Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-04-01
From the Sumter Wa'chnsn.
10 THE INrENDANT AND COUNCIL OF THE
TOWN OF SUMTER.

TOWN OF SUMTER
GrSrLgirS,-A Secretary Of Committee
for investigating the character snd dcsigus OF Il
certain Mrs. Emerson, who lectured IN this place
Wednesday evening last, and was regarded with
suspicion, by some Of our most worthy aud re-
.pectable citizens, having been appoiated to make
n report of the proceedings OF suid Committee
to YOUR honorable body so that you might act Ill
regard to the said Mrs. Emerson as should seem
prop.r to you under the circumstances, beg
leave most respectfully to act in accordance with
my instructions. =,
The Committee, as soon as the lecture, or rath.
er tiyude of abuse against Southern taiies had
been concluded, and the after performance of
examining heads commenced, informed Mrs. En-
prson of the injurious reports in circulston con-
cerniug her, and demanded, as an act of justice,
both to herself (if innocent) and our quiet com.
munity, that she should state and prove her rea-
sous for coming among US, and acting In such
an anomalous manner. They said, that in the
opinion of many respectable citizens there were
good grounds for suspicion in her case. She came
from portion OF the Union, hostile to our sec
ton and institutions openly advocated doctrines
totally repuynant to the Southern mind and feel
inss and her unwomanly mode Of acting, worthy
of the most abandoned of her sex, showed her
self no unfit instrument for the accomplishment
of any nefarious scheme or mission entrusted to
her. Moreover, she came in strange manner.
no one with her, by private conveyance, carrying
with her lantern and sit.-saddte. In conclu.
Sion the Committee, in o respectful manner,
asked that she would allow them to search her
baggage, remsrkins that if she were really gull
", the community ought to know it; but, if ON
the other hand. she were innocent, 1t was impor-
tsnt that her innocence should he madeapparent.
Upon her besitating, and urging the great
amount of trouble, she would be exposed to, in
overhauling all of her baggage, the Committee
offered to recompsnse her for the Inconvenience
she WAS put TO- Provided upon thorough search
the suspicious aud charges alleged against her
should appear entirely without foundation.
Finding there Was no way in which she could
avoid al investigation, she vt length conseted to
. search. Accordingly the Committee followed
her 70 her Hotel, where, upon IN examination of
her effects, they found matter which fully corro-
borated their worst suspicious. Upon inspec-
ton of her papers, they came to the conclusion
that she was philanthropist Of the Madame
Beecher Stowe order; and that her mission
amoug US, il for no worse purpose, was to collect
material for work similar to Uncle Toms Cabin.
A list of her correspondents was discovered,
north of Masou's l. Di1on's Line-most of them,
Indeed, appeared to live in Ohio-the very hot
bed of aboli,iouism, and she, herself was proved
to be from Cincinnati, after having said in the
early part of the evening that she was from Fir-
ginia II
Among extracts cut from various papers and
found in herpossession, were accounts Of negroes
being burned-iusurrection Of negro
,3,-.rt; of individual sh-
ing to purchase likely young negro woman,
&c. One of the Committee certified that he saw
her extract a letter from all envelope and secrete
it. She bitterly denied the truth of this asser-
ton, hut at any rate, the envelope was found
empty, addressed 10 some one in Massachusetts,
The Committee (wet and we2ried, having been
caught in shower while going from the lecture
room TO the Hotel convinced Of her guilt from
the partial examination they had made, did not
think it necessary to 90 through all her baggage
Before the Committee Was discharged mo-
ton was made to sell her conveyance and other
things belonging to her-giye her the proceeds
and send her and her remaining effects buck to
the North, by public conveyance as speedily as
possible; but more moderate counsels, andit WAS
resolved tu report the proceedings and discove-
ries of the Committee to the towu Council, which,
after due delberation, might act as seemed most
becoming, and also, that there should be pub
hcation Of the transaction in the Sumter Watch
man, 80 that the people Of the district, State aud
country at large, might be put upon their guard
The Committee beg leave to state, that they
acted as gently and respectfully us they possibly
could under the circumstances. But though
woman, she has put herself outside Of the pale
Of woman's privileges, and deserves no respect
iul consideration.
The abolitionists afraid Of receiving the pun.
ishnent due their rascality, and Yet dcsrous of
carrying ON their neiarious schemes are trying to
carry out their plans and screen themselves from
punishment by the aid and iustrumentalty Of
their women. Relying upon Southern gallsntry
and generosity, they pick up abandoned charac
ters who will do anything for money, and send
them down here to corrupt our slaves and belle
our institutions thinking because they are women
they will be safe from Southern violence and re-
proach The above is q true statement Of facts,
and each and every member of the Committee
call upon YOU to act dccisively, and for the COM
mon good aud welfare of our country.
In behalf Of Committee,
CHARLES WESLEY WOLFE, Sec.