Macon Georgia telegraph. (Macon, Ga.) 1836-1844, October 06, 1836, Image 3

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To the Citizens of Bibb County. Ihe cl >fthc n ipon tli # inw; » «ll#w Citizens—In repelling Ihe charge ferret! against me, by the Editor ofthe Teleg it was not my purpose to intrude upon the eolunii efn newspaper, but to bring all tMLIacts heft you at the close ofyour regimenal review, on Saturday last. I preferred this ronrSr; because it "Would have afforded Myron Bartlett and liis friends an opportunity of proving the fallacy of mv state ments, if indeed, they could be proven false. I appeared before you ready to redeem iny pledge, but the hero of Van Buren was not lo be found in fho city, and at the request of my friends, I have now to trespass on your patience, with the fol lowing statement ot facts. In the Inlter part ofthe yenr 1831, the celebrat ed speech ofthe Rev. Mr." Maffilt to the Coloniza tion Society ol'New York, made i!» appearance in Southern Slates. The fame of its author ns an Irish orator, and fhc tale of his zenl and untiring energy in Ihe cause of human benevolence, ac companied his wretched caricature of Southern slavery ; and wretched indeed, ns il was, it was hailed as a message from Heaven, by thousands who are now the votaries of Martin Van Buren. I was Ihcn Editor ofthe Christian Repertory, nnd unfortunately for me. neither Ihe author’s tame, nor hi> classic and splendid tropes, nor his con nection with ine in Ihe same church, could induce me to withhold my disapprobation of his senti ments in Ihe columns of my paper. I reviewed his speech with just severity; maintained that slavery was an institution sanctioned by the Scriptures of both the Old and No,ly.. Testaments, anil ndvi-cd Mr. Maffilt not to persuade the Aboli- tionits and our slaves to the contrary. For this, I received volleys ofabueivc epithets "from the cleri cal Editors of the North, accompanied with Ihe thundering vengeance ofthe LIBERATOR. The controversy thus commenced, continued for three months, during which time iiic Editors ofthe Lib erator were permitted to review weekly in the office ofn mnlhodist paper, the only number of my paper sent to Boston, for the special purpose of holding me up at the North, as a ‘•clt.ri al woi.r, a M.it-nxjkUR, a i r.vti. iscxrsatb," «fc<*. kc.' These beautiful pit-lures of Southern slave owners were sent ine from lime fo lime, and in this way ! be came tlie owner of 20 copies of Ihe Liberator. These tacts are ns well known lo Myron Barlh-lt, as Ip my friends in Macon, who were in (lie habit of visiting my office, and reading my papers. Wny (ben, should he charge me wiili being it sub scriber folhe Liberator—cherishing (lie priricipb s am! purposes of an Abolitionist ? The answer is at band. Impelled by a so- sc ofduly lo my country, I had yi-ited my neighbors at their Justices’Court for the purpose of discussing the merits ofthe can didates for the Presidency and Vice-Presdenoy. I called their attention to the ngifnted slate of our republic—the causes nnd imprinting result—open ed my Bible and proved that the institution of slav ery win sanctioned by Moses, the Palriaiehs. nnd 1’roplu-ts, und justified by the Apostles—that the Saviour n ho came from Heaven to earth, to correct the moral trrors of limn, could not have withhoiden bis denunciations agnin-f the “aresir- sed evil," if indeed, be regarded I an evil—that be had found in the Centurion, one of-lhe wealthy slave owners of Koine, all Ihe virtues of the Christian Ihith, pronounced him the best mail iu all Israel, and permitted him to hold bis sl ives in bondage, and bequeath them to his pos ti-r.’ty, without say ingu word about emancipation, f then appealed :<> comuttm sense. muT n-ki-ikif Mr. Vail tliircn u-as-iudeed, the friem! ofthe t iiihn, She ' •‘aelaetprofthe S«u:!i. and the learned -l-itestu'- 1 ’. xvliv bis sagacil? nod bruevoleoee would md |*.-i- mil him lo quell the ra ;e ofthe Ah ilitiimi-l* w.lh a learned i-uiii iinit no those pa—-ages nfoirriplme --uol why the did not assure tie-m that Ivf.mtk Wlsnuv saw ii. the days of Mwes that the <le- S. endnnls of tlnm would not have e tparilies l.» provide for their wants, and Imusucr Msrov had provided nuulers for them. VY Jib ihr-c remarks, I luriied to the Constitution ofthe Foiled States— proved from see lion •" ujld 111 She legal tenure by which we hold our slaves, and the express deelu ration that “Congress shall pu-s no cr. post futlo law,” or law impairing the o ligition ofeonlruet; and with the Bible in one baud mid the Con-titu- tinn in the other, I affirmed that, “with all the lights” reflected from those great moral nnd c eil Codes, Martin Van Buren in declaring that he does not “feel himself safe in pronouncing that Con gress does not possess the poser pf interfering with or abolishing slavery in the District of Co- lumbio," stands before the people of the United States in the character 01 cither u KNAVE ora l-’OOL; for none but a knave could evade an an swer to a question so clearly