The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-07-19
LARGE MEETING OF SLAVEhOIDEPs ON
THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYINTn Wv

RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE MEErING--Furur
! MEASURES DECIDED UPON.
CHEsTERTowN, Kent county, Nd, |
July II, 1858. I
meeting of the citizens of Kent county was held her
today which those of adjoining counties were ais
present to take into consideration the proper
adopted to promote the better security of their slave pI
erty, &c The particular circumstances which led to tn
meeting fully detailed in the remarks of the variou
speakers as given below. The meeting numerousl
attended by leading citizens, and the subject dscusse
was, of course, Of very exciting character. AZ
Judge Chambers called to the chair and 70
Kennard appointed secretary.
REMARKS OF JUDGE ci..~.
The chairman acknowledged the mark of personal re
spect He stated that the meeting had been called th
whose representatives the Board of Directors, il
session on Saturday last and advised this meeting. III
thought the time had arrived when it became proper
take some decisive measure 1t was necessary, HI
sad in this presence to give detailed history of late
events in the county All were informed of them
Nor necessary enter into the merits of hc ucS
universally believed to be engaged in the Grim
nal and mischievous intercourse with slaves, had
executed their purpose in way to deserve condemna
ton. He was free TO say he would have advised diff
ferent course, but that the matter demanding
att non rl@h or wrong that thing was done and could
not De unone The more important inquiry IS what Is
doing and to be done? Matters must be dealt with
they existed. The fact was then, that provide
oI e protection oil saVcholderS anu the friends OF slave
holders against the laweSs attacks well as threats
men who were protesting to be the friends of law and
order while in the papablc violation of -men who
manifested their aversion to every thing illegal vo-
lence by assautng and beating their ncighbors for no
other alleged offence than decided detestaon of aboI
tionsts and incendiares. He tcld that men dis
claimed sympathy with the man whose guilt they
could not deny and dare not openly defend He did
not believe word of it. Our instincts prevented us
from proclaming the faults of our friends when
engaged with us in common cause, because they
erred in the manner of doing a right thing to turn
upon them the fire which ought to be directed
against a common enemy. He had been soldier in
the war of lSl2 whole political party when there
were but two in the country, opposed that What
then did they 90 about to vndiCate the claims of the
BritiShy We're they content to take it out in abusing
Mr. Madison and his friends who declared that war;
war is hcrcrgt wong duty is plain; and he was
able to saw that they battled side v Side with ms s brv
y and effectively who have differed with them
No. he said, they friends to the Shareholders or
their interests who did nothing in the matter but dcnounce
insult or assault our friendsthcre must be agency
some electric or other unseen fluid which brought kin
dred minds into communion In truth, he said, of the
two classes he thought the who by his early Cduc
tiot, ms associations and exemptions from religious f
natcsm political organizations, ought to know and
feel correctly, to be censucd when hcretica on
this subject, than the man who, under these influences
was an avOwed ahOlitiOniSt.
We were then, he said, in this condon-thc question
arises fold arms and tamely submit to see
ourselves gradually strpt of property by the great
Vaccinations of those who operated in the dark and only
in communion with blacks who could not legally testify
against them, and to the threats and assaults their
were to take measures to protect
property and friends lie had been told there were
those VINO Claimed not to be convinced OF the guilt Of
the individual whose expulsion had been effected. lie
did not suppose there could be doubt about it, lie was
not in possession of details fully friend who sat
before lrim llon j. 4. Pearcel and to whom he would
leave that history. We have persons who inctc and
assist slaves to abscond-thosc only who are prvy
to their crimes incompetent witnesses We applied
to the Legislature authorize such testimony in this
particular and excepted These insist that
these slaves entitled to all thc civil privileges we en-
joy and we would have practiced their doctrine
upon them.
Fe Legislature refused to pass the law He regretted
to say he had understood of citizens who
had full opportunity openly and freely to discuss the
question at large meeting, afterwards, secretly us
asked the Legislature TO refuse the law However, here
Is te casa garg growing crime Is gradually lessen
ing the number of slaves and corrupng those that
remain, well the free backs-he law will reach
theiae friends who Will not openly avOw their defence
yet encourage and countenance them by abusing threaten
ing and beating those who take part against them Some
thing must be done 1t was for the meeting to determine
what They must of course expect to be abused and mis-
by the Abolition presses This their trade
For himself he did not the snap of his finger for
abuse of every Abolition editor in the country He was
pretty well used to it. He thought two prominent objects
should he kept in vicw-rst, to cause these criminals
their defenders and apologiss distinctly to understand
that we meant to maintain our rights, and visit to
the last extremity every attack upon them, and
secondly, that both they and friends should dis
tincty be made to know that when friends do find it
necessary to act in defence of rights will make
common cause with them against all who undertake to
ner Of their doing this duty.
