USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Standard history of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania > Part 95
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807
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
tonnage tax. The railway had added the tax to its freight charges. So great was the hostility to railways that in May, 1859, a list of 207 of the leading firms and individuals, stating that they were not the holders of railway bonds, and were not subscribers of the stock, was published in the newspapers.
In 1862 the vote of Allegheny County for auditor-general was as follows: Cochran (Union), 12,323; Slenker (Dem.), 7,895. In 1863 the result for gov- ernor was: Curtin (U.), 17,708; Woodward (D.), 10,053. In 1864 the vote for President was: "Lincoln, home 19,427, army 2,092; Mcclellan, home 11,588, army 826. For governor, 1866: Geary (R.), 20,511; Clymer (D.), 12,795. For President, 1868: Grant, 25,487; Seymour, 14,671. For governor, 1869: Geary (R.), 17,858; Packer (D.), 13,301. For President, 1872: Grant (R.), 25,846; Greeley (Lib.), 9,055. For governor, 1872: Buckelew (Lib.), 16,490; Hartranft (R.), 25,771. New Constitution: For, 18,315; against, 1,895. For governor, 1875: Hartranft (R.), 18,707; Pershing (D.), 13,246. For President, 1876: Hayes (R.), 28,729; Tilden (D.), 19,247; Cooper (G'b'k), 769; Smith (Pro.), 117. For governor, 1878: Hoyt (R.), 20,601; Dill (D.), 13,186; Mason (Nat.), 7,724; Lane (Pro.), 396. For state treasurer, 1879: Butler (R.), 17,913; Barr (D.), 11, 199; Sutton (Nat.), 1,435; Rich'n (Pro.), 78. For President, 1880: Garfield (R.), 35,539; Hancock (D.), 22,096; Weaver (G'b'k), 1,636. For gov- ernor, 1882: Beaver (Ind. Rep.), 18,679; Stewart (R.), 4,724; Pattison (D.), 16,834; Armstrong (G'k L'r), 4,587. For President, 1884: Blaine (R.), 37,865; Cleveland (D.), 19,469; Butler (G'b'k), 2,687; St. John (Pro.), 1,087. For governor, 1886: Beaver (R.), 27,779; Black (D.), 20,968; Wolfe (Pro.), 2,601 ; Houston (G'b'k), 193. For President, 1888: Harrison (R.), 45,118; Cleveland (D.), 24,710; Fisk (Pro.), 1,117; Streeter (Lab.), 5. For governor, 1890: Dela- mater (R.), 35,012; Pattison (D.), 33,170; Gill (Pro.), 546. For President, 1892: Harrison (R.), 45,788; Cleveland (D.), 30,867; Bidwell, 1,158; Weaver, 578. For governor, 1894: Hastings (R.), 53,406; Singerly (D.), 14,931; Haw- ley (Pro.), 792. For President, 1896: Mckinley (R.), 76,691; Bryan and Sewall (D.), 28,782; Bryan and Watson (Pop.), 1,027; Levering and Johnson (Pro.), 930; Palmer and Buckner (Jeff'n), 452; Matchett and Maguire (Soc. Lab.), 267; Bentley and Southgate (Nat.), 25. The vote of Allegheny County for treasurer of Pennsylvania in 1897 was as follows: James S. Beacon (Rep.), 27,036; M. E. Brown (Dem.), 10, 124; S. C. Swallow (Pro.), 1,393; W. H. Thomas (Soc. Lab.), 1,403; William R. Thompson (Indp.), 8,022; Amos Steelsmith (Lib.), 42.
The vote for mayor of Pittsburg since 1881 is as follows:
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188I.
Robert W. Lyon, Democrat.
11,893
Miles S. Humphries, Republican 10,330
Lyon's majority .
1,563
1884.
Andrew Fulton, Republican.
14,930
Robert Liddell, Democrat.
7,288
Fulton's majority.
7,642
1887.
William McCallin, Republican.
13,753
B. McKenna, Democrat.
12,480
McCallin's majority 1,273
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
1890.
H. I. Gourley, Republican 16,723
John H. Bailey, Democrat 13,605
Gourley's majority . 3,123
1893.
B. McKenna, Democrat. 15,530
John S. Lambie, Republican. 14,194
F. C. Beinhauer, Independent Alliance 3,552
T. R. Kerr, Independent Democrat. 353
McKenna's plurality 1,336
1896.
