Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1839-08-29
from The N. Y. Comnercial Advertiser, Aug. Is
THE VOICE. or WISDOM

THE VOICE OF WISDOM.
1t is with feelings of qualification that we place be-
oie our readers the following eloquent appeal 10 the
men who are laborng SO earnestly to dis
act ana divide the Union, the difficult subject Of
slayery; y IS from the eminent and venerable RO
GEf NJ. SHERMAN-one Of The most accomplish
ed lawyers and ablest men in New.England- and
Slavery Society of The State Of NewYork, TO be pre-
sent al the convention recently held in Albany.
FAIRFIELD, June &c, 1889.
uENTLEMEN-I have received your letter of the 10Th
convention to be held at Albany, andfequestng my
views OF the subject, If should be unable to attend.
1t IS much to be regretted that an object SO dear to
humanity, and SO important TO our national honor, as
the abolition of slavery in the United States is not
pursued in manner more conductive to its accom-
pllshmen than has hitherto been adopted by the An
ti-Slavery Society. have no reason doubt the be-
nevolence or integrity Of its members but the max
inns OF wisdom may be violated by the rashness Of
vlrtuons ZEAL as really as by the waywardness OF
corrupted mind-however differently they may be
viewed by the casuistand suferings, unintentional
" inflicted, or prolonged by the errors OF friend may
De as intense as if caused by the malice OF an enemy.
That emancipation can never be effected IN the slave
gslatures or by successful resistance the part Of
the slaves, is often admitted in your publications, and
me latter course You most Justly decry. Thus the
DECLARATION Of the Anti;Savery Society convened at
vouonary struggle Of our fathers for national liberty,
with that which your society are making IN behalf Of
the save expressly says that "thelr principles led
them TO wage war against their oppressors, and to
spill human blood like water in order to be free
Ours forbid the doing of evil that good may come,
and lead to reject and to enlreat the oppressed to
reject the use Of all carnal weapons for deiYerance
The same declaration, in regard 10. the power of
the several States, has this language fully and
unanimously recognize the sovereignty Of each State
which is tolerated within its limits" Both these just
opinions are more forcbly announced in your !" Ad-
dress TO the Public" of the Sd Of September 1885,
Now is well known that slavery EXISTS only by force
OF municipal law, and can never be abolished, by
those which you all allow to be the only admissible
means gifts abolition until those who enact the laws
saii votuntarty restore to the oppressed negro the
be accomplished? BY what meanscan slave owners
be induced to consent to the mannmisson Of their
slaves? Until that consent is obtained, the slave,
you admit, will be held in bondage Canyon discern
desirable result, by the means which You have hith-
erto adopted Do the people Of tie Southern States
manifest disposition to yield tho point, or begin to
proximating toward conviction 7 On the contrary,
since the institution of the AntfSavery. Society,
have they not closely rveted the chains Of the
s nnSapy As nS the Of the
lectual and moral elevation, much abridged within
the last few years Not long since, the question Of
gradual emancipation we, debated in the
The philanthroplst began to rejoice in the anticipa
ton of measures similar to those which have restored
liberty to the colored population Of the North. But
a spirit has existed, from some cause, against the
course adopted by the Anti-slavery Society, which
has manifested keener bitterness and exhibited more
open violence than were ever before excited in this
What is the feature in the proceedings Of the friends
of emancipation which has caused this unpreccden-
ted excitement in the free states and laid in slumber,
or excited into violent reaction, the ncipient senti-
menls Of liberty which were felt at the South Our
Northern people have ever, with few, if any excep-
tons, disapproved of slavery They have no inter
est in its continuance. wholly eonorrent to the
the days of fathers, when 1t was abolished at the
North every class Of the community except perhaps,
few of the shareholders, favored jig abolition. No
riots or excitemens disturbed threatened the pub
lie peace At the South, many OF the most distin-
puished men cencurred in our sentiments and adj
dresses of unrivaled eloquence were made in favor
Of IN nS ,gsL Q. pSGpsru slayehSId
ryand, more than half q century ago. Why is it
that the late exerions in this holy cause have met
both at the North and South, tho most determined
and often the most lawless resistance? And why
has open violence been most unjustfably winked at
and tolerated by great mass OF our most respectable
citizens and even by the officers Of the law7 Either
the people of the whole s nation nave undergone
great evil of slavery, the manner OF operation has
been most unhapplly erroneous. As the change Of
public feeling occurred soon after the commencement
who originated the organized anti-slavery associa-
lions. think that change has resulted from those
proceedings The peculiar feature, which, as APP
Prehend has caused mem 20 oeeds 'nea own oo!ec.
distinguished Not only the slave-ho!den, but the
ministers of religion, and all others who do not par
take Of this characteristic popularity are prescribed
and spoken Of in language Of reproach.
Could il bo supposed that people 50 highsprited
as the ala holders Of the South could be cowed into
COMPLIANCE by bitter reproaches Had the Rev. DR..
S<s,1.I ~v1w< A.
Edwards. and others VINO apuonScy eSp0aseo .ne mea,
aer the revolutionary war called slave-holders MAN
srEarrRs, in staring capitals az y done in the deca
ration Of the nd e. i nns e %ne H.,
Mnrtbern Yankee more of resentment than convic-
lion and less of compliance than opposition The
SmberT, people have fe and e great degree just
~ ,he;r fears. and not merely their understandings
~ scnnsc;ences They have been addressed in terms
n onnrobrious crmnaton rarely softened by the Ian
guage Of respect Inns has b ade si them inaccessible
f"sorable Influence, and has, fear, put off cmanci
nation for at least half o century beyond the PERIOD
when Il might have been effected and excluded
Ga ,he slaves those moral and religious influences
,.h;ch e we're conducive their present AMI future
cnoJ This manner of addressing the public on these
ssub;ec,s en- never result in the good which hon.
esy intended, but must con.rue g lender ess ana
~ Gid missionary, thus addressing civilized
Ias,ben. hone for a favorable audience?
II the whole North were united N me course II
@ -, ..rdencv TO overcome the opposition Of the
sontb II might dissolve our national Union which
yc nroess. and trust with sincerity, TO appreciate
according is ne:a os r., w0Ehb1s would o"y
,sbch thew viii never adopt from coercion. unless by
ssrwis ;nsuyrection, which your society pontedly
deprecaie think TOO tina. ihe Amsriea d. Anu,
- AZ .i.se and converting bis hopes into dark des-
nar bnt the free negroes are suffering under the pref
pdce and party spirit which il ;nteperaGcs hss en-
eendered Party spirit enireches The soul sId ,1s,,-
ence Thai society is also engendeTing the peace and
nnion Of he churches in the United States, by ma
king participation in their excesses PractSsa ,S:ys
not in form, term OF communlG.n. IN an