Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-09-15
rlELISnED sEui.NEEKLl---
Tuesday MerninS 4 Friday Afternoon.
woodward's Perversions Of Facts I.


After the Rebellion had actually com,
mcnccd, it was encouraged by the express.
ion of e. W. Woodward, in his Speech OF
18th Dec. lS6D, where hc sad, "Ld
South Crroiind go PEAcEAELY, i she q,
at aH." The speech has since been pub
lished in the LewisJuy Argus, and III
nearly all the papers supporting him ion
Governor. 1t is an artlul defence of Sla-
very, and justification of Rebellion by
throwing all the blame upon the North.
In that speech, we find the following
broad charges against the integrity of the
people of the Northern or Free States;
..rhat the African constitution we'll adapted to
sbUr in latitude shirh alone ouid proln'r s"ne o'
th. great staples of iii--ani that iht North which
CuuI.p Nor EMPLOY THEM PKUEIfABLi would Ice
b"nrhtt-J by such employ uent as the South coud
afford"
rhe Northern STATES stc,hcd their slavery. and ~
grxiei their innaIe al frrri"m-hut they an II
gradually. and 50 DiD Nor WOUND THEIR L"N or
GAIN. rE, SLAVERY To rhE SDtTi, and liz }
received n full .quiyaient, not ouy In THE fRltE
PAtU DOWN, but ,l- manufacturing and e'minrrcia
prosperity which grew up froni The frtccton Ui slave
labor"
Here is gcntcel repetition OF the conl-
mon slur-madc, parrot-likc, by men who
do not all know bctter-that "thc North
could not make Slavery profitable, 81 they
sold their Slaves, pockctcI the money,
and then abolished Slavery In other
words, that the Free States were not actu-
atcd by honesty, philanthropy,or Christian
or humanitarian regard for the rights of
man, but, "sneakingly sold their slaves to
the South, then hypoc'itically abused the
latter for holding Slaves" Itis charge
most villainously, infamously false, and
contradictcd by the historical facts. As
one proof, We copy the following official
record, said to be from FRANKLN's pen,
showing, in most eloquent language and by
cogent argument, 1hy Pennsylvania abol-
ished Slavery, even before she had escaped
the presence Of armed foes on her borders.
We copy from the common Digest of
Penn'a Laws. Read it, one and all
PENNSYLVANIA "Act for the Gradual
Abolition Of Slavery" enacted lst
of March, AID. 1850.
"When We contemplate our adherence
Of that condition to which the arms and
tyranny Of Great Britain were cxerted to
reduce Us, when We look back upon the
variety Of dangers to which We have been
exposed, and how miraculousiy our wants
10 many instances have been supplied, and
our deliversuce wrought, when even hope
and human fortitude have become unequal
70 the coufi,ct, We arc unavoidably led to
. serious aud grateful sense Of the mani
fold blessings, which We have uudeserved-
ly received, from the hand of that Being
from whom every good aud perfect gift
cometh. Impressed with these ideas, wc
conceive that it Is our duty, and we re-
jpice that it is in our power, TO extend
portion of that freedom to others, which
hath been extended to US, and release from
that state of thraldom, to which We our
selves we're tyranicaliy doomed, and from
which we have now every prospect of be.
ing delivered. Ii is not for US TO inquire
why, in the creation of mankind, the
inhabitants of the several parts of the
earth we're distinguished BY difference in
feature or complexion. Ii is sufficient TO
know, that all are the work Of an Almighty
hand. We fud, in the distribution of the
human species, that the most fertile
Is we'll as the most barren parts of
the earth are inhabited by men of CON-
plexions different from ours, and from
each other from whence VIC may reason
ably, as we'll as religiously, infer, that lie,
who placed them in their various situa- /
tions, hath extended equally his care and
protection to all, and that it becometh not
US to couutcract bis mercies. We esteem
it q peculiar blessing granted to US, that
We are enabled this day to add ono more
step to universal civilization, by removing,
as much as possible: the sorrows Of those,
who have lived in undeserved bondage,
and from which, by the assumed authority
Of the kings Of Great Britain, no eifectual,
legal relief could be obtained. Wcaned,
BY long course Of experience, from those
barrow prejudices and partialitics We had
lmbibed, We find our hearts enlarged with
kindness aud benevolencc towards men of
oil conditions and nations and We con-
ccive ourselves at this particular period
extraordinarily called upon, by the bless
ings which We have received, to manifest
The sincerity Of our profession, and to give
q substantial proof Of our gratitude. And
whereas, the condition of those persons,
Who have heretofore been denominatcd
Negro and Mulatto slaves, has been atten-
ded with circumstances which Lot only
deprive them Of the common blessings
that they we're BY nature entitled to, but
has cast them into the deepest affections,
BY an unnatural separation and sale Of
husbsad and wife from each other. and
from their children, 80 injury, the great
ness Of which can only be conceived bv
supposing that We swers 10 the same un-
happy case: 10 justice, therefore, 10 per-
sons so uahsppily oircumstanced, and who,
having no prospect before them whereou
they may rest their SORROWS and their
hopes, have no reasonable inducement to
render their service to society, which
they otherwise might, and also 10 grateful
'ommemoFatioa Of our own happy deliver
ance from that state Of unconditional
submission to which 10 we're doomed by
the tyranny Of Britain.