The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-10-29
The Spirit ofthe slave Power.

some HiOulHo d@oJ NOl -NEIitlidiu;
member Of a Presbyterian Church in Ten
nessee, caused oolored man, which he
claims as his property, to b SO inhuman-
y foegcd, as to arouse the Indignation
Of public sentiment Of even aSlayc State.
The facts coming to the knowledge Oftho
the Rey. Samuel Sawyer, pastor Of the
church to WHICH Col. Netherland belong
cd, he advised Mr. n, to appear before
the Senior Of the Church and satisfy that
body Of his innocence. Instead Of doing
50 christian an act, this genuine Speci-
/ men Of American dcspotjsm, turned on
the minister for his fntorforea,e, and
drove him from the pulpit lie had as a
pastor occupied for many years. The
following extracts from Mr. Sawyer's sec
ond letter to the public, viii show how
the Slave holders treat Z minister Of the
Gospel, who will not keep silence as to
their cruel treatment Of Slaves.
curious threats were made by the
Netherland party after my "Circular' was
published, such as commitment to fhc
Penitentiary under the TennSsee stat
utes of 1885, and personal violence; bes,
"none of these things moved me, as |
had determined neither to run away nor
to be driven away from the line Of duty.
The negro-trader Mr. BIeyins, assaulted
me in a store at Rogorsyiiie with a heavy
vardstick, but Elder Johnston intcrposcd,
and. as some one observed, "coull have
thrashed the ground with him" and
would have done it if lie had continued
. the assault. Disappointed in the result of
this attempt at intimidation, Mr.. Meth
erland's nephew undertook oowhiding.
. RemUnstrances were in vain. lie struck
at me twice with the cowhidc, and then
in self-defence [ choked him some tine
against the counter, which moderated biz
zeal so that be abandoned the idea. M.
/ Netherlands brother-iu-laW went So Arr
I it was said, as to remark that he "could
stand by and see ne gaToted on the
streets Of Rogersyille," aud all because l
had called the attention of the Church to
/ the offences in which Col, \. was imLii-
Gated, but which, to my utter astouIsh-
mcnt, they, as family, were disposed to
Justify. The family, in connection with
the nc@ro-traders and few others, in all
aJoutoae-toats The members Of tie Church,
determined that | should not preach my
farewell sermon in our Church, and they
arbitrarily locked the Church door against
the Sunday School, and a part of the IL
ders, and a majority Of the Church-mem-
1 bers and congregation who disapproycd
Of such proceedings.
"And yet Mr. Netherland would have
/ the public believe that he has through
out these rgmoured cruclties and Church
disturbances acted the part Of moderate,
a reasonable and a Christian man
Throughout his statement the reader, if
he can wade through its miserable gram
mar and wretched composition, viii per-
cciye that he has kind and gracious words
and gcntlemanly address for the negro
trader, but the absence Of all these when
speaking Of minister Of the Gospel"
Such is the legitimate fruit Of Slavery
wherever it may be found. It's whole
power and spirit is brutality, injustice
and barbarity. Hence the murders, frauds
and sacking Of Towns, which have mark
ed the track Of the Slave Power in Kan
sas. In view of such facts as this Meth
land affair, which are Of frequent occur
renee wherever Slavery exists, is it not
incredible, that processing Christians at
the North will still persist in giving the
right hand Of fellowship to the Slave hold
crs, and thus encourage them to continue
in their sin Of Slave whipping, breeding,
and all the villainies connected with the
system. If Northern Church members
would entirely Withdraw their support Of
Slavery, the monster iniquity would sick
en- and die at once. But instead of this,
there is scarcely Church in all the North
but what contains leading members who
have "kind and gracious words and gen.
tlemanly address" for the slave holder,
"but the absence of all these when speak
ing of Can anti-slavery) minister of the
Gospel" Some such will go so far in
their devotion to Slavery, as to accuse
their Presiding Elder with being bribed
to preach anti-slayery, and should the
minister in charge undertake to call the
offending member to an account, ten to
one, if he does not fare in kind with the
Rev Samuel Sawyer of Tennessee.
j. S. NJ.
! "DEAR Brother Jona-
than's imports for the last few years have