i,;;. hu.'
iiiiercstlilff Colloqdf.
Tbtf, following is a sketch of coriversalion
which look place oh Sunday last in a drug
store Irfi’hlladelphia. A young man, J, G.
T., was fading qloud an article on the Whee
lef Slkve Case in The Sunday Dispatch of
that diiy. A number of young woo were
standing by, and near them was Mr, Whee
let', drinking a glass of soda water:
Wheeler —My young friend, I am Col.
John H. Wheeler. I am the man whose
slaves were stolen.
/. G. T.—l know you are, Sir, though I
was not aware that you were present.
"Wheeler —is it possible that you sympa
thize with that d d Abolitionist, Pass
more Wil|iamson?
J. G. T.—Certainly, Sir. All my sympa
thies are with him.
Wheeler —You think he did right, then,
in'assaulting me and threateniing to cut my
throat and stealing my people ?
J. G. T.—l do not think your throat should
be cut, but ho did no more than his duty in
taking the people. He acted from the best of
motives.
Wheeler— What motives could he have
for taking my slaves? I wan’tdisturbing any
body. I was simply passing through on my
mission. lam Minister at Nicaragua. I was
taking them to wait on my wife! I own
the woman’s children, and all the relations
ore in Washington.
J.'G. T,—But they were not your slaves.
Judge Kelly decided that last night.
Wheeler —Judge Kelly l>e d d !
He is an Abolitionist. The Constitution of
the United States recognizes my right to
them.
J. G. T.—l do not think it docs.
W heeler —Why, don’t it say that fugi
tive niggers shall be sent back?
J. G. T.—Yes, and it is an infamous thing
that it does sav so. I for one would obey no
such enactment
W heeler —Then you are a traitor, sir—
a G d d d traitor, and you ought
to be taken out of here and hung upon the
first lamp post
J. G. T.—l am glad you are not my Judge,
Sir
WueeTek —By God ! you will be yet. —
You ought to be down in prison with that
damn’d VVilliamsom. May be it will teach
him not to meddle in what don’t belong to
birr
J. 0. T.—May be it will make a thousand
Abolitionists, ready and willing to do as he
din. As for me, it would be the proudest pe
riod of my life if I were in his place.
Wheeler —Well,you’ll be there one day.
You Abolitionists have got to be put down.—
If I had baa a revolver Passmore William
son would not be where ho is now ; I would
have pul a bullet through his head. Unless
Philadelphia acquits herself, Southerners will
not come here, and Southern trade is worth
a milium dollars n year to Philadelphia.
J. G, I.—l hope we hold our principles
higher lhan dollars and cents. I don’t think
the whole South would buy a true freeman.
W iißEi.Eit —My 1 if 1 was to act as you
Abolitionists, when a man came to me in my
official capacity, 1 would ask him if he came
from the Free States, and if he did, tell him
to go to n .
Here Wheeler left abruptly, saying to J.
G. T. lie would hand him over lo the gentle
men who were listening, evidently supposing
that inev would be on his side So some of
ihese wore, in principle, though all agreed,
irrespective o; me merits of the case, m pro
nouncing Mr. Wheeler lo be, personally a
blackguard —A I’. Tribune.
Slavery in Nebraska.
Cannot Slavery exist in Nebraska l List
on to the following Irom The Nebraska iVetrs
of the 16:r
Neohoes for Sale at this Place. We
call attention to the advertisement of Negroes
for sale which appears in another column.
A company o! genilemon from Missouri, who
have large interests here, have imported them
for the benefit of our young and growing
city. Nebraska City is now about twice or
three times larger than any other town in the
Territory. Help is much needed and but lit
tle to be had: for ibis reason slave labor is
requires. We are authorized to state that
Ihe same company have twenty more in Mis
souri, which will be brought lo Nebraska
City if sufficient inducements are held out,
We annex a copy of the advertisement re.
ferrect i
lAIVE NEGROES for SALE nl NEBRASKA
ClTV.—Five sound, healthy NEGROES are
now offered for sale at this place. THREE GIRLS,
good housekeeper*, and TWO BOYS, 'Rule and JocA
fine field hands compose the lot. Terras easy. For
further particulars inquire at The News Olfioe.
So, a shop has recently been opened for the
sale o I negroes in Nebraska. While the
people of (he Free States are asking them
selves whether it is probable that Slavery will
ever go lo thal territory, it appears to be al
ready there, and in a thriving condition.—
■•Where is ihe law of God which, it was said,
would forever prevrnt the institution from go
ing there ? Why is it tolerated in Ihe Terri
tory I — N. Y. Tribune,
Female Prisoners.
