Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-01-11
Thc south We. the North.

The readers of the Express will find 10
to days issue some startling incidents OF
Southern treatment Of Northern men. We
gave a few days ago how some thirty odd
citizens had been driven from the State of
Kentucky, because they entertained opin-
ions on the subject of human slavery inim-
icsl TO The interest of the slave holder
These men and these families were citizens
of Kentucky-had lived there for years,
had built school houses, churches. improv-
ed farms aud built dwellings. There were
thirty-six in all-men, women and chill
dren-old men, young men, maidens and
matrons. Many Of them had lived in Ken
tucky all their lives-were natives to the
manor born. Many of them had moved
into the State, had purchased homes there.
and were pursuing an industrious, frugal
course of life. There was not one blot or
blsmish against their moral or religious
characters. The heads of the families
were all good men, upright men and hon
est men. There was not enc whisper
against them, but that they ere opposed
to human slavery; that they saw its with
ering effects upon the white man, and they
looked forward with hope when Kentucky
would be free State. Entertaining these
opinions. and living as they supposed in
free country, they gave expression to
their convictions as became American citi-
gems. They are not charged with endesv-
oring TO incite the slave against the mas
ter, to sboli.h slavery by revolution or
With violating any of the lass of Ken
tuckv or Of the Federal Government. The
whole charge is that they entertained opin-
ions iniu,ical TO llsveiy aud calculated to
prejudice the public mind agsinstih pc.
culisr institution. For this, and for this
alone. they are driven from their homes
across the borders of the State, rendered
houseless and homeless in mid winter.
but thank God not friendless. Among stran-
gers they have found friends-among
stranger. they have found shelter, and
among strangers they have found sympa
thizers.
Did Austrian tyranny or Russian oppres
sion ever excel thisf NoAu,ocrat, upon a
throne sustained by servile minions, was
ever more imperious in his mandates, or
infamous in his action. 1t makes US
blush for our country and for free insti-
tutions. Has the time come, is it now
present when an American citizen, stand.
ing upon American soil, has not the right
to give uiterahce to the free thoughts that
oppress bim7 Is there a domestic insti
tuition in our midst, whose existence ie-
IeDds upon the rtraugling of free thought
and free spescbf If so-if this is the
condition upon which African slavery is
TO be perpetuated in this government, We
prefer. greatly. positively, altogs her pre-
er, the enjoy ment of the great privilege Of
our being. and if a free thought opPress
US, have the privilege to speak it boldly,
peak it all.
The press of the Stale of Kentucky. SO
far as we have seen, sustain this seton on
part of the people of Madison county; and
the Governor, when appealed TO, refused
any assistance to those thus driven from
their homes and deprived of their proper
ty. If this is American freedom, the Con.
stitution Of the United States is sham, a
bsggatelle, to be construed and bent and
broken to suit the interests Of an inperious
few. IF this is American freedom, then
our boasled privilege is mOonshine, and
spon this continent there is a tyranny as
dictatorial as ever raised its brssen face
among the children Of men. ,.
The times are strange when such things
are permitted, and the times will be stran-
ger still if such things are not stopped
stopped once and forever. ....f.
kentucky, if she wishes to remain a
slave State, will learn, when perhaps it is
too late, that she has aroused in the pub.
lie mind. by this act. an intellectual i'm
pulse hat will hasten. with giant strides,
person al freedom within her borders. The
attention Of her own non-slaveholdine
citizens will be turned TO the subject. and
they will, of their nv n accord. hasten the
time. wheu Kentucky will be. what ST..
ought always to have been. Free State
May the people and the right triumph.
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