Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-01-10
Twelve Families Driven Out of Kentucky
for believing Slavery to be Wrong.
-om the Cfsc!nn.ti Gszette, Dec. 81:


Twelve families, embracing in all thirty
nine persons, arrived in this city at eigh
O'Clock last evening, from Berea, Madiso
Co, Kentucky, whence they were force,
10 move on account of entertaining anti
slavery views and opinions. The entir
! party took rooms at the Dennson House
the heads OF families registering thei
names as follows: I. A. H. Rogers, Johl
Smith. John g. Harrison, as. I. Davis
John F. Boughtcn, Swinglehurst Life, T
| E. E. Hayes, g. W. Parker, W. F. Tony
&. W. Griffin, and 7. ID. Reed
Most of the number are natives OF the
State, Ind several wee born and reared il
the county which they were required to
| leave In connection with the above list
should appear the name of the Rev. John
G. Fee, native of Kentucky, and whose
| father is and has always been a large
Shareholder
Calling on the party at their rooms at
| the Dennison House, we found them quiet.
| ~ seated together. Among their number
were seven or eight young men, from
| eighteen to thirty years of age, about an
| equal number of ladies, several children,
| two or three OF whom Were babes in arms,
| and MIR. John Smith, native of Kentucky,
a patriarch Of nearly four score, and his
equally aged wife. They seemed neither
| joyous nor disconsolate. Believing they
had acted in accordance with the laws of
religion and humanity, they were ready to
suffer all things, and awaited the future
without fear, though ignorant of what it
might bring forth. They are from the
humble walks of life, and most of their
property has been left behind them, as
in their hurried departure they had hard
ly opportunity to collect their wearing
apPearl.
The settlement of Berea, for some time
past, has been q centre for anti-slavery
men, Rev. john q. Gee, as delegate of the
American Missionary Union, having or
gained several churches on strict anti
slavery principles. a seminary, in which
anti slavery doctrines were taught, was
also established about year since, and at
the time of the outbreak at Harper's Fer
ry, was in successful operation 1t is here
proper to remark, that both Mr.. Fec and
lis associates have constantly disavowed
all desire to interfere with slavery, or to
bring about its destr uction by any except
moral means. Regarding it as contrary to
the teachings of the New Testament, they
believed Scriptural truth the best refuta-
ton of its claims.
On various occasions the people of Berea
have been subjected to attacks. Mob law,
vituperation and legal processes. have, in
turn. been tried in vain. They have zeal
ously maintained their right to attempt
ID modify the institutions of their native
State by peaceable means, and persecution
seemed measurably to have subsidized when
the events of the 18th of October called
into new life the suspicion with which
they were viewed.
The Gazette proceeds to detail the man
ner in vs. hich these inotfensive people were
expelled from their homes. A meeting of
the citizens was held at Richmond, the
capital town of Madison county, lin which
it was formally set forth that Mr.. Fee,
late of the Bereans, had, while in New
York, expressed sympathy for John Brown
that the Berea community has establish
ed 4 school free for al colors-a district
school, drawing its regular quota from the
public treasury, thus using the money of
the public for the public destruction
church excluding all who upheld slavery;
erected machinery; built town having a
postoifice with an Abolition postmaster,
and n regular mail loaded with incendiary
documents. The town is reported also to
be constantly increasing by accessions of
n committee of Go men to remove Fee
and his associates from the State.
The committee having been appointed,
letters were read from Mr. Fee, at Pitts
burgh, and Mr. Rogers at Berea. The
former has been already published. 1t en-
phatically denies all sympathy, either ex
pressed or intended, with Browns course.
He had said that John Brown was needed,
mot in the manner of action, but in the
spirit of conservation He claimed that
he ana his associates had acted in the spir-
it OF the Bible, and Of the Declaration of
Independence.
Mr.. Rogers letter invites strangers and
those preiudiced against the Bereans to
visit their town and examine their institu-
tons. Ii concludes thus
1t is universally known that most of us,
in common with Washington and host of
others whom we all delight to honor, be
licve that slavery is a moral and political
evil-that it is the duty aud privilege of
those holding slaves to free them at the
earliest consistent moment, and In such
way as to promote the general good and
that complexion is not the true test for the
regard or privileges that should be eXten-
Cied 20 q man. We believe, too, that moral
and political means only should be used to
remove slavery. Instructions find no
favor here. Brother Fee never has, If his
true words be known, | doubt not, does
not now give tie least countenance to the
use of force in Fastening the end of slavery.
The committee were allowed ten days
to perform their work, and the Bareans
were notified to quit within the same time. !
On Friday, the 23d, the committee
again met, this time mounted and in uni
form, and proceeded to Berea. On arriving
there they were drawn up in front OF the
residence of Mr. Rogers, who appeared in
answer to their call, when he was notified,
that he and all others entertaining like
sentiments, must leave the country within
ten days, under pain of being forcibly re-
moved. The committee said they had no
specific charges Of crime 10 make against
ifr. Rogers and has friends, but that their
principles could not be tolerated an hen
lucky.
MIR. Rogers replied, denying that either
he or his friends had violated any of the
laws of the STATE. The committee then
waited upon Messrs. Boughton, Davis,
Hanson, Griffin, Hays, Smith and informed
them that they were also required to leave
the country forthwith.
The Bereans Immediately sent petition
to the Governor of Kentucky, asking bis
protection.
To this petition the Governor made
only a verbal answer. Referring to the
excitement that the Harper's Ferry raid