[Fayetteville, Ark.] The Arkansian, January 20, 1860
Messrs. Editors.—I beg leave to suggest that until we pull the beam out of our own eye, we had better leave the moat in our neighbor’s alone. All your comments, though meant for a good purpose, against Abolitionists in the free States, are like so much chaff before the wind, if the people of Fayetteville harbor Abolitionists in their midst. If Abolitionists can be tolerated at home, our mouths should be closed towards those in the free States. If we can take by the hand here in a State where slavery exists; the “free Soiler” the “free State man” and the “negro equality”—individual, why should we clamor against the people of the free States for tolerating this freedom of opinion? Messrs. Editors, let us “put our own house in order” and no longer suffer Fayetteville to be the reproach of our neighbors; let us no longer be regarded as harborers of Abolitionists.
It is said we have in our midst some of the filthiest Abolitionists, both men and women. One single instance, the report of which is current among us, is sufficient to turn the stomach of all decent white men; viz: that a certain white “lady” entertained at her house, until dark, a mulatto slave, and as the latter started to go home, she requested her dusky guest to wait a few minutes, when she would send for her cousin to escort her home.
A correspondent in the last Van Buren Press alludes to other cases, equally disgusting. It is time that our citizens should take this matter in hand, give it due investigation, and all guilty persons should be expelled from the limits of the city.—If some such course is not adopted the character of our city will suffer; and our schools will go down. Who of our friends abroad, will send their children to Fayetteville for educational purposes, when the present condition of society here is known?
Jeemes.