Henry P. Ford, Republican.
20,552
George W. Guthrie (M. L.) 19,260
Ford's majority 1,292
Following is a list of the representatives in Congress from the district, includ- ing Allegheny County, for over one hundred years: First Congress, Thomas Scott, from 1789-91; second, Israel Jacobs, 1791-93; third, Thomas Scott, 1793-95; fourth, Albert Gallatin, 1795-97; fifth, Albert Gallatin, 1797-99; sixth, Albert Gallatin, 1799-1801; seventh, William Hoge, 1801-03; eighth William Hoge, 1803, resigned 1804; John Hoge, elected and took his seat November 27, 1804, ninth, John Hamilton, from 1805-07; tenth, William Hoge, 1807-09; eleventh, William Hoge, 1809-II; twelfth, Abner Lacock, 1811-13; thirteenth, Adamson Tannehill, 1813-15; fourteenth, Thomas Smith, 1815-17; fifteenth, Henry Baldwin, 1817-19; sixteenth, Henry Baldwin, 1819-21; seventeenth, Henry Baldwin, 1821, resigned in 1822; Walter Forward, elected and took his seat December 2, 1822; eighteenth, Walter Forward, from 1823-25; nineteenth, James S. Stevenson, 1825-27; twentieth, James S. Stevenson, 1827-29; twenty-first, Harmar Denny, 1829-31; twenty-second, Harmar .Denny, 1831-33; twenty- third, Harmar Denny, 1833-35; twenty-fourth, Harmar Denny, 1835-37; twenty- fifth, Richard Biddle, 1837-39; twenty-sixth, Richard Biddle, 1839, resigned in 1840; H. M. Brackenridge, elected and took his seat December 10, 1840; twenty-seventh, W. W. Irwin, from 1841-43; twenty-eighth, William Wilkins, 1843, resigned in 1844; Cornelius Darragh, elected and took his seat March 26, 1844; twenty-ninth, Cornelius Darragh, from 1845-47; thirtieth, Moses Hamp- ton, 1847-49; thirty-first, Moses Hampton, 1849-51; thirty-second, Thomas M. Howe, 1851-53; thirty-third, twenty-second district David Ritchie, twenty-third district Thomas M. Howe, 1853-55; thirty-fourth, twenty-second district David Ritchie, twenty-third district Samuel A. Purviance, 1855-57; thirty-fifth, twenty- third district Samuel A. Purviance, twenty-second district David Ritchie, 1857-59; thirty-sixth, twenty-second district James K. Moorhead, twenty-third district Robert McKnight, 1859-61; thirty-seventh, twenty-third district Robert McKnight, twenty-second district James K. Moorhead, 1861-63; thirty-eighth, twenty-second district James K. Moorhead, twenty-third district Thomas Will- iams, 1863-65; thirty-ninth, twenty-second district James K. Moorhead, twenty- third district, Thomas Williams, 1865-67; fortieth, twenty-third district, Thomas Williams, twenty-second district James K. Moorhead, 1867-69; forty-first, twenty- second district James S. Negley, twenty-third district Darwin Phelps, 1869-71; forty-second, twenty-second district James S. Negley, twenty-third district Ebeneezer McJunkin, 1871-73; forty-third, twenty-second district James S. Neg- ley, 1873-75; twenty-third district, Ebenezer McJunkin, 1873, resigned January
809
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
I, 1875; twenty-third district, John M. Thompson, elected and took his seat January 5, 1875; forty-fourth, twenty-second district James H. Hopkins, twenty- third district Alexander G. Cochran, 1875-77; forty-fifth, twenty-second district Russell Errett, twenty-third district, Thomas M. Bayne, 1877-79; forty-sixth, twenty-third district Thomas M. Bayne, twenty-second district Russell Errett, 1879-81; forty-seventh, twenty-second district Russell Errett, twenty-third dis- trict, Thomas M. Bayne, 1881-83; forty-eighth, twenty-third district James H. Hopkins, twenty-third district Thomas M. Bayne, 1883-1885; forty-ninth, twenty- second district James S. Negley, twenty-third district, Thomas M. Bayne, 1885-87; fiftieth, twenty-second district John Dalzell, twenty-third district Thomas M. Bayne, 1887-1889; fifty-first, twenty-second district John Dalzell, twenty-third district Thomas M. Bayne, 1889-91; W. A. Stone
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
