Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1858-08-12
TRAVELLER
AR. RUFrssH.s aDpsss..

nous address on the subject Of Slavery. ia
lsi7, the publication Of which was asked for
by Mr. betcber, has come out in . Gard in
/ relation to that natter, Induced by Mr.
I Letchers charge that be bad foisted ia the
/ putlic address, eIceptiousble things. As q
pati 1.-THE political history Of the times, We
give Mr.. Rufuer's Statement Of the facts Of
| the case
10 III, spring or sum mer Of ls47, I was
Informed that debate on slavery had arisen
! in the frankin Society Of Lexington, Va,
sad | VAS requested 10 attend. a. the debate
was expected 60 be long sSd interesting -
| This Society embraced most Of the profes.
siopal and literary gentlemen Of the town,
besides other intelligent citizens, and met
weekly to debate questions | was an hon.
orary mem Der, but did not regularly attend
| the meetings. This debate on slavery wa.
continued from week TO week for couisdera.
bic time.
When I attended, I found the question to
be, not Nhether slavery was right or wrong
but whether or not IL was injuriou. 10 III,
public prosperity Mr.. Letcher aud other.
took the anti slavery eide, whilst some able
debatsrs, such as Mr. (uow Judge) b, ockeu.
brough and Col Smith. oftbe Virginia Mill.
tary Institute we're on the pro slavery side
No one, as far As mcmbered, took the
abolitionist ground that slaveholding is a
sin, and ought, for that reason, to be abolish.
ed. With u, II was merely question Of e1.
Pedieney, aud gas argued With special refer.
ence TO the interests of West Virginia
| joined the anti slavery side, aud afte ar
while, having collected some statistical facts
| made the speech which led to the publica
,iJn Of the Address was soon afterwards
requested by some of our party to prepare
my argument for publication, rs il was
IL Jcght by them 10 be uuansHerabls, and
| vas told, had converted several member,
ofthe society. hesitated 6rst aud either
refused or postponed compliance with the re.
quest not Wishing to appear before the pub
lie as . partisan on this question, Wills, |
occupied the Presidential chair Of Washing.
ton College though knew that my bro en-
health would compel me to al early resigna
ton
But As the debate proceeded. We all became
| so heated under the hammer Of argument.
pre- and con, that We we're ready for an AZ.
tempt to carry our views into eject com
meneed writing out the whole argument on
our side and when about the time the debate
closed, aud We had decided majority Of
votes in the society, was again spoken to,
| consented to prepare for publication, not
my speech merely, but whatever else nigh,
eohtr' butte TO the success Of our scheme for
the gradual removal Of slavery from West
Virginia.
But required two conditions, LIST, that
those Who desired the publication Of the ar.
gument, should present their request 10 writ.
ing, 10 terms couformable to the plan Of pub.
lication which suggested - and Rod. that
all should contribute to the cost Of printing
l was wiling to come out, not a. an indiyid
ual, but only as the organ Of respectable
party, and such thought We were, though
AZ the outset few in number. The Anti-slays.
~ feeling had been prevalent 10 West Vir.
GINA, and seemed TO need only such an i'm
pulse as We could give is, 10 recover its for.
mer strength
Mr.. Leteher and ten other &c utle men read.
lily complied With my conditions, and ad.
dressed me tho letter which was printed
10 the foreground of the pamphlet In this
letter the IL gentlemen said expressly, that
they did not expect me TO furnish my speech
just As 1t was delivered. nor did ihay wish
me 70 'eopino myself strictly 10 the view.
then expressed, On the contrary, they De
sired to have the whole argument in favor
OF the proposition presented TO the pu blic ia
pertpicuous and condensed form Thu,
they left It discretionary With mo 10 add "a
the matter OF my speech whatever though,
proper TO give completeness and force 10 ID.
argument IN favor Of removing the negro
population from West Virgip!a as they ex.
pressed 1t. The trhot eonieab OF a, nam
lei 'esre rriticH eon'OrnaGIs 10 ne e,,i,, ~ r.
Pre- 'e5 IA hu letter.
nJ colleagues added ia their ieu.,
mat The Vleus expressed 10 my speech yer,
10 tadp> which could not give in,, e,,,.
OF offence 70 even those Who were mos, s,,,;
dlous ADD sxoitable on the subject Of Al.
very This could mean only tha, nv vi.v,
we're not OF be dboiRiosiR iAIp, Tn a.
dress presented the same vieu.as the .pe.cb
and 10 the same HrRumentiYe shane
mhin'ained the moral right Of slsvshaId;,,,
and Assailsd the abolitioaists a. -. ro,,Ii,
insane, malignant, meddlesoms .nd 80
ehieyous sect, 9TH whom ue would r.,
nothing to do But argued st,,n,on.t.
as we'll - We all did In the soc;e,y ~,
saVerJ ia its effects upon the count,y %,
'Pernicous institution. &c
Wheo the Address vas circulated b. .u
aud otheEwise through west yi,yi,i, -
soon perceived thai most Of the sdi,o,s a
politicians Of the Vailsy uorId no, .,,t.,,L
s'h Us "a 40 snterpuss Of doubtful .uee...
lhsy objected 10 our Movement as l.t,m.d
While northern abolitioni.m "a. ,,g,na
without their eoBcprretcc W. must al
West Of The Allegheny the pampble, "a.
better received bot 10 East Pfrgipi. ,oa.
papers denounced u as abolitiooi,t
IL - true - Dir. Leiohsr ssy. ,h,,
colleagues dri bot oobtributs 10 the co., =
the publication. when the n,,nt.,,. LII
sa@s "a, and privately SPOKE e. one q, a.,
o. them about 70 ! found that r., ,ou,. o.,
son here gas disinelisst,on 20 son,y,bn,.
Therefore ] paid the printer. bill mv.e0
as several 81 them aided me IN the di.t,ib,.
too OF ibe PsmPhlst, and 7 never b,.yd an
soS ths charge q fraud 10 The publ,c.,ion
Watch knos 20 b fslss. I imagined an /,
fsason eu, fhaf sod made 90 spaui,v a.
ne subject None of our party ever 10 n !
soosisdgs objected 70 The sobiept. N ~
Addre,s Nos, - Mr. Lsiehsr's shs,gs 1.
V'sas ! esll upou im 10 specify vb,t =.
ssspi'onab.s Thugs fgisssd toto the "A
afo's ny cole objesi 10 sslf defence I
seouss no one Let bin specify tbss b,y
ing d,haiis issas, will ry oos,lusion.
9Th hin.
HENRY RUFFNER