The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-09-03
4 MINISTER DRIVEN FROM HIS CHURCH
Brutality to Slaves.

Brutality to Slaves.
The Rev. Samuel Sawyer graduate of the
New York Union Theological Seminary, and,
Tor the last nine years, pastor of the Second
Presbyterian Church, Rogersville. East Tennes
see, was recently driven from his church in con-
sequence OF his course in regard to the beating
OF slave named Anthony, by his master, one
Colonel Netherland, an elder in his church. Mr..
Sawyer has published nothing in regard to the
anair until driven to it-slanderous reports,
prejudicial to his character az a minister, have
oeen circulated, and forced him to his own de.
renee. he therefore publishes long statement
IN supplement- to the Knoxville (Tenn.) Pres
oytertdn Wuness, the truth of which is vouched
tor by Messrs. Joseph Hofmaster and j. M.
johnson, elders of the Rogersville church. The
Colonel Netherland whose brutality is 80 dis
gustingly shown has been elected delegate to
the Secession Convention, called BY the Pro.
Slavery ministers of the New School Presby.
terrain Church, to meet at Richmond on the
9th inst.
1t appears that slave, formerly belonging
70 the children OF DR.. Ross, was owned by Col.
Netheriand, and was sold in 1856 to be sent to
Misslsslppi. Rather than 60 "down South"
the negro ran eff to the woods. and remained
concealed for more than a year, until found and
brought back by some hunters. He was then
handed over by Col. Netherland, with his chains
on, TO the trader who bought him, who took him
oack OF the church, in field, and there, in the
presence OF crowd of spectators, beat him with
over three hundred and thirty blows, laid on
with leather strap nailed to board, while the
slave was tied down on his back, naked and
blindfolded. The trader whipped him to make
him confess who harbored him, and probably
would have beaten him till Saturday night"
If such an excitement had not been caused by
the hrst instament of scourging.
But this was not the worst. Col Netherland
owned an old gray haired slave, who had nursed
him In infancy, and, suspecting that he knew
more about the runaway and who barbored him
than be chose to tell, he handed him over to the
same negro trader, to be taken to neighbor.
ing county, and there beaten at discretion. to
make him confess.
The trader took the old man to a place called
Bean Is Station, in the next county, (Grainger)
and there, on Sunday morning, in a stable. on
the public highway, stripped and tied him naked
on plank, strapped his feet to a post, and tied
his head forward to brace, and then whipped
him by striking him with carpenters hand.
saw Mississippi wsy-which raised large bis
tiers and burst them, cutting the hide in pieces.
He whipped him that Sunday till all the neigh
bors closed their doors-whipped him till all
the curtains-whipped him till the women.
driven wild by hearing the blows and the
negro's agonizing cries for mercy, cried out
against it'll one man declared if be did not
stop, he would return him to court-till the
landlord OF the tavern, after hearing in silence
the infiiction of at least three hundred blows
with the saw, went to him and told him that he
must put an end to it-that he himself was
liable to indictment for suffering such things on
his premises, and that he was unwilling to bear
1t any longer. The trader became very angry
at this interference, and told the landlord that
ne had sent boy to get him a bundle of whips.
TO scourge the negroes back, when the flesh
should be too much cut up by the saw; and,
finally, finding he could not go on, he tumbled
his negro into the wagon, in disgust at the Bean
Station people, and went to Rutedge. The
slave had two fits in consequence of the beating,
but, Notwithstanding, the trader tied him up
again in Rutledge jail, when the TAILOR (who
would hardly have allowed it) was away. and
beat him with three sticks from loom over the
raw flesh, until he was tired, ard then told him
he would try it again the next day. The in.
spectors, however, refused to let the Jail be used
for such purpose, and the negro was sent home
in a week, no information having been obtained
from him.
Thereupon a great excitement arose at
Rogersvile, and the Church Session mildly re-
quested Col. Netherland to come forward and
show he was not responsible for the outrage.
He refused to do this-declared be had a right
to beat his negroes as much as he chose, or have
it done-that churches had nothing to do with
politcs-and finally wound up by declaring Mr..
Sawyer an Abolitonist and that he must leave.
Mr.. Sawyer, thinking that the church would be
divided if he stayed, aud his friends being too
much afraid of their being called Abolitionists
it they stood up for him, resigned the charge of
this church, with its most righteous elder, and
came away.