POLITICS-LAW OF 1780 PROHIBITING SLAVERY-SLAVES HELD AT PITTSBURG-AD- VERTISEMENTS FOR RUNAWAYS-DISCUSSION OVER THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE- FIRST COLONIZATION SOCIETY ORGANIZED-LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENTS AGAINST SLAVERY-ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETIES-REORGANIZATION OF THE COLONIZATION SOCIETY-ANTAGONISM BETWEEN COLONIZATION AND ABOLITION DOCTRINES- NAMES OF EARLY ABOLITIONISTS-THE SUBJECT DEBATED-GROWTH OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY MOVEMENT-THE SUBJECT CARRIED INTO POLITICS-KIDNAP- ING-CASES OF RESCUE-THE VANMETRE-MITCHELL OPINION-DESPERATION OF SLAVE-OWNERS-THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW-EXODUS OF THE EXCITED COLORED RESIDENTS-PUBLIC MEETINGS AND RESOLUTIONS-ORATORY OF THE ABOLITIONISTS-CASES UNDER THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW-OTHER SLAVE-CATCHERS-INDIGNATION OVER THE PASSAGE OF THE KANSAS- NEBRASKA BILL-RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED-REPEAL OF THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE DENOUNCED-FORMATION OF A NEW PARTY ADVISED- THE CONVENTIONS OF 1855-ALLEGHENY COUNTY REPUBLICANS OR- GANIZE-FUSION OF THE OLD FRAGMENTS-CALL FOR A MEETING AT PITTSBURG - FORMATION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY-EX- TRACTS FROM THE PROCEEDINGS-INTENSE HOSTILITY TO SLAVERY MANIFESTED-OTHER QUESTIONS TEMPORARILY ABANDONED- THE DRED SCOTT OPINION DENOUNCED-GREAT MASS MEETINGS -ELECTION OF MR. LINCOLN-EMANCIPATION OF THE SLAVES.
Nearly all of the first residents of Pittsburg and vicinity who were wealthy enough to afford the luxury were owners of slaves. The Nevilles, John Gib- son, James O'Hara, Alexander Fowler, Adamson Tannehill, the Kirkpatricks and many others owned them, and several continued to do so as late as the war of 1812. The old newspapers contained advertisements for runaway slaves even as late as 1820, but the passage of the Missouri Compromise, which pro- hibited slavery in the United States north of 36 degrees 30 minutes north latitude, was a stroke against slavery from which it never recovered. Prior to the passage of that law no concerted action hostile to slavery had been taken by Pittsburg, but immediately thereafter colonization and anti-slavery societies sprang into existence here, and in ten or fifteen years could number their adherents by hundreds, if not by thousands. As early as 1793 Hugh H. Brackenridge succeeded in having brought back and restored to freedom a free colored woman, who had been kidnapped here and run off to Kentucky. During the subsequent years, even down almost as late as the Rebellion, such acts were chronicled here. On the other hand, particularly during the early years, many runaways were apprehended in Allegheny County and returned to their masters, who had pursued them. In July, 1804, three such slaves, who had escaped from their Virginia masters, were recaptured here, delivered to their masters and taken back to the South.
As early as March 1, 1780, Pennsylvania passed a law that no person born after that date should be a slave for life-could not be held after he had reached the age of twenty-eight years. Subsequent laws confirmed and ainended the law of 1780, and in all ways steadily restricted the spread and influence of slavery. As early as 1787 a society was organized in Philadelphia, called "the Pennsylvania Society for promoting the abolition of slavery, the relief of free
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
negroes unlawfully held in bondage, and for improving the condition of the African race." Of this society. Benjamin Franklin was president and Dr. Rush secretary.
The early years of Pittsburg witnessed the observance of slave customs, as may be seen by the following and similar advertisements, which appeared from time to time in the Gazette: "To Be Sold to Any Person Residing in the Country-A Negro Wench .- She is an excellent cook and can do any kind of work in or out of doors. She has been registered in Westmoreland County. Produce will be taken, or cattle of any kind. Enquire of Col. John Gibson, Fort Pitt. May 23, 1787." "By virtue of a writ of fieri facias to me directed, will be exposed to public sale in Pittsburg, on Tuesday, the 16th day of next June, horses, cows, sheep, stills, negroes and household furniture, taken in execution as the property of John McKee, and to be sold by me. William Perry, sheriff. May 1, 1789." "Run away on the 19th inst., from the subscriber, living on Plumb Creek, Allegheny County, a negro man named Jack; hc is about forty years of age, and his hair is not so curly nor so much like wool as the most of negroes. It is supposed he is lurking about Pittsburg. Whoever will take up said negro and deliver him to his master shall , receive two dollars reward, paid by Thomas Girty. August 21, 1789."