Mrs. E. Oakes Sjiitu, in a letter to Ihe
’ Tribune , sava •
“I have visited many women incarcoraied
/or crimes when they ought to have been
sent to hospitals; and I have felt the urgent
needf qf dignified matrons incur prisons, who
alone should have access to this Department,
No man should hold the keys to the prison
room of the guiltiest woman in the world.—
No man should be allowed to come and go at
his pleasure, [t is an indecency which must
be rectified. Women —poor, miserable and
guilty as they mav be—always complain of
this to me, and more ought to be said in this
article in this relation ; but [ forbear, in the
hope that the humane mind may be brought
to a consideration of the evil without more
definite utterance on my part.”
This is a mailer which ought to be attend
ed to. It is a gross indecency, that the fe
male prisoners should be visited at pleasure
by jailors of the other sex. No matter how
gentlemanly and considerate they may be, it
is degrading to them and the prisoners for
men to be obliged to go to the cells or cham
bers of women at all hours and without let
or hindrance. Mrs. Smith has done human
ity a service in pointing out this abuse, and
wo hope to see /he evil remedied. — Met.
Switthelt a.
THE AGITATOR.
M. H. 0088, Editor. J
~. All Business,and other Conlrnuninations must
be addressed to the Editor to insure attention.
WELLSBOROUCrH, FA.
T h nfsday 1 irroViiina. Any. 9, 18S5~.
For President In 1856:
Hon. SALMON P. CHASE, of ohl6.
For Vice-President:
Hon. DAVID WILMOT, of Penn’a,
A Letter from Cassius M. Clay will be found in
another column, betraying a fearless and noble spir
it—such an one as every Man must revere and emu
late.
The Weather- has been 'more favorable for ,har*
vesting for a week, than, heretofore, and farmers
have improved it to some purpose. Wc are inclin
ed to think that the bulk of the hay harvest .will be
housed ere the week closes. Wheat is not bo badly
damaged os it was feared, and all oilier crops prom
ise well.
Correspoweets will please be patient, as the sud.
den influx of advertisements has disarranged our
plans for this week. Poetical contributors must,
wail their turns. Wc giva two fine poems this week
and shall give place to “Incognitos 1 ’ next week.
Friends, H. C. 8., J. B. C., and J. B. P., will
please accept our lhaftks for favors and encouraging
words. Will endeavor to write to the latter in p few
days.
O’ Wo desire to call attention to Dr. Rose's new
method of curing Consumption by Medicated Inha
lation, advertised .in another column. We know
little as to the merits of his method, but the discov
ery is attracting much attention in the medical
world.
See “Lost,” Auditor’s Notice, Sheriff’s Sales,
Register’s Notice, and Candidates—new Advertise
ments.
See Prof. Ayer’s new advertisement.
O’ Perhaps an apology is due our readers for the
encroachment of advertising upon the space occu.
pied usually by reading matter. We have made ar
rangements for setting a portion of our advertise
ments in nonpareil type, as soon ns it can be pro
cured from Philadelphia. We have refused some
$6O worth of city advertisements within the last
two months on this account; and we seldom go to
press with less than a column standing over.
We raise the names of Salmon P. Chase and Da
vid Wilmot, for President and Vice-President in
1850, at our mast-head this week, and cannot but
think the selection the best that can be made. Both
ore staunch and true friends of Free Speech, Free
Soil and Free Men, and neither would permit the
Sonlh to rule the Union. Their election would car
ry dismay and destruction to the center of the Slave
Junta, and extort doleful groans and lamentations
from the failing ranks of the doughfaces. Huzza
fur Chase &, Wilmot !
The Philadelphia Slave Case.
The North hardly recovers from (he shock of one
highhanded outrage perpetrated by the Black Power,
ere another, and still more aggravated, is detailed
in every village and backwoods cabin. The spirit
of outrage is daily culminating, and bursts at inter
vals upon the public mind, like lightning through
the pi,B of a thunder.olnmL Thanks tn American
genius, there arc wings of lightning and steam to
bear the tidings to the remotest dweller, so that the
spirit of manly resistance is not lardy in awaking.
Ever since the passage of the Fugitive Slave bill,
the North has been periodically aroused and insulted
by the bay of the sleuth bounds of Slavery, on the
track of some hapless, hard-pressed fugitive from
unrceoinpenscd labor—now in the great cities of the
East, now on the broad prairies of the West; but
whether cast or west, never failing to arouse the in
dignation of the masses.
And each case Irom the escape ol Shadrach up to
the commitment of Passmore Williamson by Judge
Coin, for contempt, has been still more aggravated
than Its predecessor. The unheard of conduct of
that Judge in condemning a man to indefinite im
prisonment, for not producing persons in Court, over
whom he had never control nor custody, adds an
other to the list of Jcffrcy-liko atrocities in which
the Federal Jiidiciury is of late so prolific. We
gave a brief sheteh of the Wheeler Slave case last
week, but as it lacked some important facts since de
veloped, we here give another:
Col. John H. Wheeler of Washington, arrived at
Philadelphia on the 251 h ull., on his way W Nicara
gua, as U. S. Minister. With three slaves—a moth
er and two children —ho slopped a Bloodgood’s Ho
tel. At abont 4J o'clock, altcrnoon, Mr. Still, a res
portable colored man, received a note, slating that
there were three slaves at Bloodgood's who wanted
Freedom. This note lie immediately carried to Mr.
