Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-01-24

Ut The Tree SOIL newspapers, ana news
papers with free soil ~sympathies, are making
a great ado over what they call the tarrring
and feathering of an abolitianist named Jo-
seph Brady, at Lexington, Ky. Now, the
truth is, as Brady himself admits, that
neither tar nor feathers was applied to his
person, nor was his head shaved. A pot Of
varnish was simply poured over his head,
and he was advised to depart for a more
frigid cline than that Of Lexington. And
what was the offence which brought upon
Mr.. Brady this manifestation of popular in
dignation? Why, it was the writing of a
letter from Lexington to an abolition sheet In
Ohio, in which he denounced the institution
of slavery in the most violent terms, giving
a false, or at least highly colored account OF
an auction sale of slaves on Christmas day,
and recommending that the Episcopal church
in Lexington be converted into a negro auc-
ton mart, the pastor to be the auclioneer.
MI. Brady was a school teacher N Lexing-
ton. Although from the North, and known
to be in principle opposed to the institution
of slavery Gas thousands of Southerners
themselves are), he was entrusted with the
education of the youth Of the city, and treat
ed with that generous confidence which
every gentleman should end savor to deserve.
But did Mr.. Brady show himself to be
worthy of this confidence ? We think not.
We utterly condemn and abhor every thing
in the shape of mob law. We think the cir
cumstances which can Justify mob violence
must be of the most outrageous character ,
and we are far from justifying even the slight
punishment administered to Mr.. Brady. But
we cannot but regard that individuals con-
duct under all the circumstances as entirely
inexcusable. II he did not like the institu-
ton Of slavery, or did not choose to witness
the disagreeable scenes which he describes,
there were sixteen Northern States where his
eyes and his feelings would be spared the
infiction. He was not compelled to reside
in Kentucky or in the South. Bot if he
chose to reside there, and to accept employ
ment from the people of the South, he was
bound by every consideration of honor and
of decency to abstain from intermeddling
with their domestic institution, and most of
all to refrain from using his position for The
purpose of tanning the flames of discord and
increasing the abolition fanaticism of the
North. The action of the Lexington people,
under the circumstances, is not at all singu-
lar. Kentucky has been, and is, infested
with au army OF abolition spies, principally
from Ohio, who let no opportunity pass to
steal and run of negroes. One of the pio-
neels in this enterprise was the notorious
Fsirbank, who, having been captured, was
convicted and sent to the penitentiary. BY
the clemencv of a Kentucky Governor, he
was lardoned; but he bad not bee1 long at
liberty before he was detected in mis- old
tricks, aud carrying on his exploits on a
larger scale than ever. There are numerous
others equally guilty, but who, being thor
oughly and Systematically organized, it has
been found impossible to bring to punish
merit. These circumstances are certainly
sufficient TO exasperate the Kentuckians, and
when they detected one in their midst who
evidently sympathized with these depreda.
tors, it is not to be wondered at, however
much it may be regretted, that they took the
most summary means of compelling him to
leave their State.