The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-02-21
MANY CITIZENS
Served Him Right.

Served Him Right.
The following is a letter from Hon. JouN
McQrEES, member to Congress from South
Carolina, in reply to an abolition document
addressed to him 10y LEWIS TArrAx, from
New York, signed 10y four other kindred
spirits, accompanied by n memorial to
Congress, expressing doubt whether such
"A thing as legal or constitutional slavery
ever existed. iS W the United States:
W AsHINGToN, Feb, D, 1909.
:" Sir: have for years been in the habit
OF throwing all printed matter sent me
from tiIc North, by vile AEolitionists and
incendiaries, in the fire, rs ! consider their
falschood us only surpassed by the impu-
dcncc OF those who send them; but as Won
with SOME Other fanalics) have seen fit to
send me, Over your own signature, a COIN
lnun'cat'"n accompanying petition to
Congress, expressing n doubt whether there
he, or has ever been any legal slavery in
the United Statcs,' &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 mis-
chievons as your conduct in sending them
to me is impudcnt and insulting.
Ill you have humanity, rs vo, profess
which you cannot make me believe, YOU
may find arnond you, and perhaps in your
own employment, much more needy objects
OF your benevolence than my or other slaves
in the South.
Go to sewing establishment, pcrhaps
within one block of you, and relieve tic
'ndlgent mother who makes shirt for six
cents, whilst her little ones at home ar.
shivcring for want of fuel to warm their
whitening frames, and are fast droppinp
into untinely graves for want of food and
ra'inent to relieve their squalid wretcled-
ness: Go into the cellars and under ground
abodes of hundreds in your city, of all
sexes and color, who associate together
without even rags to hide their nake1lness.
stepped in every species of crime, whilst
starving for every comfort of life, and show
your benevolence to them; and l would
especially recommend to you to bcstow
your benevolence on those described in q
recent address to the New York public by
the Kew. l.. NJ. Pease, the benevolent head
OF the Five Points Mission establishment.
rs follows:
Five wintcrs-dark and drcarv win
ters-have we spent upon the Five Points,
surrounded by want and suffering, by beg
gary, shame, and crime. The fact of liv-
ing here is not in itself 80 hard as the lack
of means to supply the wants of the wor-
thy poor, and to afford shelter and protec-
ton TO the homeless. We have been com.
PEELED, by our relation To this people. to
witness little bare feet treading the icy
paveIncnts until the nails have been frozen
from their toes, to see their skeleton fingers
reached ont to us, and hear their cry for
bread, when we have no bread to rive.
We have been compelled to leave the widow
with her newborn babe upon her bosom,
tr'endless and shelterless upon the street.
because we had no shelter for her; to see
boys rlpen into criminal manhood, and girls
INTO wanton woinanhood. We have been
.Hmpel'ed to hear hundreds of unfortunate.
:g'p vain, even in the name of our. Saw
,v%a, yIa, Jtr an opportunity TO reform, and.
m"en ".1. uehsd give up in despair, and after
,:.m maus e,e h>oeless; and all for want of a
~, ' IT ~, .'at on which thousands are prodi.
when youi and your associates have
verlfied your professions, and relieved your
suffering neighbprs, it viii be time enough
70 send me anything re,s,ing to my slaves.
who, old and young, s,e veil fed, clothed.
ana taken care of--bsttes, I am satisfied.
than thousands Of these WHO are beginning
TO doubt whether there be, or has ever
6een, any legal, slavery in, the United
stales' 5 Unit! you have done these things,
nope you will refrain from sending me
more of your faise and Insulting comm,,ri-
caAiene. 80. - :. -
"JoHN MCQUEEN.
"LEr1s TArpAs, Now York" !