Passmore Williamson, agent of the Philadelphia Ab
olitionSocicty, who said he was expected to leave
the city on business immediately, and could not at
tend to the matter; he advised Mr. Still to go im
mediately and telegraph to Ncw-York and have them
arrested on their arrival there. Still ran down to
the wharf where lay the New-York boat ready
to start, with the slaves on board. Hero, he met Mr.
Williamson who had changed his purpose, aud both
immediately went on board the boat. Mr. William
son went to the slave woman and told her that by
the laws of Pennsylvania,she and ho/ children were
free if they chose to be. Upon this, the master in
formed him that the woman knew her rights as well
as anybody, and “did not wish to bo free.’ He tried
to constrain her to say as much, but she repeatedly
and firmly declared — "J am not free, but I leant my
freedom—ALWA YS WANTED TO BE FREE!
but he (referring la Wheeler,) holds me I” She de
cided to be free, and taking’ 1 !! friend’s hand, got up
to leave the boat. Wheeler rushed after her and
seized both her and Mr. W illiamsnn, when the latter
gently set the indignant lump of chivalry aside.
The woman and her children then went ashore and
were driven away in a carriage, beyond the jurisdic
tion of tyrants. Mr. Williamson saw them no more.
Mr. Wheeler look the matter op to Judge Cain,
(Kano) who issued a writ of Habeas Corpus, com
manding Passmore Williamson to produce the alleg
ed slaves. This, Mr. W n could not do, as the per
sons were not, and had never been in bis custody';
and thus the writ was returned.
Upon this, Judge Kane commilted Mr. W., for
contempt .'—a charge Dial even a Bill-rate pettifog
ger would not have dreamed of preferring—no, nor
Ihe astute Van Dyke, who, the same day had the ne
groes who assisted in liberating the slaves, arrested
for highway robbery ! Wise Van Dyke, but super
latively wise Cain!
The facts are plainly that, Pennsylvania laws do
not permit involuntary servitude, except for the pun
ishment of crime, within her jurisdiction ; Col.
Wheeler know Oils, and therefore, when he brought
those slaves into Pennsylvania, they were free hy hie
<|ian voluntary act. No force was used to liberate
them. They were met by friends who assisted them
THE TIOGA COUM.Y A,GITATOE.
■ • . L. C a. a ; i b
I* leave the' service el Col. Wheeler, which was all
very proper. ' 1 i.; , -•!
Thjj slaves are now in New-York, and in an nflida
vit made beroro lodge Culver (he 'mother states,
tnat*ahe~intended io'claim her freedom when “she
reached Kew-York— not beings certain that she
could do so in Philadelphia. That Wheeler ordered
Iter not to converse with any colored people.while in
Philadelphia or New-York, and if any one question
ed her, to reply that “she was a free woman travel
ing with a minister!” .That she left her master
of her own free will, and baa been at liberty to re
turn to him at any time, but “rpould rather die than
go had I" .
This refutes the charge of abduction completely.
Primarily, then, Passmore Williamson’s crime
consists in having told this Woman that, by the laws
of Pennsylvania, she was free if she chose to be; —
an act that any arid every man with average human
iiary impulses would have done under like circum
stances. 1 ' ,
' But Judge Kano has condemned Mr. Williamson
to perpetual imprisonment, denying him bail of
course. For what? “t’or contempt," says this wise
Judge. Let : uri look into this matter ;
[We are indebted to our scrap-book for the ex
tracts that follow; the original may probably be
found in the bound “Statutes at Large” or in the
Olole Appendix.]
An Act of Congress of March 2, 1831, provides,
. “That the power ol the several Courts of the Uni
“led States, to issue attachments and indict summa
“ry punishments lor contempt of Court, shall not be
“continued to extend to any catet except ike mitbehav
“for of any person or persons in presence of the
“Court,”
But Passmore Williamson is not charged with
any “misbehavior in presence of the Court," and
thus does not stand committed under this rule, and
yet this is the only rule under which ho could be le
gally convicted and committed for contempt. He
stands committed for making a false return to the
writ of Habeas Corpus; this, Judge Jeffreys Kane
defines as “contempt of Court!” Let us see what
the law says about “false returns”:
An Act of Congress of March 2, 1833, provides.
