Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1836-12-01

your people towards us, I! we had treated
you as you have treated us, | declare, in
the presence of God, my firm belief, that if
things go on much longer as they have pro-
gressetl for the last two years, there will not
be found on earth men more estranyed from
each other than the professors Of religion in
the two countries. 1 have already witness
sed the spectacle ola part of the religious
press in England, urging forward the gov
ernment of the country TO an Intervention, il
necessary, with arms, against the progress
of liberty in Texas, upon the false and iynor-
ant preteXt that the government of the Uni.
ted States, unless prevented by Iorce, would
possess itself OF that country, and introduce
slavery there! The people generally of A
merca arc long ago reused to the highest
pitch OF indignation against your proceed
[ ings in this whole business. You have now
| reduced The christians of that country 10
position, where, il they act with YOU or adj
nit your previous statements or principles
! they become, on your own showing, infa-
nous You may now behold in the prece>
ding statement THE posture in which all the
world hui yourselves have viewed you du-
ring all This terrible affair
| Was IL ignorance Of your real condition, or
was il ignorance, still more gross, of ours,
| or was il national vanity and prejudice, or
was il all these unretlly, that impellur the
abolition party in Britain Ia pursue the
course they have adopted? II is not my de-
! sire 10 give offence, and l will not the re!ore
attempt 10 decide. Your party profess 10
! have full and accurate information about us {:
though il is very odd that at your meeting,
DR.: ueugh moved, and MIR. Eatlie seconded,
and your every numerous and highly respet-
table meeting" unanimously voted, that our
national constitution contained very i'm.
portant principle which is not only not in il al
all, hut which The very discussion you " ere
pronouncing on er cuthcdra, proved n 81 to I've
III II Well informed gentlemen, not 10
say just Judges, should he more cautious. Ii
does not become me TO say that your party
are ignorant Of the condition of their own
country but if they knew the facts now
commended Ia their notice, il is not easy 10
reconcile their singular disregard of them,
with their rampant tenevolence on the other
side OF the water and If they were unac-
fuainted with them they had better STAY at
Jericho Till their boards be grown. U pom
the delicate and painful subject of national
prejudice, il is difficult TO speak properly at
all but especially 80 TO gentlemen whose
passion lies in surrounding all prejudice
whatever. The John BulInewspaper is said
To represent the views and feelings of the eS-
trene High Church and Tory party the
Record is the repuied vehicle Tor Low Church
sentiments /; the Patriot, am told, stands
| IN the same relations To the Congregational
Dissen:ers, embracing both Baptisis and In
dependents " no are generally Wings and
Radicals. The Times, which from Tia great
ability, must always WELD vast in fluence.
is considered the organ of the Independent
! Conservative interest. | am very iikely ia
be mistaken /; hui have tried TO inform nv
sell OF your condition ard this is what |
learn. BE so good, Sir, as To read any edi-
torial article in either of these papers, inr the
last four months, in which il was necessary
! to express opinions or feelings in regard to
the United States, and you Ill at once catch
my present drifi. But 10 aid such es have
neither time nor opportunity for such re-
view, excuse the following sample from Ia te
number of thelast named paper :-"In short,
This IS just the wreiched Colonization
scheme, To which these pIous slave owners.
the Bapti>ts, Independents, and Presby,e
ans OF The United States, have betaken them
selves as plaster 10 their oonsciences rank
and rotten with hypocrisy and thong h that
holy American humbug may command a
congenlal support from the canting Zealots of
liberty and lashes. haileluahs and horse
VII: rpings, Bibles and brutality, missions
and murders, religious revivals merging in
slave auctions, and love>ieasts ierminatinp
IN Lynch law, &c. &c. IL is but Justice TO
say. that have seen equal erossness only in
The John BuU, and in Mr. Thnmpson's
speeches, 10 some OF which latter, this has
most suspicious resemblance. Ii Is my du,y
also 10 declare, which do with sincere pIea-
sure, that The present Foreign Secretary of
the King Gord Palmerstnn) and the ionrn
ais which speak The sentiments of the Gov
eminent are by far better informed, and
m"re candid in regard 10 American affairs in
general, than any others whose published
views have came TO my knowledge
may In the eEd be permitted TO suggest.
That perhaps too much has been said in rela.
lion to The existing and prospective inter
course between the churches OF the two coun-
tries and possibly too much consequence at
iathed to II by my self, az well as others. I
nave uttered the sentiments OF those ~ no sent
me, IN 'beir name and entleavore.i TO en-
force them by such considerations as appear
Ell to me just and appropriate. But I am
not aware of any thing having transpireJ
which would justify the supposilion that A,
merica, or her churches, looked for any adj
vantage which was not likely 10 be reeipro
cal, in being permitted 10 hold this inter
course. S;ifl less Can / conceive that apy
one could be justified in demanding of our
churches, az conditions OF IL, not only sdhe-
sion To moral principles which we reject, but
The procurement Of political changes which
are impossible. Yet, il comprehend the
driii oil all British aboliiionism, il stops moi a
whit short Of this.
III was The world, more than America. we
sought to benefit. We had no purpose of
attempting - resolution in Britain nor did
u enler mic our conceptions that reyolu
ti"h IN america, of the most terrible extent.
would be dictated TO US in Terms hardly sum