Newark (OH) Advocate, "Slave Stampedes," September 29, 1858

              Slave Stampedes.

   In looking over out Maryland exchanges we have recently been struck by the number of advertisements of runaway slaves.––On our border counties especially that species of property is becoming a very unsafe investment. The evil too seems to be constantly increasing, and it is not singular that the owners of slaves are beginning to arouse themselves to the necessity of instituting some effectual means of protection from such great and frequently recurring losses, which annually amount throughout the State to sums that would scarcely be credited.––Meetings of slave-owners have been held in Kent, Queen Anne's, Worcester, and other countries, with the view of calling an Eastern Shore Convention, to take into consideration the existing state of things, and devise, if possible, a remedy. A meeting of the slave-holders and others of Dorchester county, for the same objects, is also called for the 14th instant at Snow Hill. These meetings have so far been numerously attended not only by those personally holding slave property, but by other citizens, and have manifested earnest and determined feeling.

   The Convention will be held, though the time and place have not yet been determined, and the delegates to it have yet to be elected. The proposition has met with such general approval, and is so obviously requisite, that there is no doubt it will make a point of union and organization, which cannot fail to some extent at least to check the evil complained of. When it assembles, the body will have serious work before it.––Something more than speeches and resolutions will be required, and measures permanent in their character will have to be determined on, even though they may involve a considerable expenditure of money. Large amounts are appropriated by Abolition societies for the purpose of engaging parties to run off slaves, which operate as so many rewards. A regular system is in operation for this purpose. Certain parties, as appears from Abolition society reports, receive one hundred and fifty dollars for every adult male slave and one hundred dollars for sever female slave they decoy from their masters. These persons in their turn employ agents to effect their objects, and are thus enabled to make a lucrative business of plundering the citizens of our State of their property. One of these slave-stealers residing in Delaware showed by his books to the society that employe him that he had run off to the free States 2,059 slaves. 

               [Baltimore American.