The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-15
Nat. Turnsr,s Mnssnors.

from ute ictctnnOnd Dispatch
We regret to see that, in the Association of
the Shiloh district of Colored Baptists, held in
Manchester few days since, the horrid mas
acre set on foot by Nat. Turner in Southamp-
ton in 1880 was alluded to with the appearance
of much 6cIat and parade. The delegates from
hat county were referred to as coming from
he county "where Nat. Turner struck the
first blow for freedom and they were marched
forward and there was much shaking of hands
and general felicitaton upon the occasion.
Now this was all very bad and very much out
of place. Nat Turner's massacre was the
most barbarous and brutal of all the human
butcheries of this century. Studying the moon
more than he did the Bible, and the fantastical
shapes in the clouds more than the principles
and sentiments Of justice and humanity the
poor monomaniac Turner set on foot the bloody
and savage massacre, in which men, and wO-
men, and innocent girls, and even helpless
babes, were slaughtered by his insensate fol-
lowers. 1t was a horror of horrors, brutal
and frenzied shedding of human blood, such
as has never been exceeded in its unprovoked
and brutal character.
1t was a bad-hearted act in the Moderator,
Williams, (colored) to call up such horrid
reminiscence as worthy of special commenda-
ton. We suppose that few persons of the
cOlored congregation present were aware OF the
true nature of the Southampton feast of blood.
That very year the people of Virginia were
strongly inclined to the abolition of slavery.
Mr.. Jefferson had exerted powerful influence
on the public mind by his views against the
practical benefits of slavery, and his serious
apprehensions as to the injury it would infict
upon his State. The Convention of 1S29-30
came near adopting measure for the prospec-
tive abolition of slavery; and but for the eff
ciousness of Messrs. Arthur Tappan, his
brother, and Garrison, and others, it was then
believed such measure would have passed
the Convention. The horrors of Southampton
reversed the tide of sentiment in the Legisla-
ture which succeeded the Convention, and
abolition was postponed indefinitely. First
blow for freedom % indeedl 1t was the dead
liest blow to kind feeling for the blacks and to
the growing sentiment in favor of abolition
which could have been inflicted. 1t was an
event horrible to all men, civilized and savage,
and which should not be revived by any one
save for depreciation and regret.
The Rev. Mr.. Williams would much better
subserve the cause of Christianity - would
much better advance the interests of the
colored people and inculcate the kind and
conciliatory feeling which is indispensable to
peaceful and prosperous relations between the
blacks and the whites-if he would refrain
from reviving such bloody and revolving. re-
collections. But to revive them only to en-
dorse them is an act of hostility. 1t can re-
ceive no other Interpretation. The Rev. Mr..
Colver, of Massachusetts,, who is reported to
be kind-hearted and philanthropic man, was
present, and would have done himself credit
and subserved the cause of justice by except
ing to the use made of that horror of horrors
the Southampton massacre.
The bad teachers of the blacks of Virginia,
who find it to their interest to separate them
from the great body of the people for party
purposes, are weaving in with their orations
such "reminiscences as may accomplish their
Objects all of which tend to foment bad feeling
and suggest distrust in the minds of the freed
men of the people amongst whom they live,
and upon whom they must depend for employ
ment-the people with whose welfare theirs is
clearly identified.
But these things will pass away. The blacks
will find out the shallow-heartednes of the
unscrupulous and selfish persons who are
widening the breach between them and those
whose prosperity is theirs, and whose peace
alone can give them repose; and they will
curse the day when they listened to the cum
ming and heartless stories of the hypocrites
now misleading them.