“If any person or to whom such writ of
“Habeas Corpus may be directed, shall refuse to
•’obey the same, or shall refuse or neglect to make
“return, or shall make false return thereto, in addition
“to the remedies heretofore given by law, he shall
“be deemed and taken to be guilty of a niisdcmean
“or.
Now, if, as it is alleged, Mr. Williamson made a
falsi return to the writ, by this act of Congress lie
is guilty of a misdemeanor ; and Judge Kane had
no shadow of right to commit him for contempt,
when the law expressly says that the offence charg
ed upon him is a misdemeanor; and as he was ta
ken as guilty of a misdemeanor, he is entitled to a
trial by jury—which this Judge refuses. Is Judge
Kane a knave, or an ignoramus?—Which?
It was held by Jefferson, Henry, Pinckney, Mad
ison and other illustrious men, and it has been re
peatedly decided in the Courts North and South, that
Slavery is the creature of local law and can have no
existence without such law : therefore, as no such lo
cal law exists in Pennsylvania, the moment the
master brings his slave across our borders, he is no
longer a slave, but a freeman; and a freeman by
the voluntary act of the owner, 100. What can be
plainer than this!
But Judge Kane was elevated to his present posi
tion by a Democratic Administration, which the
Harrisburg hunker Convention pronounced on a par
with those of Jefferson and Jackson! Therefore
Judge Kune proves his gratitude by acting us the
pimp of the Slave Oligarchy. He was evidently
created a Judge to die and be remembered like Jeff.
• irce, ■ovtor arm mmer, t/nrymr ma trciocmvb.'
There is now in jail in Cambridge, Mas*., a man
who has been imprisoned for five years because of
a debt ol §23. —Exchange Paper*
The fellow is a fooli If he would black himself
and pass for a runaway nigger, he would bo sent
away free In five minutes. —Louisville Journal.
Yes, and money enough given him lo fi, y times
pay the debt, and a college education beside. It is
a glorious privilege lo be a digger.— Pco,iu Press.
We cbrnmefid the above lo friend Cord of the A*
itafor/wllo “eats nigger, drinks nigger, breathes nig
ger, sees nigger in everything,” and etnbraccts ev
cry opportunity to call himself nigger. Great insti
tution, that “nigger.” —Schoharie Republican,
Very well, friend Hall, we have examined the
“above,” and with your leave, after putting in a de
murrer lo the most important of your charges—can
nibalism—we will proceed to elaborate flic idea evi
dcnlly intended to be conveyed by the several edit
ors ‘above.’
Argument* A while man was in prison in Mass
achusclls, five years, for debt.
Some people in Massachusetts assist fugitive
slaves, by money and olherwUc, to cscanc from“lh c
home of the free and the land of the brave,” into
Canada. Therefore,
The people of MassachuleUs treat the whiles uni
formly badly, while they heap favors upon ‘niggers.’
Therefore it is wrong to assist fugitives from labor,
because the citizens of Cambridge imprisoned a
white man for debt. Therefore Slavery is monlly
and socially, a happier condition than Freedom;
and therefore, instead of imprisoning poor while
men for debt, Massachusetts should at once put them
up al auction, and sell them into slavery, in which
condition they may possibly be so fortunate as lo be
sold to pay their masters’ debts. Consequently, it is
ft high-handed proceeding lo claim that negroes arc
men, and entitled to human charily—it being fully
demonstrated by the foregoing argument that it is an
infinitely greater crime to lake away the liberty of
a poor while man for five years, than it is to de
stroy the liberties of 4,000,000 of poor black men
and women, for life!
The Ilonndale Democrat mistakes if it supposes
that wc consider it opposed to a union of all Uic op
posers of Slavery extension or perpetuation, llul
wo arc puzzled to comprehend how It proposes lo ef
fect this union without a State Convention of some
description. The Free Democrats nominate their
man for Canal Commissioner. Tho Americana will
not vole for him, because he is not an American.
So it will prose in the end, we much fear. The old
line \Vbigs are meditating fusion witli the Demo
crats even now, and there is no chance for Freedom
in Pennsylvania unless an actual, a conventional fu
sion of tho anti slavery .strength is had. 1 The Dem
ocrat certainly would not have the Freedom parly
go up to battle while the center differs with both (he
righl f and left wings as lo the best plan of attack.
We contend os one that lovea the cause, that some
general plan of operation must bo agreed upon, or
disaater is inevitable.
Rev. Mr. Shannon, who had rendered himself
conspicuous in the Missouri war an the freedom of
Kansas, says:
“Convince roe that Slavery is a moral wrong, and
I will pledge myself lo preach infidelity the rest of
roy life, and to prove that God is an impostor.”
We give so modi ol the Shannon’s labored
argument to prove himself a knave and a hypocrite,
gratuitously: concluding that be has no occasion to
request his private Secretary, like Dogberry, to
"write him down an ass," as he seems abundantly
capable of doing it himself
Wot* —On Friday night, 3d inst., Mr.
