Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-12-20
PoaEEoY, O., TuEsDAY:::::::::::::::::::::Deo. &c
ustrsa Outdone---Incendiary Publice.-
tiOns.


book, wheh makes it Peni'eniiary Of
fense to write, print, o, circulate in that
State any book, paper or thing" Of an
incendary character. The gath section
Of the act is IN these words:
.Sec. ed. Ifsny Postmaster. or Dep
uty Postmaster know that any.such book
or other Writiny has been received at bis
Office in mail, he shall give notice thereof
TO some Iustscs, who shall inquire into the
circumstances, and have sach boob or sOri-
ting burned in his presence, and il it apr
pear TO him that persons. to whom 1t was
directed Subscribed therefor, knowing its
character, or agreed 10 receive IL for, cir
calotion, 10 AID THE PURPOSES sR ABoLI-
TIoNlsTs, Me Justice Shait commit such
person TO jaa.y II any Postmaster or
Deputy Postmaster violate this section, he
shall be fined not exceeding two hundred
dollars"
Under this, worse than Austrian Despo.
tism. petty Postmasters and ignorant JUS
tices have been in the habit of burning
the ''Wes,erns Christian Advocate" and
other Northern papers sent to subscribers
in that State. but twas never supposed
that the authorities Of the General Cow
ernment could be brought to sanction the
insulting outrage. The laws Of tile United
States are very severe against Pos,masters
interfering, with the freedom Of the mails,
or refusing to deliver. letters or othermat-
ter to those to whom they are directed
Between these laws Of Congress aud the
statute Of Virginia there is a direct con-
fliet. Indeed it was the ayowed desig,
Of the Virginia law to nullify the Acts o'
Congress. iaj e.zss t,4 - # -b2
VIII the reader look at the section above
quoted? There is nothing definite. Moth
ing that AIRY person in the world can meet
it charged under the law. The offence
is, 80 aid The purposes of A6olihonists, "
Now, who aEe "Abolitionisls?' And
what are their "purposes?'' 1t is well
known that except few ''sypagogues OF
Satan," whose recreant priests strike
hands with kidnappers, and underthe hyp.
ocritical CLOAK Of religion justify, the pol.
lutions of the slave shambes, all the
Churches Of the North are called "Abo-
liIioniists." and their papers aud maga-
zines. "Abolition publications" All the
Republicans, constituting barge majority
of che people Of the free Safes, are de-
nounced as "Abolitionists." aud their pa
pers as abolition" documents. Even
the douglas Democrats are classed inlhs
same category.
Whoever, then, in Virginia, writes.
prints, or circulales any Of these papers,
is liable to Imprisonment in the penilen-
tiary, from one to FIVE years. And who
ever in that State, subacrlbes for one Of
them. thereby aiding the purposes of Alb,
oii:ionists, is to have his, papers burnt
, by The Postmasters and Justices. and HIM
self COMMITTED to Jail" And the Post
master who will not commit perjury, and
violate the laws of the United States in
subservency to this bloody code" is.him-
self to be fined. Such is Democratic law
in Democratic Virginia.! r. t.,
"'But," says the reader, "such internal
enactnents, in violation of the Constitu-
ton aud laws of the Union. as well as the
natural rights of the citizen, will mol be
sustained a moment by the Adminstra-
tion!' Not SO fast. you innocent! The
Administration is but the creature of the
slave~power in whose interest these worse
than Russian edicts are issued The ques-
ton las just been made, and decided by
Buchanan's Administration. A Postmas
ter in Virginia, with the law Of Congress.
and his oath requiring him to give to the
citizens Of his town, the letters and pa
pers addressed TO chem, and this Jaw Of
Virginia, and the Vigilance Committees,
demanding the burning of all suspected
matter, appealed to the Administration at
Washington. Aud to the everlasting hu-
initiation and shame of oi,r coaniiy, that
Administration. through the Postmaster
General, has decided that the law Of Vir-
ginis must Le sustained. That no man
within that State must bt permitted to re-
ceiye through the mail and read anything
not approved by the Postmaster! The
precise lansuageof the Postmaster Gene
raj is this: a. - s.'$@ ~
.'You must. under the responsible
tiles resting upon you as an officer and
citizen, determine whether the books.
pamphlets. newspapers, &c, received by
you for distribution. are Of the incendiary
character described in the statute.s AndI
u you believe they are, then you are not
obliged to deliver them to those to whom
they are addressed, but you are s.empow-
cred and required by the duty to the State
<,f ,yI,,ol, ynu a ra n t.itizan4 N disnosal 5nf