The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-03-06

Shy-InC excitement tho Volume
CrOntcu Moro Than Thirty.nyo
Years Ago NocnlIcd-Thc Author
iiisltcd His Life TO Speak Ills Mind.
Hinton Il. IIcIpcr'Swork.
Sclr FORK idrcriiI,r.
There is now living quietly aud un.
ostOntntiousy in tho cRy OF Now York
gentleman who before tho late civil
war oxcrtcd great influence upon pub.
lie opinion. lilo was the author OF
notable book, which reached circula.
ton OF 10000 copies, and which was
read with ayidity by many thousands
in tho north and aroused much excite
mont Throughout! tho country. The
bool; was "The Impending Crisis OF the
South" and its author was Hinton
Rowan Helper, OF South Carolina. The
volume aroused tho politicians OF all
parties, and its trOnchant facts entered
largely into tho speeches oil campaign
orators aud furnished subjects for edi-
torial articles in the newspapers. Tho
0Tdor citizens will recall the burning
words OF this book-tho praises OF it's
friends: and, on tho other hand, tho
bitter donunciations OF its enemies, the
slave holders. and their allies, tho
douGh-iace, OF the north.
While these incidents will be remOm-
borcd by many in this part OF the coun-
try, low north OF Mason and Dixou's
line have any knowledge OF the manner
in which tho volume was received in
the south. The author would hayo
becn torn to pieces had Ito vonturcd
among his old fellow citizens in his na.
tive state. Some Of the most vigorous
passages OF the work were addressed TO
tho Observation-Disclosures OF tho south,
mostly an ignorant and illitcrnte class;
butthey were not permitted even to know
that such 4 book had been written.
The slave laws were especially framed
to prevent the circulation in the south
of such literature. Tho very men that
Mr.. Helper sought to reach, atterward
with conspicuous bravery fought the
battles oil slavery.
General Sherman. in article rub.
lishcd in the North .imcricua RericO OF
October, 1855, referring 10 this class OF
southerners, said: at is one OF the
most extraordinary anomalies in polit-
ical history that the owners OF tho
slavcs, who were not one-twcntieth OF
tho whole population, should have
ruled their fellow citizens with despotic
severity" Yet not only did the mas
tiers fill the Confederate armies with
non.slaveholding soldiers. but since
peace has come the southern leaders
and their sons, with consummate skill,
have welded these hardy and cour-
ageous warriors into n compact and
pussaut political mass by appeals to
their military pride. Mr.. Helpers VOL
ume. with its entreaties and arguments,
never reached these men, to whom
many OF its strongest passages were ad-
dressed.
1t may be interesting 10 recall SONG
OF the words OF The Impending Crisis"
which excited the shareholders to fren.
zy. Mr.. lleI per thoroughly understood
the relations OF the poor whites to the
institution OF slavery. llo said: Not
wiihstanding the fact that the white
non-slaveholders OF the south are in the
majority. as six to one. they never yet
have had any uncontrolled part or lot
in framing the laws under which they
live There is no legislation except for
the benefit OF slavery and Shareholders.
As general rule poor white persons
are regarded with less esteem and at
tention than negroes, and though the
condition OF the latter is wretched be-
You'd description vast numbers OF tho
| former are worse of. 10 all
intcnts and purposes they are disinlran-
chised and outlawed, and the only priv
ilegc extended to them is n shallow and
circnmscribed participation in the po-
Utica! movements that usher slavehold-
ora into office"
The quotation is mado to explain
what follows. The Impending Crisis
was given TO tho world shortly before
tho rebellion. The attempts to circu-
late it, even to n limited degree, were
suppressed by the stern vigor OF the
law. 1t was provided, BY section 1G,
chapter 81, OF the Revised Code OF North
Carolina, as follows: ''If any person
shall williully bring into the state, with
intent to circulate or publish in the
state, or shall aid or abet the origining
into or the circulation or publication OF,
within the state, any written or printed
| pamphlet or paper the evil
dent tendency whereof is to cause slaves
to become disconnected with the bond
age in which they are held by their mas
tiers" etc, such person so offending
shall DO deemed guilty OF felony, and on
conviction thereof shall, tor the first
odense, be imprisoned not less than
one year, and DO put in the pilIory and
whipped at the discretion OF the court,
and for the second oncnse shall suffer
death"
This cruel statute was intended to
have twofold effect, first to keep the
negroes in subsection, and again to keep
from the minds OF tho plain people any
| knowledge which would set them to
thinking OF their own degradation. The
latter went forth TO baltic for the AFRO
CANT masters Of the down-trodden ne
g:oes.
In 1860 the Rev. Daniel Worth, born
and brought up in Guiliord county,
North Carolina, was indicted at Green's
borough under this statute for circulat.
ing the impending Crisis" He was
described in the indictment aa ma
licious and seditious person, Of wicked
and depravcd mind" The indictment