A small mistake in the date.
--
Dr. Francis Lieber, editor of the
Encyclopedia Americana, in 14 volumes, and formerly
Professor in the
South Carolina College, stated at a late meeting of the New York Historical Society, to honor the memory of
Mr. Pettigrew, of
Charleston, that the Nullifiers in 1832 had prepared to massacre the
Union men, and that as a signal to begin the work of death, one of the adherents of
Gen. Hamilton knocked down
Mr. Pettigrew, whose friends were ready to meet the issue.
The awful result was prevented by the presence of mind and forbearance of
Mr. P., who quickly arose to his feet and declared that he had stumbled.
But for this explanation and turn of the difficulty the battle would have been tolled in
Charleston and the bloody drama would have opened.
All these facts were related by
Prof. Lieber as occurring within his own knowledge.
Unfortunately for his reputation, a Columbia paper (the
South Carolinian) asserts that
Prof. L. was not in the
State during the nullification excitement, and did not remove there until 1835, when, through the influence of
General Hamilton, he obtained a chair in the
College.
Dr. Lieber resided fourteen years in
Columbia, and in 1849 voluntarily signed the
State Rights Association, the object of which was to protect slavery from Federal encroachment.
He is now a rank Abolitionist, though once a slaveholder.
His gallant son perished in battle while defending the rights of the
South.
How different their characters in the estimation of all honest men!