"For Sale .- The time of a smart and very active mulatto girl, one-and-twenty years old, and who has about seven years to serve. Apply to James Berthoud, merchant, Water Strcet, near Henderson's Ferry. Pittsburg, 24th September, 1801." "I Will Sell a Likely Negro Man .- He is about twenty-seven years of age and a slave for life, and has been brought up a farmer. For terms apply to the subscriber, living on the bank of the Allegheny River, opposite Pittsburg .- James Robinson. May 15, 1804." "A Mulatto .- Sub- scriber will sell the unexpired time of a mulatto boy .- George Evans. Pittsburg, November 13, 1813."
Previous to about the year 1820 advertisements similar to the above appeared from time to time in the local newspapers. At the time the Constitution of the United States was adopted a number of citizens of this vicinity, in common with members of the Constitutional Convention, discountenanced the concessions made in the organic law to the slave States. After its adoption they still favored not only the course of Pennsylvania in steadily obliterating that institution, but advocated its gradual extinction in the Southern States. From time to time the citizens here gave expression, notably on the national holiday, to this senti- ment. In September, 1801, William Gazzam said that he "abhorred slavery and relied upon the constituted authorities to effect the very desirable object of the gradual abolition thereof," as he believed it to be a formidable evil.
At the time of the Missouri Compromise, in 1820, the question of the right of slavery was thoroughly discussed by James Wilson, editor of the Steuben- ville Gasctte, and John M. Snowden, editor of the Mercury. It was contended by Mr. Wilson that as a general principle of conduct no man had the right to enslave another. The Mercury combated that view, and the controversy was conducted through many issues and elicited a response from numerous cor- respondents. From this time forward the subject of the evils of slavery was kept before the people, principally by the churches of this vicinity, and inci- dentally by the attitude of the various political parties.
On the 25th of September, 1826, numerous citizens assembled in the First Presbyterian church for the purpose of organizing a colonization society. Henry Baldwin was called to the chair, and Walter Forward appointed secretary. Reso- lutions were adopted, approving of the object and plan of the American Coloniza- tion Society, and in favor of forming a society in Pittsburg auxiliary to it. A draught of a constitution was presented, and, after some discussion, agreed to,
812
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
and the meeting adjourned to meet in the evening of the 27th. The meeting convened, agreeably to adjournment, Henry Baldwin in the chair, and M. B. Lowrie secretary, and proceeded to organize the society by selecting officers. The following persons were duly elected :
President, Henry Baldwin; vice-presidents, Francis Herron, D. D., Robert Bruce, D. D., Rev. Elisha P. Swift, John Black, D. D., Rev. C. B. Maguire, Rev. John H. Hopkins, Rev. Charles Avery, Rev. Joseph Kerr, Rev. Joseph Stockton, Walter Forward; managers, William McCandless, Neville B. Craig, Richard Biddle, Harmar Denny, Thomas Enoch, W. W. Fetterman, John McKee, Charles L. Volz, Samuel Thompson, John D. Davis; Charles H. Israel, secretary; Mathew B. Lowrie, treasurer. The following constitution was adopted: Article I. This society shall be called the Pittsburg Colonization Society and shall be auxiliary to the American Colonization Society. Article 2. The object to which its views shall be exclusively directed is the colonization on the coast of Africa, with their own consent, of the people of color of the United States, and this society will contribute its funds and efforts to the attainment of that object, in aid of the American Colonization Society. Article 3. The officers of this society shall be a president, ten vice-presidents, ten managers, a secretary and a treasurer, who shall also be members of the board of managers, all of whom shall be elected at the annual meeting of the society, and shall have power to fill up all vacancies occurring during the year. Article 4. Every per- son who shall subscribe his name to this constitution and pay annually one dollar or upward, shall be a member of this society; and any person who shall at any one time subscribe and pay twenty dollars or upward shall be a member for life. Article 5. This society shall meet annually at such place as the man- agers may from time to time appoint, at Pittsburg, on the last Monday of October, at 7 o'clock p. m., for the purpose of electing officers and receiving the report of the board of managers. Article 6. There shall be a delegate appointed annu- ally to attend the meeting of the parent society at Washington and report the state of this society. Article 7. A member may at any time discontinue his subscription by notifying the treasurer thereof.
