Abolition

Title: Anti-abolitionist Article
Type: Newspaper
Date: 1860
Source: St. Paul Pioneer and Democrat

Description: The author of this article for the St. Paul Pioneer and Democrat disagrees with the actions of the abolitionists in the Eliza Winston rescue.
Read Transcription

Activities:

1. What in this article almost immediately reveals the opinion of its author?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The title of the article refers to Eliza's rescue as an "abduction" and calls the actions of the abolitionists "outrageous." This shows that the author disagrees with the way in which Eliza was freed.
2. Why do you think the author of this article makes the point that the sheriff of the town was particularly courteous toward the Christmases when everyone else was not?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The author might not want to offend the sheriff of the town or hurt his reputation.
3. How can this source give you a hint about what political party the author might have sided with?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The newspaper is called the Pioneer and Democrat, and the author attacks the Republicans who were involved in the event. These two facts suggest the author is a Democrat.
4. What was the author's final conclusion about why Eliza was freed?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The author suggests that Eliza was freed more to embarrass Col. Christmas and his family than to give Elizaher freedom from slavery.