recognized in the Constitution, and none but a fool can rend that venerated compact without perceiving that Con gress has no more right to take away the property of a citizen living in the District of Columbia, than it has lo deprive n citizen of (Jeorgia of the same species of property. I proved the knavery ofthe man by the words of hisown mouth, the very man, who in the plcnlilude of of his tender compassion for the “ good order of society anil the peace of New York," voted to give the negroes of that city the right of suffrage. For these acts, I have incurred the righteous vengeance ofMyron Bartlett nnd some lew of his political parasites. It wn«, indeed, an unpardon able offence to the tender sensibilities ol their Southern souls to say a word about the Almlition- ists, nnd their hostility to Southern rights, espe cially as eight of our Congress men had contend ed with them in every menstirr designed to effect the subversion of the Union and the de-irest inter ests of the South. The alarm was given—Ihe tocsin was sounded, “ he < nrries the Ljbera’or in his pocket—he is a subscriber to that incendiary torch—ride him upon a railthese were the sal utations that met me, and but for Ihe interposition making them the, subject of special enactments, ' has coiupromitted its dignity, and made itself a laughing stuck. Like the Anti-Masonic the An ti Sunday Mail, and other pious excitements, got up to cajole the people, and swindle them out o( their money, is the Anti Slavery question. Craf ty men have taken advantage of theguillitiilitv of human nature, and are making use of it for their own benefit. We do not impute to the Rev. Mr. Garrison, editor of the Liberator, any worse mq- tive in fanning this excitement, than a desire to fill his pocket at the expense of his dupes, at the same time he is gaining in amiablt not citify «* the apostle of insurrection and massacre. His paper does not. and is not calculated to circulate at the Smith—bene.e it cannot affect the situation <*f Ihe shv*s. h is at the north, aodon notheru people hi« lever is intended toopeiare, end if it can raise in them stirli a spirit of fanatirism as will move the money from their pockets to his own- even should the slave holder escape without his throat being cut—we presume he would he quite satislied. We repeal it, these publications as far as it regaids our interest's,Jjef perfectly harmless. Hence, all legislation on iKft subject, is worse than ridirulnus— inasmuch as it eurouraces them in their nefarious course, /f the publication of any thing would stimulate the slaves to revenge and massacre, it would be that of our own ordi nances respecting them, which are circulated in every captain’s district. Rut »ve see it has no such effect. What fear need we have then, of a newspaper printed a thousand miles off?” JTliese are the words of a Van Buren Editor— a Northern man who sought and found a home in Georgia, add would lain ilow persuade us all that (be opponents of Vnn Bur- n are Ihe enemies of their country. The Editors ol Ihe Liberator meant no harm, in bis estimation—they bad not publish ed a word enleidnted to produee insurrectionary disturbances—they bad nothing to do with the So*if» Homj ton tragedy in Virginia, though they sent Nat Turner with his murderous crew to Heaven, ns (be noble innrlws of liberty, aod eon signed to Hell (lie Virginiaus who b;ui them exe- cuted as murderers. No. no! says Myron Unrt- lell. they mennt no harm in all this—“they only wanted to make money by their pnper”.—Is it marvelous that such a gentleman should (ell us that “ politicians have not yet decided whether negres ought not to be allowed to vote.” We will now compare the-spirit th: t dictated till* libelous editorial ol Myron Bartlett with the genius of the Liberator, (lie Boston Telrgrapli and the New England Christian Herald, in the follow ing extracts: SENATORIAL VILLANY. " The Georgia '-eiiate lias adopted Mr. Nexbit’s revrbn • - fsttuded'In in our last paper.) offering- FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR for the appre hension and prosecution to conviction ol the edi tor or piildis tier of this paper. A step like this, however ridiculous in itself, ought to stir up the indignation of every man in the Ciiiniiiounealth. A price set upon the head of a citizen of Massa chusetts—for what ? For daring to give his opin ions of the litoral aspect of slavery ! Wlteie is the liberty of the press nnd of speed) ? whcie the spirit of our fathers ? where the iinuiuiii'iex se cond to its by our Bill of Rights ? Ary we the slaves of southern taskmasters ? /(is treasnn'to maintain the principles ofthe Declaration of In- dependence/ Must we say that slavery is a »;«- cied and benevolent jnsiiliilion. or be silent ? — Know ibis, yeseuatoiial Patrons of Kydnappers! that we despise your Ducats as much as lie de plore your irdatiintion ; nay, more—know that a hundred sti'en stand ready to lilt our places as soon a. it is made vacant by violence. The Lib erator shall yet live—lire to warn you of your danger and guilt—live to plead for the peiisbing slaves—live to hail the day of universal emanci pation .' For every hairol our heads which you touch, there shall spring up an ssseiter of the rights of your bondmen, and un up-braider ol your crimes. Mr. Nesnit's Resolution is thus noticed in two of nnr papers :—7Vie Liberator. We have heard of • cappingsllie climax ;’ but we have seldom seen so prominent and daring an example as the above. Where is the • freedom of the press’ ? What ha* become of our • Dec laration of Right’s.’ mil our great national ax iom, •all m-n at born free and equal’ 1 . . * Hail Columbia, happy laiid !' when men of principle and conscience must be kidnapped for publishing their opinions.