Levi Furman of Chines, in this county, had twb
lambs killed’out of his dock, one being
appMenlly-'carncd off bodily, and the other being
ledbehificl in the" field." As’some of Ilia neighbors'
had been missing lambs from.their docks at different
times for a year past, he determined to ascertain if
the thief qopld be brought tq justice. Having pro
cured a large trap, on Saturday night bo set it near
the fence, and placed the dead lamb in the deld on
the opposite side. On Sunday morning Mr. F., re
paired to the deld and found the trap had disappear
ed. After a short search he discovered the sheep
thief in the shape of an enormous wolf. He had
dragged, the trap some rods, and there awaited his
fate with woldsh stoicism. When Mr. F., approach
ed to despatch him, he merely turned his eye full
and deliberately upon his executioner, and died with
out a growl. He proved to be an old resident—his
teeth were much worn, which accounted for his pre
ferring lamb. He measured three feet in height.
Mr.Furman brought his scalp to town and got his
bounty lt has doubtless saved the Gaines
farmers hundreds of dollars.
Chase, of Montrose, says ho understands that we
have been saying some mean things about him, but
he don’t care—hasn’t read ’em. Well, Mr. Speaker
console yourself. All distinguished men have been
slandered and abused ; and if we have said mean
things about yon, it was owing to a strict observ
ance of the facts relating to your course politically.
■ “Tub Escaped Nok, or, Disclosures of Convent
Life.” Price 81.
Messrs Dewitt & Davenport have favored us with
a copy of the above work, which we have read care
fully. It is certainly a welt written book and will
meet with a largo sale among those who fear and
Imtelhe Church of Rome. Whether the relation is
true or false, it is written in a marvellously truthful
stylo. If true, the system is one of outrage upon
the virtuous instincts of human nature. But there
are some amusing discrepancies in the relation that
may strike tlijo general reader, or they may not.
The book is beautifully got up, and will make a
handsomo addition to center-table literature. Our
impression is that those-wishing a copy will do well
to purchase without delay.
For sale by BAILEY & FOLEY, Wcllsboro’.
Fowlers & 'Wells’ Publications.—
The Phrenological, and Water-Cure Journals for
August are received. The first has a portrait and
biographical sketch of Commodore Vanderbilt, the
Steamship King, also a portrait and sketch of Judge
.Mason, of the Patent Office. Tho article entitled—
i* Business," is the best essay on the subject we have
seen.
The Water-Cure Journal is as fresh and invigora
ting as a draught of cool, pure water to the thirsty.
Ils spice is the best condiment ever used, because it
never exhausts the gastric energies, but strengthens
and multiplies them. It is admitted to be the ablest
as it is the most popular Health Journal in the world.
No family should be without these Journal. $l,
each, or both with the for $2. Messrs.
Bailey & Foley arc agents for their publications.
CTThc following from Mr. Sodger reached us as
we were going to press :
bene krik, awghust 7en. (i presoom.)
mister ajitalur cskwair sur :—ivc gaun and did it!
yis sur, ivu did it—immoralizcd tnesclf, mister sikes
sez. Ivo konsoomed dannel websters dickshunury
with fire, sur; becoz, sur, it was a label on the in
glish lungwtdgc sur. sikes sez posterity oze me a
del of gruchichewed i intend lu get it onto a juj
meut and collect it.
mir, | am •-toniohed to Irnrn that yew Wcllsburro
fokes air all - childcrn of the burrow fathers, sur, it
is owdjshus I a 1000 people aal caliin 5 men “filth.
cr •”—sur, its a lie, or a lushus nuyloory i dont no
wich. ivc ben up lo yurc villig to sec bout it ; at
pliust i see so menny chaps runnin about the streats
that looked as it lha hadrtl u father apiece tu leno
tu cm, that i lhant yurc alory mllo be irew ; hot af
ter i has spent 2 days a tryin lo find the plank wanks
yew sed lha were ugoin to put (loan, jkonkludcd it
was a umbug, and i went hum indignant, sur, be
sides bein unwell, doctor Wiggins Ximincd me,
&. sez, sez he the fust brelh—“nashun poor liker tha
keep up thar!”—pintin to welsburro, and i thaut he
was up lo snuff lhar, cnyhow. p, s. (sikes sez that
he gcsscs it was the hilchin post as seen stars, and
not him.) ppss. ivc rit to Horace greedy and told him
he needent print my paper anny more, i haled to
do It, coz the tribune was doin a site of good, i pre
soom them as has paid fur a year can gel sum other
paper in the place unt. yures, s. Sodger.
The Black Laws of Illinois.
Correspondence of The N. Y. Tribune.
Albany, Whiteside Co., 111., July 1G,1850.