REMARKS OF non JAMES A. pEARcE
We unavoidably prevented from hearing the re
marks of Mr. Pearce We learned however that he spoke
at considerable length, and in the his
detailed the lct of the trial of James L. Bowers the per
son ny tarred and fcathccll who was prosecuted
for aiding the slave of Dr. Davidson to away This
slave was arrested in Hartford county and when taken by his
master gave up to him pass which was supposed to be
in the hand writing of Bowers, from whom the negro al
legged he had received it, At the trial the State proved
by VIM Thomas, very intelligent and respectable wit
ness, that he knew the ndwrtng Of Bowers and be
eved the pass in question to have been written by him
He also proved that in conversation with Bowers some
to the Dr. Davidson that
Bowers admitted that he had assisted slaves escape
The testimony ruled out by the Court at the argu
ment But the object was accomplished of showing by
the testimony of Mr. Thomas that Bowers by his
confessions to him had violated the laws land and
the rights his fellow citizens and subjected himself
we're crliIa! JuSlce-at ne was perhGlouS sGahP-ah
enemy of the community in which he lived and dan
to its and security OJher testimony produced
md Geo W. Wesscott, very respectable gentleman Of
Ihcsterown, to his belief that the pass in
Bowers hand writing. though not strong in his
'lctIon or belief as was Mr. Thomas Two other witness
swore that the pass in Bowers hand writing
But one of these witnesses the trial. being
,lared that this not his (B.'sJ hand writing
Many other facts to subsequent escapes were stated
which brought the moral conviction to the minds all
who knew them that this actively engaged in
educng aiding slaves in this county to abSCond from
heir employers years these escapes have been in
,angs, many eleven more going of at once,
nd together with the best horses and carriages Of their
masters, and Others and under circumstances which show
uch concert of action and such minute information
Oud only be furnished by some engaged in the bust
less of planning and assisting escapes Before the
bowers l;tn OF was detected Wcn was
eeated whle IN progress Bowers was supposed to he
onnected with this. The testimony, however,
ompeten in Maryland Court though quite convincing
hose who obtained it.
1t had therefore, been determined by some respectable
itiZens of the county legal remedy could be had
or an evil severely condemned by helaws and most nur
and fatal to the property Of the county that they would
AXE measures to eNpe Bowers from their midst. He
ad been permitted to himself ultra abolition
st without molestaton but it longer to be borne
hat he should remain in the midst ola community whose
rospcry and security he believed to be constantly
emen induced to leave his home night taken to the
oods arred and directed to leave the county The least
ossihc violence used. No violence dsrespect
hown to his wife, as has been falsely tatednO personal
ljury done to her The party sober men, slim
lated by liquor. but quietly resolved abate nuisance
dangerous them and all Others holders Of slave prop
ty in the county. Mr. Pearcc showed the mutual de
endence Of all classes IN the community upon each other.
nd how impossible it to strike down the prosperity Of
class particularly the largest without affecting njuri
usy all others While he admitted readily the breach of
NV, he showed how in all the facts and Circum
ances which provoked it, modified its character
lstty and demand that the offended majesty Of the law
Iould be appeased by slight aoncment, and that where
cre was no moral condemnation attaching to an act the
'nalties OF the law were made as nearly nominal as could
and that in such public sentiment always just
ed snch sentence But in this it said that
lin parties in the county not remarkable as law abiding
violation of law his person that they talked Of the
oDriev of 1vncbinr those who were cnaced in this pro
eng, and had threatened with violence many peaceable
ersons who had connection with the affair, but
opposed not to disapprove of it. On one occasion one
cause his father supposed to be Of the party
no tarred Bowers Another equally unconcerned vi
emily beaten and unusual threats had been made against
hers These people few in number, not, he be
eyed twentieth of the adults county 1t to be
,ped that their Indignation would evaporatc with their
luor and that when free from the inAusncc Of John Bar
Corn, they would come to their But they
sisted in their of violence they would he met by
oence and the contest would not be doubful-they
ould he crushed completely promptly, and if they
IT. it time for conservative people to sell their lands
Northern for what they could get, and look for
mes where constitutional and legal rights respect
and enforced and where it not permitted that the
rruptor of slaves the emissary the abotioniss and
seducer should find immunity in the practice of
5 infamous employ.
This pretended to be correct outline of the
eech, but it is the best the reporter could get.
REMARKS OF HON. JAMES D. RICAUD.
Mr. Rcaud said he had made it his business to attend
c meeting at sacrifice, to show his friends his
arty concurrence in their proceedings.
lie had formerly defended the man who had made HIM
If so offensive when indicted for forging pass to en-
lie slave to escape OF course he did his duty but he
not the less detest the crime, and he was prepared at
" and every personal hazard to take part with the