M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1860-10-04
Cleveland, August, 25. 1850.

Falsehood.
...... Cleveland, August, 95, 1860.
MY Dear Sir: l owe you an apol
ogy for not sooner answering youl
letter of the 14th inst, which | know
you will readily pardon, when in
form you that the delay has been oc
casioned by my absence from home
What particular importance can be
attached to the views or opinions of O
mere private citizen, who is not asking
or wanting anybody's vote do mol
really perceive; but if there is a.hu.
man being who feels any interest in
knowing what | have ever thought OF
done, have no hesitation in saying
that the statement that | voted in the
Constitutional convention or any,
where else, to send negro children to
white schools is can unmitigated false
hood, and if made by any one having
intelligence enough to be morally &C,
countable, must be known to be SUCH y
l heard OF the same statement being
made IN your part Of the State last
year, and knowing that it was utterly
repugnant to the views | had always
entertained i was at a loss to know what
Pretence there could be for the false.
hood. But on having an explanation
| found TIE charge was predicated
upon my votes recorded on pages 18
and 10 Of the 2nd Vol. of the Debates,
arising upon the majority and mi
Hority reports Of the Committee on
Education. | was in favor OF the con.
clusions of the majority Of the Com.
which entered into no detail,
and left this matter to be regulated
by the Legislature; and my first vote
recorded against the re.committal Of
their report. But the report was re-
committed by a vote of AZ to 40. A
motion was then made to instruct the
Committee to insert the 4th section of
the minority report, which contained
a progiso that black and mulatto
youth should not attend the schools
for white youth, unless by common
consent" A motion being made to
strike out the words, "unless by com.
mon consent" voted against the
motion, and would do so again as
as often as the question should be
presented, To place an unater-
able, constitutional prohibition upon
every district in the State against ad-
a colored child into their
schools, however much every person
in the district might desire it, |
thought then and still think, very
singular application Of the doctrine of
popular sovereignty. At all events,
if | was wrong in tbs, | vas no fu .
ther astray than fifty.two other gen
tlemen, who voted with me, and
embracing men from all the political
parties, ana canning from every part
Of the State. Ny next, and only re.
naming vote, was given in favor of
the whole proviso from the
section; thus leaving it precisely
where the majority left it, and where
the Constitution, as finally adopted,
has left it. My motive throughout
was, not to embarrass the adoption OF
iho Constitution with this matter of
letail, thinking and believing that the
Legislature would, from time to time,
20 adjust it in accordance with public
opinion, and the views and the feel.
ings Of the white race, as to do what
was practicable to elevate and enlight.
en- all classes of the population.
You say it is also charged that |
opposed and denounced the Fugitive.
slave Law of 1850, after its passage.
This, again, is entirely destitute of
truth, as had the occasion. dnring the
last campaign, many times publicly to
declare. AT no period of my life, have
| made more strenuous exert;ons,
than in the fall of that year to convince
the people that the compromise meas
ures constituted a j1stand wise settle.
ment of the several exciting questions
to which those acts relate. | ad.
dressed many meetings, and many
living witnesses can affirm the truth
Of what | state. The only evidence
have ever seen adduced to prop mp
this falsehood, is found in the fact
hat my name is mentioned in the pro-
ceedings OF a meeting, at which was
accidentally present, and when in
point Of fact, being called upon to ex.
press my views, | opposed the fanati-
,al schemes of those who did denounce
hose laws. q
In answering these questions for
four satisfaction, / cannot forbear to
add, that find some assurance that |
rave not been far wrong, in fact that
he Abolition leaders in this part of
he State have constantly denounced
ne as being slavery, while their
'onfederators and co.la5orers in your
ection find their objection to my
course in exactly the opposite direc-