We have recently had a practical illustra
tion of the operation ol iho Black Laws of this
State,..which still disgrace our statute hooks,
and which our last Legislature, allhough a
great improvement upon some of the former
Legislatures, had neither heroism nor virtue
sufficient to repeal.
1 wo orphan Indian children are living here,
against whom a vile, unprincipled boy has
lor a long time held a particular spite. A
lew days ago he got up a quarrel with one
of the children, and swore he would shoot
him. Accordingly he ran into a house whore
his gun was kept, and having obtained it,
came out and leveled it at ihe breast of the
Indian, who, in the effort to push the muzzle
aside, received the entire charge in his hand.
He is crippled for life. The white boy was
arrested, but upon the trial it was discovered
that “Colored “p ers °os n are not pcrmiltedtlo
give testimony in courts of justice ; and there
being no while witnesses, the culprit was dis
charged. Ho now threatens to kill ihe Indi
an girl, and very likely may keep his word.
!f he can manage-lo do it when no while per
son is present, ol course he will escape pun
ishment. . Viatob.
Is There HO arced of a Hell?
lha facts of a most unequalled piece of
villany by a Stale Official al Albany, N. Y„
have just became known. A man named
Johnson perpetrates a forgery, and is senten
ced to the Stale Prison. The prisoner has a
beautiful wife, to whom the Governor’s Sec
retary makes dishonorable proposals, in re
turn for which he promises lo procure a par
don from the Governor. The poor woman,
it seems, sacrificed her honor, and ihe price
promised for it, was paid, Johnson was par
doned out.
The man, however, ascertaining how his
wife had been ruined, grew desperate, corn
milled another crime arid was sent to the
Slate Prison, The woman meanwhile is cast
off by both husband and paramour, and comes
before the Courts, broken hearted, to claim
support from the Governor’s Secretary, for
lha offspring of the criminal intercourse.—
Tho transaction from its inception to its con
clusion, stands almost unparalleled in the an
nals of villany in high places. Morals in
official circles at Albany are indeed at lowest
water nnt(k.
Front, the Loutmilfe Courier, July 91,
THE CASSIUS M. CLAY DIFFI
■“ CULTY.
SHALL LIBERTY OR DESPERATION TRIUMPH ?
Mt. Vernon, 'Ey., July 12,1855,
Col. C, M. Clay. — Sir: We address
you not in anger, but from a deep conviction
that oar rights, politically, morally and soci
ally, are endangered —we are free to say that
your conduct, when in our town, in times
past, has been that of a courteous gentleman
and won our reaped, however much we dif
fered with you in regard to slavery—but we
regret to inform you that we have information
not to be doubted, or misunderstood, of a
speech recently made by you in this county,
at Brush Creek Meeting House, and on the
next day at Scaffold Cave Meeting House,
that has produced serious alarm among tho
people of the county, so much so that a sense
of common danger called together a large as
sembly at tho court-house on yesterday, to
consult how to protect themselves, their fam
ilies and properly from the alacmipg doctrines
of the speech, particularly at Brush Creek.—
The most important positions taken by you
had been, as the meeting were assured, care
fully written out by W. H. Kirlley, and sub
stantiated by others of our highly respectable
citizens who were present, and read to the
meeting, which you Wy see in the public
press ; it produced a deep sensation and was
regarded by all as revolutionary, an invoca
tion to assail by force by tho free States, the
institution of slavery in the South and a oall
upon the slaves to insurrection to obtain their
freedom. •;
While we know it is our duty to treat the
slave well, to do all we can to ameliorate his
condition, we cannot, injustice to ourselves,
the protection we owe our families and the
stability of the government, suffer such doc
trine to be preached in the midst and in the
hearing of our slaves, without giving our most
unqualified dissent. Slavery is among us—it
has been entailed upon us—it-is pan and par
cel of the government —our safety requires
we should keep them as they are, until, by
the aid of Providence and the wisdom of man,
they can be removed beyond our limits ; to
Africa, if practicable. Entertaning these views,
we were appoi tied a committee, and instruc
ted to transmit you the enclosed resolutions.
Be assured they contain the deliberate opin
ion and fixed purpose of iho meqling, and we
believe, a large majority of the people of lhe
county. They will peril their lives in de
fence of the freedom of speech and the press,
but they will not, at ail hazards, permit men,
under the mantle of freedom of speech, to
scatter amongst them fire-brands and death.
Very respectfully,
JOHN ADAMS, Sr.,
M. J. MILLER,
J. JOPLIN,
R. G. WILLIAMS.
At a meeting of the citizens of Rockcastle,
July lllh,
Resolved, That Dr. Joplin, R. G. Williams,
Jno. Adams, and M. J. Mdler be appoinied a
commitiee to inform Mr. C. M. Clay, John G.
