Newbern weekly progress., 1860-01-17
HELPER A RESIDENT OF RICHMOND.

1t is not generally known, we suspect, that Him
ton Rowan Helper, who has become notorious
within the last two or three months, was once 4
resilient of this city. Nevertheless, such Is the
fact. He lived several months with Messrs Har-
rold & Murray, at that time booksellers OH Broad
street, clerk, in the year 1855 after his
return from California. While there he endeav-
ored to get his book, "The Land of Cold" pub
lished i'll the South, protesting strong repug-
nance to the North and its anti-slavery proclivi-
ties that he disdained to trust it even to New
York publisher. 1t was eventually published by
Henry Taylor, Sun Buildings, Baltimore, and
Helper left the city to to its circulation and
sale. 1t proved, we suspect, a failure, not sue
ceeding in the North account of its ultra pro-
sarery tendencies, and falling dead i'll the South,
in spite of that ingredient. How he first conceiv-
ed the idea of writing the book which has made
him so notorious, we are unable to say. Proba-
| bly, 1t prompted by empty pocket, proba-
bly, he received his inspiration at the Tribune of
flee. When preparing to write 1t, he addressed a
letter to Mr.. Murray, Zone of his former employ
ers) requesting him to send certain statistics with
regard to the negro population of this CITY, saying
that he had written a similar letter to Mayor
Mayo, but had received no answer. MIR. Murray
took no notice of this letter; yet he received a
copy of the Crisis when it published
The information asked of Mr.. Murray and the
Mayor he received from another gentleman of this
city, who had no suspicion of the purpose for
which it designed. Mr.. Murray says that
up to the time of his leaving him, he thought him
the strongest pro-slavery man he had ever seen,
going bowshot beyond any man IN these parts
even the most ultra.
We were not aware that Helpers book had at
tracted attention in Congress before this ses-
son-such, however, we learn the fact. 1t
was denounced. its first appearance by Mr.
Craige, of North Carolina, who represented the
district in which Helper had resided, and who
charged the author with having purloined money
from the desk of his employer, while clerk in
store. On account of this charge, Helper came
on to Washington, and assaulted Mr. Craige, at
tacking him from behind his back. On his re-
turn to New York, he published hand bill,
wherein he undertook to palliate the theft, of
which he did not deny that he had been guilty,
by pleading extreme youth, and alleging that it
common thing among young men living in
stores, to help themselves to the money of their
employers. This charge against large body of
respectable men. is take it, SANDER too gross
to call for defence denial
Such is is statement of the information fur
nishcd us with regard to Helper. There seems to
| be little doubt that he wrote the book from no
other motive than to make money, and that pro-
vided he could make it sell, he cared nothing
either for the truth fasity of its statements or
for the mischefit might occasion There can be
no question that It assisted very materially to
bring the projects of Old John Brown to a head,
| by persuading him that both the negroes and the
non -slavehoding w hites ripe for rebellion,
and that he had only to raise his flag. in order to
secure the assistance of the large majority of these
classes At the same time it is perfectly certain
that he knew better himself, and that he maze
these statements only to make his book sell.
-DiSDdtch.