when the sentiments of Wash
ington, Madison and Patrick Henry
should again become the sentiments of
Virginia, Applause, and this would be
the case he had no doubt, if they succeed
ed In the election of Fremont He hoped
to live to see the judgment reversed that
Virginia had passed, in saying that those
who professed the sentiments of her most
distinguished statesmen, were not worthy
to live upon her soil; and he hoped to see
the old doctrines of 1776 re-established
upon the soil of the Old Dominion. TAp-
plause.
He would now narrate the crcumstan-
ces under which he was compelled to
leave the State, and some of the circum-
stances attendant upon the removal of his
family. They were all familiar with the
fact that he attended the Republican Con-
vention at Philadelphia as delegate
from Virginia After the Adjournment of
the Convention, he started on his route
home, but when he reached Washington
he found letters there from his family,
informing him that his life was In danger
if he returned to Virginia, because winle
at Philadelphia be used the very language
of Jefferson while speaking OF the evils
of slavery, although he had cal efully a.
voided using his harshest terms. This
language of jefferson, where he says,
'' SO horrible are the evils of slavery. that
if the slaves should rise up III rebellion
against us, the Almighty has no attribute
that would take sides with us" he omit
ted using altogether, because he con sid
cred it was too severe for the present tenn
per Of Virginia. When he had reached
Washington, and found he could not IN
safety return to Virginia, his .i-st fought
was, who should ne employ in the service
of sending for his family! His first I'M
preston was to procure the services o.
a Republican brother, Luz upon ta3ction
he concluded that ty 50 doing he might
put his life in danger. He then conclu-
ded he would consult some OF his Demo-
cratic friends, who stood within the pale
of the Buchanan party. He found the
right man IN the person OF Cen Francis
f. Spinner, a member OF Congress from
the Herkimer distric, Of New York, d
noble man, and a son Of German who
was obliged to flee from Germany on ac-
count OF his love of freedom applause
"a German of the s,ampof William Tell,
that noLle man who established the free
dom and independence of Switzerland
Such German. and such a Democrat
was Gen. Spinner. Applause. He
applied to him for assistance, and frankly
gave HIM his reasons for such an appll,a
ton for he knew that the General, being
a Democrat, would be safe IN Clark coun-
ty, a large number of whose citizens pro-
fessed to be Democrats; although they
suppose there that a Democrat must nee
essarily sustain the institution of slavery.
The General in reply TO my request, with
his usual magnanmlty, SAID he was ready
to go to Virginia for my family; and OH
the 4th of July he proceeded on his er-
rand and returned on the following day,
bringing his { Mr.. U.'s) wife and por-
ton of his family with him.
The General said that he had no con-
ception of the state of public feeling that
existed in that part of Virginia which he
saw, and he found great deal more sym
pathy for himself, (Mr. |. } than he ex-
pected to find, although he could hut no.
tice the lamentable evidence in the man
ner in which that sympathy was express
ed, IF the crushing character of the insti-
tuition of Slavery upon every kind of free
dom; for he said that no man dared 10 ex-
press anything like bold and manly SEN
timent without looking over his shoulder
to see if somebody was not in hearing
distance. Such state of things showed
more forcibly than almost anything else
the state of freedom there, and the pro-
scriptior which every man must expect to
meet in the land of Washington and jeff
erson who dare stand up and proclaim the
sentiments which ,h.y expressed. and
which they entertained while living. In
this view of things should not the cause
of freedom receive their cordial support
and recognition? He spoke to latoring
men. and he desired 10 bring right home
to them the condition to which they should
be subjected if slavery should triumph in
the coming election. The object of his
neighbors in Virginia was. as Mr. Wise
said the other day, in Buchanan ratiii-
cation meeting, to extend slavery over the
broad prairies of the West, which had
been dedicated to them and to their chill
dren forever to be the abodes OF happy
freemen. They. at the South, said their
I;o. ,s 20 oytepd Slaverv thpra tha,