Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-01-06
For the Telegraph.
HARVEY CURTIS yALEDICFORY.

If Freedom a letter, from Rev. Harvey
Curtis, touching the statement of my diff
;ul,ies with himself and the Congregational /
church of this town, Cor some of It's mem
,efs,) which was published in the Tele-
graph Of 9th Of last month gand waving
his letter 10 be pretty fair specimen 81 the
spirit he has manifested towards me for
nearly year and half past, wish you
to present il TO your readers, together with
a few notes which shall append 10 it.
From the Voice Of Freedom.
Letter Of Mr.. Curtis.
Brandon, DsesI4, 1910.
Mr.. KNAPP.-I was much surprised
this morning, on opening the last Voice
of Freedom, to find under your editoria!
bead an endorsement of the miserable
stuff published in the Vt Telegraph. la)
That Mr.. Holcomb should write aud that
the editor of the Telegraph should pub
lish 0ny Thing which might crafty per-
sonal lll-win IS not surprising. 1s..u .nns
they should do il Just at this time, when
| am leoying for a distant part Of the
country. TO reside among strangers, is not
surprising. They might hope 10 be able
toawaken prgudlces and suspicious among
abolitionists at least abroad, and thus do at
the West what they could not do where
the parties are known. e. injure my
character and circumscribe my useful
ness (b) Had this attack, however, been
confined to the Telegraph | should not
have noticed it, could not so far forget
what Is due to decent self-respect as to
answer the attack In the columns of that
paper. (c) Nor should deem any an
swer necessary. But when you alIude TO
it as "a Statement of the doings" Of the
parties, when it is throughout merscar-
acatare, i'd and seemto endorse it as a cor
rect history Of facts, and then append TO it
your own destinations, which | must say
are as ungentlema.liy as they are unchrist
iau-l feel compelled to reply In rela-
ton to Mr.. Hoicomb's narrative | should
not ettempt particular reply. A half
dozen sheets would hardly be sufficient to
give history of the whole Meter (e)
Mr.. Holcomb at the time of writing that
article was under discipline in the church,
and such has been his conduct for the last
yearthat though more than halfthe church
are abolitlonisls, yea, the whole of them,
if you will recognize the editor OF the N.
Y. Evangelist to be an abolitonist, (f)
still on the question of sustaining the com
plant against MIR. Holcomb and sending
him letter of admonition, but one single
hand aoas raised IN The Negative. (g)
But my chief design was to notice some
of YOUR remarks. You mention my dis
missal in such a manner as TO convey the
impression that it has some connection
with II it was not directly in consequence
of my opposition to Mr.. Holcomb. There
was no connection whatever between these
Two facts. The church and society acre
neber mors united among themselves, nor
~ the support Of their minister than ,chen
he asked dismissioa. leave this peorl,
in consequence of an affection ofmy throat
which has been growing worse for two
years, and threatened to lay me entirely
aside from public speaking, unless gave
up my pastoral relation. Ii any thing
could nave overcome my conviction ofthe
duty OF relinquishing my pastoral charge
strong expression of reluctance and regre
with which my people met the propose
to dismiss me. | state this, not boasting
! ", but only as reply 10 the inslanatlor
/ in your last No that my q betaceeuaty' hat
something to do with my removal. Again
you speak SO as to convey the impression
that | have made some pretty decided
pro-slavery movements on the eve of m
!. departure to the South, as tho | had nc
acted coascientiously but from some selfis
or interested motives. Il is Sufficient t
reply to that thrust thai ereay act aIlude
TO IN has Narrative and complained Of a
pro-slavery aoas pen formed qchile I fuIt
expected TO lice and die IN Brandon.
IS only. two months since removal froT
this place was proposed to me, or thong |
of by me. | would fain hope that vo
were misled by the article in The I'eiegrap
: and penned your editorial remarks hastil,
, shall be slow to believe that the organ I
the State Ant; Slavery Society will el
dorse the misrepresentation of apostal
professors of religion, and on such aniho
: iity deliberately assail theacharaeter
: ministers. (h) lit has come to this th
Garrison fag had bettsf be run up at ono
land all Christians will know whatto 10
relation 70 il. | love t!n cause of hunla
liberty, but / love thess Rpse Of Chris nor
) | would pursue both ends il conjunction
But If trey are rent asunder and am n
permitted 10 labor for both must see
the salvation Of souls rather than. todse
NV aim has been and shall be to plea:
1 God first and man aflerwar1 Ito be
Christian FIRST and an abolitionist afe
ward.
am sir,
+ Yours respectfully,
! II. CuRTIs