The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1857-07-09
From the " Y. Independent
Horrid fate of DIR. Ross Slave.

FROM the " I Independent.
Horrid fate of DIR. Ross Slave.
We published last week the scheme of emanci-
patton which DIR. Ross devised in 1885 for the
slaves then under his control. 1t ought to be
known, however as a comment upon the system of
slavery, that this apparently wise and humane pre-
vision OF DR.. Ross, which seemed to be guarded at
every point, was frustrated with regard to some OF
his slaves by the subsequent embarrassment of his
pecuniary affairs The failure Of Dr. Ross, occa-
stoned by the misiortunes or the imprudeuce of
Others with whom he was connected, compelled Il
sale of his goods and cbattes under the sheriff
execution and thus some of the very slaves or
apprentices" whose freedom he had planned to
secure, were sold as chdttelS 10 the highest bidder
This cruel disappointment of the hopes of both
master and slave legitimate fruit of the sys-
TEN of chattel slavery. The slave is not person
but thing and is therefore liable to be sold for
the debts of his master, or for the reader settle
ment OF his estate after his decease This dreadful
possibility is before every slave. No matter how
kind his present MASTER no matter how good the
intentions or how solemn the pledges OF that mas
ter as to his freedom, q change in the masters cir
cumstances may throw that slave within the cruel
grasp of the save-trader. There is no remedy for
these possblties-which are every day made
actnal-bu il the abolition of the system
w. have before US the authentic history of one
sheriff. We have carefully inquired into the facts
Of the case our authority is perfectly reliable and
we hold ourselves respousiblefor the narrative we
are about to give
The slave passed into the possession of q men,
Der of the New School Presbyterian Church. with
in the bounds Of the Presbytery of Hoston, in
Eastern Tnnessee In that mountainous region
slavery has been supposed TO exist in more Ienl-
ent form than in the rice, cotton and sugar panla-
1, . ,lr.,, 7 L.:
that DR.. Ross wrote twenty years agJ in the follow
ing terms In Kentucky you are in advance OF
Us in preparation for measures of emancipation
But if we were joined politically TO West Teunes-
see, we OF East Tennessee would be HOving even
before you of Kentucky on this subject. Our
soundest politicians would at once have their de-
lberalions drlwnto incipient measures, were they
not restrained by our connection with the other
part of the State"
H-rc, then i, might be expected that slavery
would exist in its miIdest fOrm--a sort of housc-
hold, palrarchal servtude-and that the sluye oil
DE- Ross would be treated asa man by one who is
u member of the SAME church with that divine 1t
might have been presumed that the good inten.
tious OF DR.. Ross toward his slave, which had becu
frustrated by adversely would be taken into con-
Siderat!on by his Christian brother who hal pul-
chased the unfortunate, and woull secure for him
Niud and Christian treatment. Bat about year
ago this church member sold tn. slave whom Dr.
r sS had destined for freedom, to trader whose
avOwed intention TO take him to Mississippi for
a Fl Id hand. The man had family dear 10 him
rs was the family of D Ross TO his hg4.., whose
touching lamenl over daughters grave - moved
the Assembly at Cleveland Like his Old master
D.. Ross he loved with that passionate fondness
which is characteristic of their race. He saw him
self about to be torn from the bosom of his family
and to be carried down the river that destiny
OF unknown mseries which is the terror of the
house aud farm servants of Tennessee AMI Ken.
tucky H. f,l from his doom, AMI Ike Harry b :,
came the companion Of Dred in the wilderness -
For whole year he e!udied detection and enjoyed
a wild precar.ous freedom. Bat within Il month
past he was caught and brought into the power o!
his master
The m lster-still member ot the Presbvtcriln
Church-caused him to be lied to four sipngS
stripped naked, and beaten by twn brulcs- "a
drunken sheriff and reckless trader-till his quiv-
erng flesh was gashed with three hu drsd aad tlir-
ty lashes y he was then ironed and seat "dJwn
tue river" The hogging was inflicted by order ui
that church manbcr, upon his own premises and
the wretched victim OF is revenge, a mangltd car
case, was torn away from his family aud the home
Of his youth.
We ask DR.. Ross to ponder this fate of one
whom he once purposed to set free, and answer
whether he wOuldnOw constitute a church in which
all inquiry into such crimes shall be forbidden -
tie need not go further than Ho'slon Presbytery to
lind materials for such a church The pastor OF
heciurch whose member committed this Outrage,
brought the case before the session as an "olfsnse
calling for their notice. Every feature of the case
the selling for gain the fOrcbe sunderng of fam
lily ties the cruel sc0urgig,e and every act was
in violation OF every decree OF the General Assem-
bly, upon slavery from lSlSto 1886. The pastor
felt that one SO covered with the blood of broth
er--whose only crime was that Of loving bis fam
iy too well to go willingly away from thCm--muSt
be washed Of those guilty spots before he could
partakc of the Lords Supper; that his CORY har.ds
must not stain the cup Of blessing FROM the Son Of
God
What said the session Their answer is given
in the fact that to-day that pastor is an exile from
Tennessee, seeking a home in Free State. Is s.ch
the church that D.. Ross would consolidate over
all the South IA church in which such crimes
shall be open. but all discussion of them shall be
" eSchewed," Was the action Of the Assembly az
Cleveland insisting that such crimes should be
brought 10 discipline premature, sectional, fana.
ticul
But our story is not ended. Six weeks ago this
same pastor wrote TO friend in this city, There
is not one pro slavery man in Holston Preshytery.
We are all opposed 10 the system of Slavery. BiI
still we do not like the interference OF the Hene
Missionary Society in this matter" Now he writes
:" have seen the dark side Of Say-ry. mus
leave. Find me parish in any Free State IRON
Maine to Kansas"
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