Fee, and all other Abolition speakers and
preachers, that they must desist from speak
ing or preaching in the county of Rockcastle,
under the penally of being dealt with as justice
and the law requires.
MR. CLAY’S REPLY
Berea, Madison Co. Ivy., July 16, '55.
Gentlemen ; I received your letter of the
12th mat., with the enclosed of the
Mi. Ve mon meeting. Allow me in (urn (o
reciprocate (he sentiments of personal consid
eration wlncli you have done me the honor lo
express ; for I trust no honest difference of
political opinion will never cause one repub
lican lo resent in the person of another the
same right which he claims for himself. I
admire the frankness of your idler, and shall
answer it in a similar spirit. You misconceive
our whole purpose and policy. It would have
been more just to have given me a hearing,
belbre condemning me. But since that is im
possible now, the only thing left is to recon
sider your action, and do me late justice. —
You base your change of opinion of me main
ly upon the testimony of W. H. Kirtley.—
Mr. Kirtley is said to be an honest man, but
you know him belter than I. 1, however,
know him to be a man of violent personal
prejudices. Ills attack upon me formerly in
the Richmond Messenger and his late letter
to the same press, show him, to impartial
mhn, to be an unsafe witness, where great
interests are at stake.
My speech at Brush Creek and Scaffold
Cave are alledged against me as “ Revolution
ary—an invocation to assail by force, by the
free States, the institution of slavery m the
South—and a call upon the slaves to insur
rection to obtain their freedom.” Now, 1 say
it not in terms of insult but simple fact, these
allegations in their whole extent are untrue.
Wfiat are the circumstances! The Rev. J. G.
Fee, a native Kentuckian, and an American
citizen, though guarantfed in the full freedom
of religious opinion and tho untrammelled
ulierance of the same, by the Stale and.na
tional constitutions, and by ihe law of nature,
was, by an illegal and revolutionary” body
nr the slave party of Lincoln deprived by
force of theso “inalienable rights.’’ We ap
pealed to the laws of tho country —proved
full our grivances, but were denied redress,
ns alleged by the grand jury upon ihe ground
of “fear of excitement.” Here was an es
tablished despotism over us ! Did we take the
law into our own hands, and go and assassi
nate Messrs. Montgomery & Co. No! but,
in great forbearance, we suffered unrevenged
the wrongs of the past, and we determined in
(he future to rely upon our constitutional right
of self-defence—“the great first law of na
ture.” The platform of odr action was laid
down fully in the Jessamine resolutions, pub
lished in the “Observer and Reporter,” and
“Kentucky Statesman,” the organs of the
Whig and Democratic parties of the Slate.
These resolutions, against which no press in
the Commonwealth has ventured to raise its
voice of dissent, were so published that Ihe
responsibility of possible civil war and blood
shed should not rest upon us and ours in the
disturbed future. Those resolutions were
read at the meetings at Scaffold Cave and
Brush Creek, as the unquestionable basis of
our whole action :.and neither the testimony
of W. H. Kirtley nor all the slave holders of
Rockcastle can change the letter or the spir
it ! In those speeches I proposed to arouse
"the people" i on sense of their threatened
servitude, and to involve a peaceable settle
J *
mem of this vital question of slavery, not by
the cartridge-box, but by the, ballot, box.
No, gentlemen, it is npl we, but your caste,
which standing above us,, have “muddied the
stream, ’’ and sent the/bitter waters down to
us to drink. Your cry of “wolf” will have
little credit with the world against me, who
have for so many years of unequal warfare,
with all my power of pen and 'speech, plea
ded for peace, for the constitution and for the
laws. It was to win over these outlaws to
the side of constitutional action, that 1 pre
sented the outlines of the argument as stated
by W. H. Kinley. That, after all, the in
umph of the slave party was not so certain m
their resort to “ revolutionary ” measures,—
That there were only 347,000 slaveholders
in the Union, and 38,000 in the Slate, against
3,500,0ff0 slaves, and 22,000,000 of whites
and freemen North and South.
That there was no instance in history, ofcivil
war in slave Stales, where the slaves did not
come into acuon. That the Freesoil Aboli.
lion or Republican parly were in the ascen
dant in the North and that a war begun here
might involve all the forces of the. nation.—
This is (he- substance of what I said, is ,t
true 1 If you are wise, you will see, and feel,
and act up to the deep wisdom of my argu
ment. No Triend to the safety of life, liberty
and property wilt recklessly and criminally
precipitate all these necessary forces into ac
tion ! I wash my hands of all the responsi
bility now and hereafter forever I Now, all
this was said to freemen, not to slaves, there
was not a single black or slave at those iwo
meetings. How, then, could my speeches be
insurrectionary ! To construe such language,
under such circumstances, into an offence, as
“in the midst and hearing of slaves ( ”.is ;o
construe liberty out of the State of Kentucky.