As early as 1826 a resolution was passed by the General Assembly approv- ing the acts of the American Colonization Society and instructing members of Congress from Pennsylvania to aid that organization by all proper and constitutional means. By the act of March 25, 1826, a fine of from $500 to $2,000 was placed upon all persons who took colored persons out of the State for the purpose of making slaves of them. By the act of January 23, 1829, the Gen- eral Assembly passed a resolution directing members of Congress to procure the passage of a law abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia. At this time there was in Canada a well-known colony of free blacks, the president of whom was James Brown. In 1821 it was stated that there were ten slaves in Allegheny County, while in 1828 there was but one. The ten seem to have been held unlawfully. The census of 1830 showed that there were thirty slaves in Allegheny County, of whom twenty-four were under the age of thirty-six years. This was shown to be an error, as under the law of 1780 all slavery in the State by this time would have terminated. It is not known when the first formal action to organize an abolition society as such was taken in Allegheny County. It may be said, however, that the churches were the first to publicly oppose that institution.
On July 4, 1832, a meeting was held at the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Pittsburg for the purpose of reorganizing the County Colonization Society. A committee was appointed to resuscitate the Pittsburg Colonization Society, which had been organized several years previously. John Wallace, Joseph Caskey, James H. McClelland, David Drennen and James Marshall were
813
HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
appointed such committee. Rev. A. W. Black was authorized to receive contri- butions to aid the society, and to be transmitted to the American Colonization Society, of which this was a branch. Of this meeting Gabriel Adams was presi- dent and T. L. McMillan secretary. The Pittsburg Anti-slavery Society held a well attended meeting in Dr. Williams' Baptist church on July 31, 1835, and at this time John Dickson was secretary.
In May, 1835, a meeting was held which organized an auxiliary society to the Young Men's State Colonization Society, and resolutions were passed favoring colonizing the colored people of the United States, both slave and free, on the western shore of Africa. A constitution and by-laws was adopted. Among those who took part in this meeting were Messrs. Upfold, Burke, Marks, Veech, Baird, Irwin and Shinn. This society perfected its organization and continued to hold regular meetings. Within a few years a strong anti-slavery element was developed in this vicinity. It was unfortunate that the opposition to slavery was divided between colonization and abolition. Friends of the former opposed the aggressive action of the latter, mainly in order to conciliate the Southern States, and because they believed that slavery should not be interfered with under the Constitution, where it already existed. At the meetings of the Coloniza- tion Society, and at the various abolition discussions, the enormity of the subject was laid bare before the people of this community. The question was often discussed by the leading professional men, including the faculty of the Western Pennsylvania University. These discussions took place usually either in one of the public halls of the city, in one of the churches, or in the schoolrooms of the University.
In August, 1835, a meeting of the friends of colonization and the opposers of abolitionism was held in Pittsburg, with Thomas Bakewell in the chair and Wilson McCandless and John M. Snowden as secretaries. Rev. Professor Halsey offered prayer, and James Veech, Esq., delivered a speech in favor of coloniza- tion, and ended by offering resolutions as to the best methods of banishing slavery from the United States. He was followed by A. W. Foster, Esq., who presented somewhat different views, and introduced resolutions differing some- what in character. A committee was appointed to invite the cooperation of the Pittsburg Colonization Society, and prepare a constitution in accordance with the rules of the State Colonization Society. An important resolution adopted at this meeting was as follows: "Resolved, That as citizens of Pennsylvania, within whose limits slavery has been entirely abolished and its future intro- duction interdicted by law, we are not morally nor politically responsible for its existence in any other States of the Union" (a). This resolution precipitated a discussion of great earnestness and no little acrimony. The friends of the col- onization scheme and the friends of abolitionism in Pittsburg were intensely hostile to each other, and did everything in their power, even to open rupture, to prevent accessions to the other organization. In their various meetings they not only spoke against the proceedings of the opposition, but passed resolu- tions denouncing the course pursued by the friends of the other cause. It was a question of principle, in which finally, as the years rolled round, the friends of abolitionism triumphed. At the meeting of August, 1835, the friends of colonization condemned the intemperate and alarming proceedings of the Abolitionists, as well as the violent conduct and extravagant claims of the slave- holders. The action of the mob at Nashville, Tennessee, in publicly whipping Mr. Dresser, the Abolitionist from Ohio, was denounced. Great interest was shown in the subject at this time. Several adjourned meetings were successively held in August. In one of the meetings it was declared that colonization did not
(a) Gazette, August, 1835.