—Boston Teh graph. We receive this tesoliitiou ol Mr. Neslut is an attempt *o legalize abduction, minder am 1 crime. It certainly can tie none other than such an at tempt. Alii as such, it is an insult on the hon esty, dignity and integrity of a Kepunlican Leg islature. and high treason against the Constitu tion of a Dee people. Establish such a prece dent as this, and what will follow/ Why. the whole system ufjunsprudence would he unavail ing, ami the giealest crimes would be harmless. The sum offered would induce many a daring villain to couiir.it the foulest deeds; when lie knows he flitll be protected by Legislative au thority. This is giving public license to commit crime with impunity. But, in the present case, such an act on the persons of the editors of the Liberator, as this resolution is intended to sanc tion, would l e the watchword, not only for a little ... # vankee operation; but it would make hundreds of ofsome high smiled Republicans ofthe oblJefler- 'editors in the same c*use in which they are so sonian school who determined that I should be ] a(ir ) M |,|y engaged—viz. universal emancipation. renites, with as little ceremony as th« Liliputian j 0 ||,. r „„ comment on the sentiments of Bart- Scribes pi Lumpkin hung the venerable Sumter;. Jett’s Trio but 1 beg lens e to copy a lew senten- and Warren as traitors to their country. — —I oe « from his " harmless paper” the Liberator, for beg leave now, to show how lar the principles of ( j, e special edification ufhis political friends: Mvron Bartlett differed with the Abolilionfolo in v I , . . 1821. and how extremely excited bis righteous I “ We assert, that no slaveholder is innocent: soul became when ihe Legislature of Georgia ol- . that he is an unjust, crunl. criminal kidnapper, fered a reward of $5,000 lor the opprehension ol who is guilty ol the most atrocious transgression Gaftison and Knappi the Editors of the Liberator, against God and mail; that it is the most infat- These are his words, published in his paper dated uated delusion for such men to believe, or the December 24, 1831. most impudent hypocrisy in them to process Fromtke Macon TdepnpKof Dee.2* 1831. themselves innocent; that whole counties may “ Incendiary Publications."-—Too niucli tin- ^ traversed, in which comparatively but few portance, in oar opinion, is attached to these eon- p ersons ran jJe traced, who distribute as many temptible vehicles of slandor and falsehood. Y/e comfoits or at much care to their slaves, as to can imagine no serious harm that can result irotn I j )ejr horses; that the general managemen of the them. Their abuse is annoyine enough and *o S | HV( , „ v, complication of indiscribable barbarity; is the buzing of flies—but we can drink our col- that EhristiarJ prolessors are not exempted from foe notwithstanding. Hence, (ho Legislature if UKriTn mufii 'iTl lijuiuij 'iif iT _) 7 11 ^ | |T u the enormity of the crime, or the application of the charge ; and every man-stealer is dared either to refute the doctrioe, or to disprove the accusa tion.” *• Slavery is made up of every crime that treach ery, cruelty and murder can invent; and men- stealers are the very worst of theives. The most knavish tricks are practised by these dealers in human flesh; and if the slaves think of our geo- eral character, they must suppose that Christians are Devils, end that Christianity was forged in Hell. Shall 'recall ounelvtsChrislians or Dev ils ? Can a trace of Devils plot against us worse than we do against them ? In art and wicked ness, as it relates to our principle aod practice, wefbnodantly exceed." * Every slave in these States is as notoriously kidnapped, is if he had been purloined from Guinea ; ana he who claims a colored child as... his property, and nurtures and detains it in^jav^ rv, is equally a man-thief with the., negfo-stealer on the Gold Coast.” *• I freely confess (hat I am no friend to what are called ameliorating measures. If they can effect good, they will not effect it io sufficient time. I hold the system of slavery to be a crime of the deepest dye. and I would deal with it as crimes ought lo he dealt with. I would not ameliorate; ) would not cut off the most offensive parts of the system, but would destroy it altogeth er.” A Slave whipped to death near Macon, ‘Geo. by his overseer. The murderer unpunished: A