No, men do not plot treason in open day ana
proclaim it from the stump. What I said there,
I will say again, and at all limes and to the
more th« belter.
Gentlemen, whilst I deny your right to be
come my censors, yet in consequence of the
friendly tone of your letter I will state cate
gorically, for your satisfaction and restored
equanimity of mind, what we only meditate.
Ist. The legal and constitutional abolition
of slavery.
2d. Acknowledging the great republican
idea that the will of the legal majority should
be our rule of aclion, we will submit forever
to the consuiutional aclion and domination of
the slave party ; if we triumph often by the
same means they must submit to us.
3d. Illegal and despotic power we will
resist by all the power God and nature have
put into our hands.
Mow 1 put it to your belter judgment and
noblest instincts, are tee right! Would not
I forfeit your confidence and respect, if wuh
these views I acted otherwise I For the man
; who submils to servitude to-day, will assist
jin enslaving you to-morrotr. Still further al
low me to say, we have nothing lo do with
t your slaves personally ; it is neither our right
nor our best policy. For myself! do not lies
hale to avow that neither the whiles nor the
blacks are to be benefited by forcible emanci
pation. Treat us as equals, and we are your
friends; against illegal aclion at home and
from abroad your defenders. Your own un
wise and despotic talk and action is the great
source of disturbance among blacks and
whiles. Let us all stand by the law as the
only ark ol sat'dvv. The lynchers 01 Missou
ri put down the 'Republicans lo day, ana
j threaten the destruction of the Whigs ana
j Bentonnics to-morrow I The cause for which
I we contend is not ours—it is vours—cserv
j man’s. We invite slaveholders and non-slave
j holders Whigs and hJemocrals, Know-Moth
mgs and Sug-Xicins, Republican and Tory,
io enter wnh us into ihe impregnable fortress
—free speech I
Wuh regard to Ihe resolutions, we are not
sure ihut we rightly understood them. :f
you propose a legal remedy fora violation 01
law. and to prove our words or actions insur
rectionary and criminal, we will submit to the
laws oi the land and trust securely in me
justice of our country, the purity of our pur
pose, and the patriotism ot : our acts. 3ut if
you threaten violence, then as men who are
Iree, and your couais in spirit, we will de/end
ourselves and our whole liberties or die.—
The Rev. John G. Fee and I will address the
people of' Rockcastle at Scat!bid Cave on Sal
urday next. 'Vo invite you to share with us
in ihe freedom of opinion and of speech ; and
may God defend the right. 1 ask that you will
lay this letter before your meeting as before
assembled, and that you will have the mag
nanimity to do me the justice, whatever it be,
which 1 deserve. 1 am, with sentiments ot
consideration.
Your ob’t serv'l. J. M. CLAY.
Messrs. J. Adams, etc., Esqs., Com., etc,
Mr. Vernon, Ky.
A Master Piece Outdone. — vVe have
lately supposed Ayer’s Cherry Pectoral was
the Ultima Thule in its line, and that nothing
had been or would be invented which could
surpass its line points of excellence as a
medicine. But we are confidently assured
by those competent to judge on the subject,
ihnl Dr. Ayerls pow Pills excel in higb med
ical artistry-even that widely celebrated em
bodiment of his skill. lie has succeeded in
making them out only pleasant to lake but
powerful to cure the large class of complaints
which require a purgative remedy.
In Blossburg July 10th, by Rev, L. 11. Berridge,
ROBERT EBERNETHY of Blossburg, and EL
LEN SAMPSON, of Charleston,
In this Borough at the Methodist Parsonage sth
inst. by Rev. Isaiah McMahon, ELIHU H. FALK.
NER and ANN A. BENN, both of Gaines.
LOST!---On Monday morning, 6th inst., s
GOLD CHAIN & EYE-GLASS,
supposed to have been dropped between J. P. Mor
ris’s and William Henry's, on the Mansfield road.
Tho finder will be suitably rewarded on leaving
it at Mr. Swan’s, Mansfield, or at J. P. Morris’s
Wcllaboro’. {aug. 9.]
NOTICE is hereby given, that t will attend to
tho duties of my appointment as Auditor In
the matter of the sate by the Sheriff of the real fil
ial© of E. D. Tinney at the Feb. lerm last, at tI)Q
suit of J. &J. Parkhurst, —at my office in Wells
boro*, on Friday, the 31st day of August, inst, at
2 o'clock P. M., of said day ; ut which time and
place, all persona interested in the fund arising
from the said sale, arc hereby notified to present
and substantiate thoir claims lo it, or be forever de
barred of coming upon tho same or any part there
of. JNO. N. BACHB,
* Aug. 9,1855- Auditor.
HARRIED.
Auditor’* Notice.