Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1839-09-02

hesly 10 distract and divide the Union. the dife
subject oil slavery. Il is from the eminent and yene-
rable ROGER NJ. SHERMAN--wi,h but one ex.
! cepllon the most accomplished lawyer and ablest
man OF New Eneiand-and WIS written in answer
TO an invitation from the the Anti Slavery Society Of
tins State TO be present at the convention recently
held in Albany.
FAIRFIELD, June o6, 1889
'entlemen-l have received YOUR letter Of The
2oth instant inviting Ia atierd the national anti
slavery eonventiont 10 held he NJ Albany. and reuuas
ting my views of the subject If should be IN, allie In
| attend
II ~ much TO he regretted that an object SO
ueaf TO humanity. aud 50 important our national
honof rs The abolition OF shaver, in the United States
IS h"i pursued N n manner more conducive 10 IFS
accompaniment than has hitherto been adopted by
the An-slavery Society. | have no reason 10 doub,
the beoesolenee or integrity Of It's members but
! The maxlms OF wisdom may be violated ly the RASH
ness oi vrtuous zeal us really rs by the wayward-
ness of n corrupted mind-howevcr differently they
may beviewed BY the casust--and sulrrinps unnlen-
onally inflicted OF prolonged by the errors of ,n nd
may he as intense is II caused by the malice OF an
enemy. That emancipation can never be effected IN
The slave states but by voluntary ments Of their
own legislatures, or by successful resistance on the
par' oihe slaves. is often admitted IN YOU, publica
/ ions. and the latter course YOU Justly decfy
nus the declaration OF the Ami slavery Society.
convened nj Philadelphia IN Dec enbef 1883. IN con
uasl'he The revolutionary Struggle Of fathers,
| iot natana liberty with that which yout society
aro making IN behalf OF the slaves expressly says thai
" tlleir principles led them wage war against thrir
orpressors aud 10 spill human blood like water IN or
der'o be fee. On,s forbid the doing of evil that
good may cone aud lead us TO tjrci, and to en-.
ueat The oppressed To reject the use OF all cafnal
weapons lof dchverance from bondage
The same declaration IN regard to the power Of
HE several states. has tins language !" We fully
and unanimously recognize the sovereignty Of each
state 10 epislate exclusively tie sui eoi OF the
slavery which tolerated within It's hunts" Both
these just opi"lons, are still moe oruIbiy announced
IN Your !" AdireSS 10 he fabiic," of HE 3td OF
Sep ember, 1885 Now II is we'll known that slavery |
CASTS only ny iotee OF municipal law. and can nty
60 be abolished by those mich you all allow 10 be
only admlss biz me ms Of iis BOLTON until those
WI" enael The Laws shall r0iuafariig restore the
oppressed negro the Liberty 10 which all men
u'ed'-ii"w Is tins 10 be accomplished! BY what |
means can slave owners he induced consent 10 The
nanun,lsslon OF their slaves Unul thai conscntis
obtaned the slave. ms you adult, viii be held III
bondage. Can you discern that any progress has
heen made toward his most desirable result by the I
means winch you have hitherto adopted DO the
people oi the South.rn states nan, 81 a disposition
To yield The poln Of begin to listen Ia your prrsna.
SONS, as II uiru ntnds were experimenting toward I
CONVICTION ! Olthe contrary, since The Institution
oi the AntI-sovrIs Society. have they not more
clls' ly rye;ed lie hams # the unhappy African
Are moi the privileges Of The slaves for acquiring
instruction, aud attaining intellectual aud moral ee-
yalon, much Abridged within the last few Yeas
MOI long suce lheqneslIon oil gradual emancipation
gravely debated in the legislatures Of some of
the principal Southern states.
The plnlahthroPisl began TO rejoice in the ancl-
patton Ct measures similar To those which have re-
stored liberty the colored population Of tho |
NoIth. Bnt recently, even among the people of the
iier states, split has existed from some cause a
eainst the course adapted by the AGti-sasefy Socie
~, which has manff sled keener bitterness, aud ex-
hlbied Dote zen violence, than were ever before
excited III This country. against any lofls for moral
determinations WHAT'S the leaiufc IN the proceedings
Of the friends of emancipation which has caused this
unprt cedeued excitement IN tie fee states, aud Land
IN slumbef, excited into violent reaction. the IN
cipient sentiments Of liberty which were felt at The
South Our Northern people have ever. with few,
II any exceptions, dlsappreyed Of slavery. They |
have no interest IN lis continuance. 1t Is whny alb
horent 10 tho principles which they have been /
taught 10 cherish. In The days OF our fathers.
when 1t was abolished at the North, class o the
community, except, perhaps, few OF he slave
holders favored MS abolition. No tIois excite.
ments disturbed OF threatened the public peace.
At the South many Of tie most distinguish |
ed men toncuued IN our sentiments, and adj !
dresses OF unrwalled eloqnente were made IN favor
OF emancipation, IN The midst OF powerful slave hol
deus. Witness that Of The celebrated Pmkney, IN Ma
ryldnd. mnrc than hall aeentuy ago. Why 1t that
the tate exerlions hs holy cause have met, both
the North aud South. The most DETERMINED Snd OF
ten the most aeiess resist nee And WHY has open
violence been most ntJus flbl, W ME q aud t"ie-
raled by great mass Of most respectable cili-
zens. aud even by tie officers Of The law Either
the people Of the whole nalinn have undergone a
change II sentiment and character IN regard 10 the
great evil Of slavery, or the manner OF operation
has been mos' unhapply erroneous. As The change
OF public feeling urred after the commence
inert oil The publications. aud other proceedings OF
those who originated the organized ami slavery as
+ sociatn rs, think that change has resulted from
/ those proceedings. The peculiar fratute, which, rs
/ / appiehend, has caused them to defeat lhen own
object, IS the ertreme and uiempcrae zeal by Which
hsy afe dlstIngushed.-Not only the shareholders
but the ministers OF religion, aud all others who do
not parake OF this characteristic peculiarly, are
Inscribed aud spoken Of in language of
proach
Could ii be supposed that people so high spirit
ed as the slave holder, OF the South could be cowed
INFO compliance by bitter teptoacbes Had the Rev.
Doctor Edwards, and others who publicly espoused
the measures of emancipation adopted IN Cuuneoll-
cut soon after the revolutionary wai, called slave
holders MAN EATERS, in staring capitals. as is done
IN the declaration q, the conveniInu Philadelph
to which | have bel,re alluded would IL not have
excited, in the Northern Yankee, more OF resrn,-
ment than conviction, and less OF compliance than
opposition! The Southern people have felt, and 10
great degree, Justly, that The abolitionsls OF The
North we're addressing Their fears, aud not rferey
ther understandings or conscienees. They have
been addressed in terms OF opIrobrious cripnatfoD
roIely SO tened by The language OF respect. This
has made them mace esslbe has wrought up IA
, temper which iessis couvicon or favorable iuhu-
ence, aud has ieat. put off emancipation for at least
half century beyond the period when II might have
been fife, tel. and xcluded from The slaves those
moral and religious Influences which wee con-
duclye to lherprcsent and nure good. j his man