Slave was hung in Kentucky, for attempt ing to commit a r-ipe. Another for the murder of a Mrs* Dodd. Two others for attempting to poison their masters. ’ VIRGINIA. Dick, a slave, executed for attempting to com mit a rape oo a white woman. Mr. Robertson, a respectable white gentleman, stripped naked, severely scourged by a mob of slavites, and coinjielled to leave the State, for having said, in a private colloquy, that tbe blacks were -ueii entitled to their fieedom. Upwards of o le hundred slaves slaughtered in Southampton tragedy—many of them in cold blood while walking in the street; and about six ty white individuals, men, women, and children. Some of the conspirators had their noses and ears cut off, the flesh if their cheeks cut out.their jaws broken asiinder-win that condition, they were set up as marks to shoot at. The whites burnt one with red hot irons, cut off his ears and nose, stabbed him. cut his hamstrings, stuck him like a hog, and at Iasi cut of his head, spiked it to the whipping post. Nat Ti rner, the instigator of the insurrection, hung, and two or three others, in consequence of his confession. I will not trespass on your patience, follow cili* z -ns. with any more extracts Irimi those harmless papers, but I Is g leave to assure you, that the sal vation of all that is dear to the South depend- upon the suppression of their publi at ion. And who will effect this! YY’ill Martin Vnn Buren? A--k the citizens ofthe New England States, and they will tell you, that “ne^ro abolitionists and blue light federalists ofthe North constitute bis most zealous supporters, no t all such unprincipled pol iticians as have abused Thomas Jefferson and pronounced James .Mae i-on worthy of0 halter, are ready nor lit sing lio-ann.is to (lie Magician.’' Will you i ole for such n man? V. hat lias he ever il. »e for the 8ou!b 1 When the Mis-nuri question convulsed the Union was iie not an Abolitionist I W'bi'ii mill where lias he piofessed conversion since! Will bis friends answer for him? But lie is General Jackson’s luvorite, and we are told that the old veteran would not recommend him ifhis principles were corrupt And has General Ja-kson the puwrrot divination? ll he were not laboring under the infirmities of dotage would be commit su -h an outrage on the principle- of our Government to nominate his successor? Has lie not nominated Richard M. Join son too, a man who would not He entitled to the privileges of a citizen in one ofthe States over which be is to preside? Has not the old veteran forgotten that the laws of Maryland recognize every, white tn n who lakes lo his bed and board a black wou.un and rears a lainilv of bastard mongrel-, as u va grant. and iljohnson were a citizen of that .Slate, he would be sold as a vagrant for 1 seven years, and the people ol the United States would have to but him before they eoaid elect him their Vice President! Every well rend Inwyer knows this fact, and General Jack-on must have known it - once, but lie has forgotten it in his old age. And lie must also have forgotten that the election of sue]) a grovelling wretch to the second office with in the gift ol Ihe people ol the United States would he an eternal disgrace in our country, ami an outrage on the laws of decency and morality. Would the Piney Woodsmen of Bibb suffer tbeir daughters l» associate with Dick Johnson’s? Would they suffer the hnoured gentleman and his Ebo lady lo sleep in Ihe.r beds? Ob! sbnme and infaiby to my country, that there should be found among us men ofuAite skins who are striv ing to exalt n man of such debased principles. I ain no candidate for office, follow citizens, nor will I ever ask you for an office ofprofit or honor: I desire no other station than that ol on humble fanner among you, cultivating his fields witli bis own hands; but I eani ot be insensible to Ihe in terests of my country. Tbe ensuing session of our Legislature will be one of vital impoi lance to u«. Three Judges ore to be elected, who wiU preside over our new Court of IrriA-snnd Appeals. Their decisions will Lie the luw ofthe .hi mi; place upon the Israeli wise jurists, ana Ihe Giftid Will be a blessing In Ihe people cummit that trust fo <>rdi. nary lawyers, and it will be a curse. Now the question devolves upon this point, who - what party will give us such a Court as w- ought to have? I have no personal prejudices against the Lawyers of either pnrty. but your interests and iny interests oblige me to say. that if there. be a wise Vnn Bnren Inwyer in the Slate of Georgia, I have yet to learn where he lives The most prominent gestleman ot Ihe parly lives in Bibb— you have heard him again and again when con tending with his Juniors Poe and Chappell, and you have never beard him without a conviction of his imbecility. How will i-e compare with our Wilde, Berrien, Clayton, Law, Dougherty, Long street, nnd others ? Carry this with you to the. polls, and recollect that a Van Bnren Legislator* will prefer the mo-t humble lawyer in Bibb to YVilde or agy other White nan in Georgia. G, CAPERS.