The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-23
The Late Meeting OF Maryland Shareholders
Slavery IN tho Border Rlaxe Slatea.

Slavery In tho Border siave States.
We published the other day the proceedings
of q meeting of Shareholders recently held in
Chestertown, Kent eousty, Mary land in refe-
renee to the better security of their slave pro-
perty," &c. The immediate cause Of this meet
ing was the late notorious Bowers affair. A
man of the name Of James l.. Bowers had been
charged with, and prosecuted for, aiding slave
of q Mr.. Davidson to escape. The testimony
was not deemed sufficiently clear by the Court
to justify judgment against the accused; but,
according to the speech Of Mr.. Senator Pesrce,
the facts stated in this case and many other
facts as to subsequent escapes Of slaves brought
moral conviction to the minds Of ali who
knew them, that this man Bowers had been
actively engaged in seducing or aiding slaves
in the county TO escape from their employers.
bad waited upon Bowers at his house. aud hav-
ing called him out, bad tarred aud 'eathered
him, notwithstanding the most desperate en-.
beavers Of bis wife to prevent IT, } and bad given
him the usual warning in such cases TO quit the
county. The affair created a great local ex
element pro and con- This Chestertown meet
ing was the result on the pro-slavery side. and
its proceedings were concluded with series OF
resolutions substantially justifying the lynch
ing OF Bowers, and threatening summary pup
ishment in the future to all such offenders and
their active sympathizers and aoettors.
The most remarkable fact, however, deve
Hoped at this meeting, was the statement of the
Hon James d. Ricaud, that "two Of his per.
sonal friends some time since lost each slave,
and shortly afterwards he was told by most
respectable gentleman In Pennsy lvania that,
seeing two negroes in bis neighbcrhood, appa-
rently new comers, he had inquired OF them
who they were. They informed him they had
arrived the day before; that they had run away
ffom their master In Kent county, Maryland,
whom they named. aud from the time they left
home until they reached Pennsylvania they had
been furnished at every five miles on the way
with place Of refreshment aud refuge In
other words, in journey Of forty or fifty miles
through the slsveholding population Of two Of
the counties Of Maryland, these two runaway
slaves had found a station OF the underground
railroad at every fifth mile-a revelation which
IL. indeed, Of a very significant character ia
co' reciion with these underground railroad
-. lotions
Ire preearious tenure Of slave property in
Mary land Is thus very strikingly disclosed; and
the above statement Of Mr.. Ricaud is strongly
supported by the high rewards Of from two to
three hundred dollars which the Maryland
planters frequently offer for the recovery Of a
single runaway slave, and by the long con.
tinuance Of such advertisements in their local
newspapers. The question, then, Of the per-
petuity Of slavery In Mary land and all the Dor.
der slave States thrusts itself before us, and we
are compelled to look into it, from the CON-
manding importance Of the general subject TO
the whole country.
There are several things which are operating
to the extineusbment Of slavery in the border
slave States. aud among these we may enume-
rate:--
I. Climate, soil and productions
2. The pressure OF the free white labor Of the
North.
3 The underground railroad lines
4. A local an,i-slavery sentiment
The border slave States are Delaware, Mary.
land. Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri. Della
ware Il In an active transition state, and is
generally regarded as little better than a
merely nominal slave State. A considerable
portion Of Maryland extends along the Penn
sylvauia line. and Is an elevated and noun
famous country. better adapted for free white
than for slave labor, and admirably adapted for
runaway negrurs The western half OF the
great State Of Virginia Is a macs Of mountain
ranges, with narrow valleys between, afford
ing very limited area for large slave
holding plantations, but beautifully cut up
into small arabic districts, suitable for such