Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-09-19
ASolie5o,sisssa EsebggGlcel.
From The ". York Commercial 11dcertiser
ANOTHER VOICE OF WISDOM.

| ~ Is Win strong lee!InSS OF grati.lcatU.
that we place telore our readers the follow
ing eloquent appeal 10 the misguided mer
who are iahoring So earnestly To distract an,
div lido The Union, on the difficult subject O
slavery. II is from the eminent and vener
able ROC Err NJ. Su FERN N--with tu
one exception the mos, accomplished lawye
and ablesi man OF New England-and wa
wIltteu in answer 10 an invitation from tn,
Ani.S!aveTy Society OF this State, 10 bt
present al the convention recently held il
Albany.
FAIRFIELD. June &c, 1889.
GenlIemen--I have received your letter
oi the 2Oih inst Inviting me TO attend ma
,innal anti.slavery convention 10 he held al
Albany, and requesting my views Of the
subject, il should he unable 10 attend
| /: is much 10 be regretted that an oi,iet
so dear In humanity, and so in,portant to our
national honor, the abolition o! slavery in
the United States, is mol pursued in man :
ncr more conducive 10 its accomplishment
than has hitherto been adopted by the Anti
slavery Society. haze no reason to doubt
The benevoence or integrity of lis members;
but the maXimS of wisdom may be violated
by the rashness Of virtuous zeal, as really as
| by the aywardness OF a corrupted mind.
| however differently they may be viewed by
he Casuist--and sufieIings, unintentionally
Infected or prolonged by the errors OF q
friend may I've as intense as IL caused by the
malice Of an enemy. That emancipation
Can never he effected in the slave states hut
10y voluntary enaCtments of their own legis-
laiures, or by successful resistance on the
part Of the slaves, is often admitted in your
publications, and the latter course you most
justly dec:y. Thus the declaration OF The
Anii-slavery Society, convened al Philadel
phia in December, 1883, in contrasting The
ri Gf l,fh lr
national liberty, with that which your soci-
ely ale making IN behalf oi The slaves, eX>
p:essiy says that "their principles led them
10 wage war against their oppressors and to
spill human blood like water in order To lie
free. Ours forbid the doing OF evil tina, good
may come, and lead US TO rel eci and TO en-
irea, the oppressed 10 reject, the OF all
carnal Weapons for deliy erance from bon
dage I"
The same declaration in regard TO the
power OF the several States, has this language:
We fully and unanimously recognize the
sovereignty OF each state 10 legisaie exclu
sIyciy on the subject OF The slavery which is
tolerated within lis limits Both these
just opinions, are still more lorcihly annuun
ced in your "4zadress Ia tie Pu6!ic," OF the
Sid of September, 1885. Now il is " ell
known that slavery exists only by force OF
nicIrai law and can never he abolished
by those which you all allow To he the only
admissible means of its abolition, until those
who enact the laws shall uoluafarily restore
to the oppres sed negro the liberty 10 " ich
all men are entitled How is this TO lie &C.
complished? BY what means Can slave ow-
ners be induced 10 consent 10 The manumis.
sion Of their slaves? Until ,ha! consent is
obtained, lie slave, as you admit, will be
hei,i ia boUiage. Can uu discern that any
progress has been ~ ade toward this most d.
sifahle result, by the mems "hich you have
hitherto adopted /? d. The people al the
Southern. STATES Aaniiest disposi,n 10 yield
The point, or begin 10 listen 10 your persua.
sions, as il the il minds were appfoXmiting
toward conviction Ga HE contrary, since
the institution OF The Anti slavery Society,
have they not more closely riveted the
chains OF The unhappy African, Are not Ike
priv I!eges of The slaves for acquiring ins!ruc-
ton, and attaining intellectual and moral 81
ovation, much abridged within The last lew
years? Not long since, the question OF
gradual emancipation was gra,ely debated
10 the Legislatures o! some OF The priD Cipal
| Southern States.
The phianihropist began to rejoice in the
anticipation Of measures similar to those
whioh have restored liberty to The colored
population Of The North. But recently even
among the people Of the Tree states. a spirit
has existed from some cause against the
course adopted by the Anu slavery Society,
which has III antics ed keeuer bitterness, and
exhibited more open violence, than were ev-
CT before excited in this country, again: a;,y
efforts for moral reformation. What is the
feature in the proceedings of the friends OF
emancipation which has caused this uupre-
cedented excitement in The Iiee states, and
laid in slumber, or excited into violent re-
action, the incirieni sentiments OF liberty
which were felt d; The South? Our North.
ceptIons, disapproved of slavery They
have no interest IN lis conli: uance II is
wholly abhorrent 10 The principles which
, they have been taugh; 90 cher ish 10 the
| days Of our fathers, hen il was abolished al
The North, every class OF the community,
/ except, perhaps, a few of The Shareholders,
| favored its abolition. = o riots o. eXcitemenls
disturbed or threatened the public peace
Al the South many Of The most distinguished
| men concurred in our sentiments, ard al
dresses OF unriyaIed eloquence we're made in
lSyOr Of emancipation, in the midst Of pow e
erful slave. holders Witness tina, OF the
celebrated Pinkney, IN Maryland, more
than hall a century ego. Why is it tbsl
the late eXertjous III this holy cause have
met, both ot the North and South, the most
determined and often the nlosl lswle rcsis-
lance: And ~by has open yioeaco been
mos, uDjuslihably wiuked al and tolerated
10y great mass Of our most respectable Cit
) liens, and even by the Ulcers OF Ilie 10"
Either The people OF the whole nation hay,
: undergone a change OF sentiment aud char
5 aCter IN regard 10 the great evil Of slavery
of, .ct, y,