Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-12-02


the American Union" has ever been tn
policy of our most eminent statesmen, ant
trnest patriots. But with the changes o
time and circumstances there has been I
corresponding mutation in social and politi
cal sentiment. The stirring events Of The
present imminent crisis have done more tt
excite sectional prejudice aud to revolution.
ixe even the conservative element of the
South. than anything that has ever trans
PRED in the history Of the country. There
is mighty upheaving among the Southern
people. indicating an invincible determine
ton to vindicate their rights, and to resist
with united energy any additional encroach.
ments upon the institution of slavery. The
time was when such outrages as those per.
petrated recently upon the soil Of Virginia,
would have been denounced with the same
vehemcnce in the North as in our own State
But those days Of conservatism have been
lost in the foaming surges of Republi.
can madness.
The Richmond Enquirer" Of Wednes.
day contains an interesting aud instructive
article indicating the temper of Boston in
1929, when missiles Of abolitionism were
first hurled against Southern character and
our peculiar institution" When it was
apparent that an incendiary document had
been written in Boston and circulated in the
Southern States. and when the Mayor Of
Boston was made cognizant of the fact, he
addressed letter to the Executive of Vir-
ginis, Feb. 10, 1880, in which he express
ed himself as follows:
To the Governor Of Virginia:
Sir-Perceiving that pamphlet pub
lished in this city has been a sub ject of an
imadversion and uueasiness in Virginia, as
well as in Georgia, / have presumed that it
might not be amiss to apprise you of the
sentiments and feelings Of the city authori-
ties in this place and for this reason, 1 beg
leave to send you copy of my letter to the
Mayor of Savannah, in answer to one from
him. You may be assured that your good
people cannot hold in more absolute detesta-
zion the sentiments of the writer, than do
the people of this city, and, verify believe,
the mass of the New England population.
The only difference is, that the insigni6-
eance of tie writer, the extravagance Of his
sanguinary fanaticism, tending to disgust
all persons Of common humanity, with his
object, and the very partial circulation of
the book. prevent the affair from being the
subject Of excitement, and hardly of serious
attention. l have reason to believe that the
book is disapproued of BY the decent por-
fion q the colored people, and it would be a
cause Of deep regret to all my we'll disposed
fellow-eitizens, if a publication of this char
acter, and emanating from such a source,
should be thought to be countonanced by
any of their number I have the honor to
be Your -obedicnt servant,
H. G. OrIs,
Mayor Of the city of Boston.
And from letter written by him to the
Mayor of Savannah we extract the follow
ing:
''You may be assured. sir, that dispo-
sition would not be wanting on the part of
the city authorities here to avail themselves
Of any lawful means for preventing this at
tempt to throw firebrands into your coun-
try. We regard it with deep disapproba-
ton and adherence.
These patriotic extracts, which are sup
posed to be fair index of Northern scnti-
ment thirty years ago. furnish striking
contrast to the present demoralized political
condition Of New England. Then Faneuil
Hall echoed the sounding notes of harmony,
and its crowded assemblies listened to the
stirring appeals Of men whose chief ambi-
ton was to keep step with the Emusic of
the Union" Then the pulpit proclaimed
oaly the tidings of salvation, and gloried
only in the cross of Christ. Now the halls
Of New England are vocal with strains of
disunion, and the very mention Of Southern
character ELECTS groans and Kisses which
cannot DO surpassed ii Pandemonium.-
Now, Fred Douglas. Garrison and Giddings
hold overlooking audiences spell-bonnd as
they pour forth strains Of fanaticism and
treason, and exhaust biffingsgate in their
denunciations Of their superiors of the South.
Now, too often their pulpits are filled by
wicked miscreants who proclaim treason,
and avow before DELIGHTED congregations
that John Brown, the robber, the villain,
the murderer, is SANTA martyr, yea more,
. second Savior-who unblushingly declare
the crown of his gallows equal in glory to
the crown Of the cross Then the language
Of sedition, and the fre-brands Of anti-sla-
very excitement melted to bold resistance
the more conservative and patriotic, who,
"disgusted with the revolutionary proceed
ings Of their fellow-citizens, assembled in
public meeting, and assured the South q
their sympathy and support" Nova book
filed with sedition, SANDER and infamy il
approved by the masses Of the North, and
even members Of Congress, Governors, prom
ineRt editors, and leading politicians, sub