Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-03-15
THE NEWPORT Ky MOB.
MR.. ALFRED DuRNETTs LETTER

Mr.. Rurnet who was driven out of Kentucky
hy hreng mob Of the shareholders gotten up
in Newport, writes the following statement Of the
| affair So the Cincinnati Commercial
Mrs. Curtss very estimnble lady, who had
on several occasions volunteered her services for
the benefit of the poor about to give an enter
thinment in Newport. l having some months
since been an attractive feature in drawing togeth-
er q large audience in that town. was again ap-
piled to- by several citizens, to volunteer for this
occasion. In company with Gone Millar of the
Commercial, | on Thursday called upon the lady,
and gave her q programme of what would reCite.
That you may know the terrible bloody bones
phantom that so frightened the Isle from her pro
pricty, give you list.
Mrs Norton's beautiful poem Of Bingcn on
the Rhine'-a poem, allegorcal of death, entitled
| The Nision'-a humorous poem, satirical Of the
Times and Fashions-and the well-known recita-
ton of the 'Maniac;' also, Alice Caroy's poem Of
The Deserted, and parody on it. Such was the
entertainment anticipated giving them. When
/ reached the Hall in company with my wife, a
Kentucky woman, We saw it in the possession OF
! the mob, who coolly told me / would not be per-
mitted to lecture there. One, when asked the
cause, exclaimed, Get to your own State, Cd
\ d-n you--go to Ohio-you've no business in Ken.
tueky.' In reply, | told him had been invited
over by their citizens, and protested against such
treatment. fellow by the name of Vale, in q
very authorative tone, demanded my presence sep
and she refused to let me go. Mr.. Vale pledged
his honor ~ he would not detain me but minute
or two. l released myself from my wife's hold
ard followed him. The mob Instantly Surrounded
me.
i 'This Vale then announced the fact that he was
at the head OF q committee to take ne to the river
and OF all things to be sure did not deliver my
lecture las he called it) in Newport. | reminded
him of his promise. promise be d--d' was his
reply. a hack will be provided for your wife but
you must 60 with us asked if they would lis
ten to me, which the majority agreed to do
then related to them the circumstances of my vis-
it, told them if they would all 20 to to the hall and
hear my readings, would abide their decision. /
asked 1t anything could be mCre'fair.
Several then wanted to know if was an 'Abo.
thonist.' Upon my inquiriug the definition Of
the term and received no answer, replied, if they
meant man who would come over t. their State
and steal their negroes, then / was not an Aboli-
tionist 1t they meant man who would betray
| the hospitality of Kentuckians, ly enticng in any
manner their slaves TO escape, then | was not an
AbOlitonist. But if simply believing Slavery
great moral evil and shat Kentucky would have
been this day in a far more prosperous condition
if Slavery had never polluted her soil, then was
such an one, and that should never even have ex-
pressed myself thus FAR but for their inquiries.
reminded them of the fact thai whenever q fair
Nas held. church to be built, celebration to be
! gotten up, Alf. Burnet was never sighted nor
Even the very hal in which was to lecture, had
made donation toward its building.
"At this time man came into the crowd, who
seemed to have some influence and took me from
Vale, saying, Now go to your own State from this
time will not be responsible for your safety
again requested them to let go to the hail. that
they might hear me and then judge, but there was
no reasoning with them. The only reply was, Go
to your own State
Finding it useless to further importune them, l
started for home. After proceeding about hun
dred yards, some poor vngabonds sent two three
men and forty or fifty little boys, with oyster-cans
and drum-sticks, to make a noise at the heels of
myself and wife, the latter born and raised in their
State. Oh we wished for a few of the noble spir-
its that we know KentuckJ possesses to have made
the craven leaders bite the earth The poor drvel-
ling wretches would not then have been so fear
less and bold and do such a noble and chivarous
act as drive one woman and man from their town,
after inviting him there. When we reached the
river bank, we turned and appealed to the boys,
asking them why they did such things? They re-
piled, the men told them 10.
yours Respectfully,
"ALFD BURNETT