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HISTORY OF PITTSBURG.
tend, as its opponents asserted, to perpetuate slavery, but that it had a con- trary tendency. Robert C. Grier, Esq., was elected president of the society, and James Veech, J. M. Snowden, George Darsie, W. L. Lowin and G. R. White were appointed a committee to secure an increase of membership. At this time the proceedings of the Abolition societies of Cincinnati were attracting national attention. Morgan Neville was vice-president of one of the societies there.
In February, 1836, the House of Representative, Congress, by a vote of 129 to 74, decided not to interfere with slavery in the District of Columbia, upon the grounds that such a course would be a violation of public faith. Messrs. Darlington and Denny, from Allegheny County, voted against this reso- lution.
The Colonization Society seems to have become extinct, because in May, 1836, a large meeting was held for its resuscitation. In the call for this meeting it was requested that all "opposed to the dangerous and visionary measures of certain associations calling themselves Abolitionists" should meet at the Young Men's Society Hall, corner of Fourth and Market streets, and this call was signed by the following citizens: George Upfold, Samuel Colwell, W. H. Wat- kins, Richard Lee, D. McDonald, R. C. Sellers, Samuel Baird, William McGookin, A. W. Marks, M. B. Lowrie, L. S. Johns, W. B. McClure, A. W. Foster, Sr., Thomas Fairman, H. D. Sellers, Alexander Hay, James Veech, George R. White, William M. Shinn, D. C. Harker, John D. Baird, Alexander Hannen, John D. McCord, D. Wagoner, Robert Burke, A. W. Foster, Jr., and Neville B. Craig. The objects of the society were stated to be as follows: "First -- To aid in freeing our country from slavery and its accompanying évil. Sec- ond-To provide for stopping the slave trade by colonizing and Christianizing Africa through the direct instrumentality of colored emigrants from the United States. Third-To promote, by all legal and constitutional means, the intellec- tual and moral improvement of the African race." At the meeting of the Col- onization Society, held May, 1836, ten individuals and firms pledged themselves to give $100 per annum for five years to support the society. These persons were N. B. Craig, S. Caldwell, W. Palmer, William Bell, Jr., the firm of B. F. & J. Bakewell, the firm of Baird, Leavett & Co., Jacob Forsyth, C. Brewer, Mrs. C. Brewer and John Kratzer. The action of the Committee of Vigilance of the parish of East Feliciana, Louisiana, in offering a reward of $50,000 for the abduction or capture of the famous Abolitionist, Arthur Tappan, of New York, met with severe denunciation from the citizens of Pittsburg, who assembled in public meeting to consider the subject. In April, 1836, there was published in the Biblical Repertory of this place a view of the subject of slavery, in which the scriptural argument defending slavery from a Biblical standpoint was set forth, and later the same article was issued in pamphlet form for gratuitous dis- tribution. It was said at that time that "religious lovers of slavery chuckled with inexpressible delight over the article as an unanswerable proof that the Bible sanctioned slavery." However, the article was answered in a very satisfactory manner to the Abolitionists by a lady connected with the Female Anti-Slavery Society of Pittsburg. In January, 1837, the Gazette refused to publish an adver- tisement for a runaway slave, though requested to do so by the Tennessee owner and certain other newspapers in distant cities. It said: "We have reflected carefully upon the subject, and have arrived at the deliberate conclusion not to publish such advertisements." The Abolitionists continued to grow rapidly in number, and in May, 1837, the Anti-Slavery Society here purchased the Pittsburg Christian Witness, to be used as the organ of their association. In the autumn of 1837 an interesting series of debates was held here between Rev. J. Blanchard, Abolitionist, of Andover Seminary, Mass., and Rev. J. B. Pinney, colonization
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