New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-13
THE SCIENCE OF ASTRONOMY AND THE
ETHICS OF SLAVERY.

The sidereal improvements which our fellow
citizens in the South have been making for some
time past by way of reducing the stellar magnitude OF
our hitherto glorious national escutcheon has tended to
educate the minute men Oh Southern steamboats, and
railroads in the approved method of measuring the
altitude Of North stars which take their course tropc-
wise. The minute men, who, it would appear, are
az numerous az the bee-swarms on all the Of
Southern travel at present take their observations
without the aid of telescope quadrant, or sextnt, and
proceed the hypothesis that every good-ooking In
telectual-appearing man must necessarily be OF the
North nortby, and somewhat related to what are
known in the spheres as Abolitionlsts
twas under these circumstances that, some days ago.
when one of our brightest stars emerging from be-
hind Mssissippan cloud, he was espied by minute
man." and threatened with a sudden suspension in
midair. This was none other than the eloquent Drec
tor Of the Dudley Observatory, who, having had occa-
sion recently to travel through the State of Mississippi
was observed by "minute man" and accosted as a
Northern Abolitionst ON a tour for the purpose OF
prompting niggers to run away.
The Astronomer informed his assailant that-well,
what we cannot tell except that he replied ina very
gentemanly manner" But the discussion is said to have
been of very exciting nature. The fact however that
the minute man declined to lay hands on the Pro-
essor says something for the power of argument which
he must have poured out at the moment AT the time
of the occurrence the train running at full speed
and other passengers in the same witnessed the
scene but remained "mum' The name of the road
is the New-Oreans jackson, and Great Northern Rail
road The name of the point which the affair occurred
our reporter has not been able to learn but it said to
have been Gin the interior Of Mississippi"
A uautIanan dong busness n this CITY Hammered
be travelling Oh the same and saw the whole trans
action. but on the ground that Prof Mitchell does not
desire the facts in the to be brought before the
public, he declined giving reporter any information
beyond the fact that he was on the same train, saw
the whole affair." and subsequently learning that the
name of the gentleman who had been insulted was
Mitchell and that lie came from New-York approached
him, and asked him if he was Professor Mitchell 1t
also appears from information thus Cleaned that the
Professor was overwhelmed with gratitude to find a
man Mailing from the same State himself, and imme
diaely began to detail what had taken place between
him and the "mnute man." whereupon, the Profess
sors fellow informed him that it quite
unnecessary, AS he had witnessed the whole thing
On learning this he Prof NJ, Immediately said that
if be should relate the circumstance that had trans
PRED North among lis own friends they would scarce
y credit him. and if he the fellowtraveer, would be
kind enough 10 give his name and address that he
might call upon him to verify his story, if necessary
he the Professor, would feel under much obligation
Since the arrival of the parties in their safe homes
however an effort has been made to keep the facts
from the public. But the story having been told i'll
private circles, in semi-confdential manner, Don't
tell-any-person has violated that confidence, and
enough is known to warrant the belief that Prof
Mitchell has been the subject of at eas. not very gentle
treatment during his Southern travels Our reporter
has endeayored procure the facts in the case and if
the Professor will simply that the facts ought
TO become public property, well as the rumor, then
the gentleman who travelled with him will doubtless,
have his objections removed, and will tell the whole
story.