Mountain Democrat., 1857-10-31
OUR COUNTRY-Alwas but Wrong Country"



institution Of the suit, has told gentle
man now in this city, that he did not
know when he signed and sworc to the
paper, (mcaning the bill Of complaint in
the canSc) that it was to be used in suin4
DR. Gwin.
From this state Of facts, the Mr0nicleA
writer dcduccs 'ScllishncsS, hcartlcssncssV
and mcanncss" OH the part Of DR.. Gwin;
and further, because in his answer he
swOre to the truth. asserting that ''he
brought the plaintiffs to this State with
the intention Of employing them as his
slaves, and taking them back to Missis-
sippi on his return" it is argued that he
willfully violated a provision Of the Con-
stitutiOn of this State, Of which hc was
himself ono Of the trainers; and also there
upon, the crudite manufacturer Of this
tissue Of falsities dcscants most lcarncdly
upon the imprOpriety and outrage Of al
lowing our public affairs to be under the
control Of nm Tesidcmt politicians, etc.
\ word or two on this point: 1t is n new
doctrine, that man must necessarily be
citizen Of the State, or Of every State
in which hc may own property. This
rule would render DR.. Gwn citizen Of
Mississippi, Texas and California. and Of
how many other States Of this broad
Union, we cannot say with certainty
If such be sound legal logic, then Stephen
\. Douglass, for many years past dis
tiDguishcd Senator, and sDppoafd citizen
Of the State Of Illinois, has been grossly
tranpling the rights Of the people Of that
State under foot, for he is now, or was a
Short time ago, the owncr of Il plantation
and negroes in the State Of North Caroli-
ia, and has doubtless often carried his
servants from one State to the other with
out forfciting that citizenship which is
declared by his intention and manifested
by his residence in the State of Illinois.
That DR.. Gwin never intended to infringe
the provision Of the Constitution, which
prohibits Slavery, or involuntary scrvi-
tude," is obvious to every rational man
public opinion and the law Of the land
both stood arraycd against any such ri
dicuI0us intent on the part Of the Scna-
tor. The scrvitudc of his slaves after
they reached in California, was r0Iuntory,
and when it ceased TO be voluntary it
was terminated by that very provision Of
the Constitution which he is 50 villain
ou>ly charged with having violated.
IN response to the accusation of "$clf
iSllncss, hcartlcssncss, and meanncss," as
shown by his action in this matter, there
arc dozens Of his personal friends her,
who know that he has always been read,
and willing to take the negroes back int,
the same relationship in which they for
mcrly stood, and to carry them to thci
children and to that State where he j.
compelled by law TO provide for them il
their old age but it is absurd to cxpcc
that he will contribute to their support il
a locality which they have chosen fo
their residence in defiance Of his opinion
and where Mr.. Joseph Sycr may be takcr
by the hand by any of his many Blacl
Republican friends any day of tic week
aud conducted TO the sanctum Of tn
Chr0nrIc, there to furnish items for al
editorial TRADE against tie very man win
pays for the bread which feeds him.
Why does ot the Ehr0niric writer, ,whc,
talking ab ut the shame which should at
tach to DR.. Gwin, in turning his ,upcran
nuatcd slaves loose upon the people a
this State, also rail at him for c>rosin;
youthful innocence lin the shape Of tha
negro girl fourteen years Of age, Sto!cI
from his guardianship by the ncero-wor
shipping cohorts Of the Chronic|, stripe,
unprotected, to the temptations and t! ial
Of our new and lawlcsS State? What"v
cr of suffering may fall to the lot of 10
scph Sycr and his wife, or whatever q
paupcr dues may have to be paid for thc;
by the people of California should he pla
ccd to the proper account, TO wit that q
the Chronicle and its disciples.