New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-05-18
To Rev. Henry -Icer, Chaplain L. :. senate.

rL.r.ul.4.s'rt aIf llr IfllHls
DrAR -H. ln my letter 20 the Editor ol the
Z tsrp isr-.ll describing the scene a. the Rail-
road Depot. mentioned the fact that YOU being
present. greeted the Baltimore slave-deaicr by
extending 10 hmm the hand OF friendship while he
vas actually employed in one Of the most revolt
iuv crimes that ever di..r,ced humanity. ! am
unaware that that statement or amy other part OF
tle lette-. contained my siur up0n the Church
with which sou are connected, unless discredlt
mny be- reflected upon il by the circumstance that
70 contains within if- bosom those who uphold, by
the iuauece of position tie abominstion OF Slave
rs. II .rmains ~ be seen sir, whether the course
ou pursued af the could, BY fair inference. be-
supposed 20 encourage slavery and slavc-dealers.
Tn YOUR atiless ~ lue through the columns Of
The mon, yQu say distinctly IL shook hands
with Mr. = and that YOU Ould do so with any
one. The accuracy OF my description Of other
parrs the drama you do not in the least deny you
40 not say That the not falling from the eyes
g separated husbands and wives parents and children
you do NOT deny that fhc scene was revolving ~ affeS
heart
Yci IN the midst Of thi. revolving spectacle. you
.frlkc Aauda It'll the prime acfOrt You are 90 AiLc
affected by rhe brutal business that you calmly re-
coruize and shake hands with the dealer. Now .r,
ak on h from those circumstances winch you 40 nor
deny and those which you distinctly admit al hone.i
inference might be drawn, that you JHsfug slave
IS 9" Lctus sec.
Upou til. point YOU say YOU went into the 20
Henry % member Of your Church. II j. true. that
while one Ot lclry hands heavily Ironcd TO mat
of fellow victim you shook the other, and posed Tie
ordinary sauiatI0u with him. But you hed no CONVEX
.aiion with him When he wa. about starting 20 iand
of torture and early dcattO ta' H1Gts OF tuls uhou
-r0u had DO word OF cOu.Oati0n-nO word of hope
for this tender lamb OF your flock But you oid enter
into couvcr-arou with his tOuneutOr With him you
talked freely aud smiled ia The presence Of those We
'iu. amid tiat should have pierced with pain
and horror the hardest heart What must have been
Hcury emotions when he saw that hand from which
be- bad received the cuhcms % thr-ts body ana
blood esfcudcd 10 greet The wretch Who was con
.i.ng him 20 premature grave by thl. act express
iu. not ceusurr bur encouragement did YOU not JUS
fifv lhc trad. ID human beings Did you not assume
The moral responsibility Of the slave deacrf Can you
1--WE couuicn4ncs 20 one engaged in crime. without
partaking of nj criminaity Would yor grasp the
red right hand Of the assassin Would you reach form
YOUR hand n any to one that hold the torch of nccn-
dsri-n Would the cOmmunlty-would youf own
con-cencchoid YOU guililcs, Of ne blow that pierced
the victim or of tho act that fired the dwelling ior
c0HOt gre AID dHo c1nHitnonce ~ man engage ~
criiar uiiboRf assuming he moral resDJHsibihfV.
Ye. while person is engaged n what your Church
cstecms o. be- q crifHc-whc be i doing am act which
YOU should utterly and uneqmyOcally condemn. you
him. shake hands with him, converse IN smiling
manner utter rcproui or warning and n AK You %
the inference IT. not fairly DRAWN justify ms deed ol
imscnc-s and crime II this inference expressed plain
Is ms fret with the circumstance that gave birth ~ TO-
AZ correctly ~ could then ascertain them, seems o.
YOU t0bc uuknd sur upon your Church beg 10 49,
sure YOU that You wrongly interpret my meaning Inc
inference has reference solely 20 yourself ana Loses -
weight when extended 10 others u YOU believe that
the reputation OF your Church will suffer when i To-
known that of IL ministers encourages traffic in
the bodies and souls of men yOu viii also see that the
responsibility rests with you ami not with me
IhoVc thus far through life entertained nigh opinion
of the doctrines of the Methodist Church well OF
the general character of it members. did not mon
the facts alluded to for the purpose Of casting
odium upon that body OF Christians. Neither Christ
nor his real followers dgracCd by the conduct Of
i tn aIf Il
hypocrisy On the contrary. lie himself the first %
proclaim the wickedness Of His unworthy follower
In my letter desired 10 inform my readers that pro
Tossing Christian not only hold slaves hut sen luth
and that procsscd Christian minister gave the hand
ol friendship q slavcdcacr engaged IN the actual
preparation OF Outragcs az which humanity rnuhlci-
Hu have since made ful inquiry rs 10 slater rcia-
ton 90 the Methodist Church. md hat ms conneN
ions generally Of that faith that he himself conri
butes TO the support of that denomination from the
treasure acquired in the traffic of human csn that Dc
own. pcrineront pew in Methodist Church in Balti-
more and that his wife and daughter are members but
that he is not actually a communicate with these
facts, presume. yOu must have been familiar and
when You HIM by the hand and cast your eye over
the victims around him. you must have been conscious
that portion OF the treasure for which the bones and
muscle the blood and sncws Of those mothers and
babes were 10 be sold would 90 10 sustain the Church
aud ministry 10 which you belong.
You intimate that such prosil'utons Of the once OF
preacher and Of the character OF our holy religion are
none of INV business. The remark gives the character
of It's author For months have | been accustomed
rcvcrcuv tcn to the voice Of your supphcau0n %
p pure and holy God in behalf Of our country. That
voice subsequently heard addressing slave dealcr in
tones of friendship. without word OF reWoui whnc
he n the actual preparation OF crimes oi tle DacA
est dye Those hands which have 80 often seen rAsed
Heaven in prayer, were gwen IN friendly saulaloh
To notorious -lavedealcr Was this VI my busl.
nessa Do you believe | could again hear you provoke
the wrath of Heaven by craving its blessings
Would that were able 20 impress you with those
feelings Of feasibility exhibited by the great Founder OF
our religion. But feel humbled when reject upon
the tone and sentiments Of your communication ln
that most extraordinary letter there j. not one word ~
rcprOof for -avcdealcrs or slave holders. nor nave
heard you in your preaching allude 70 ms norma
traffic carried n this city such was not the preaching
OF the immaculate Nazarnc lie exposed Inc imquities
of the pcopcaid open their sins 20 the observation Of
mankind and proclaimed TO them the consequence
Nou say vou have never known Methodist engaged
i'm tho .lave trade sir have YOU not known your own
Church members cell their slaves DO they not buy
slaves Docs either the selling or buying OF slaves cA
clude them from your communion NO cir must
be wrongly informed u you do not administer me hOly
Sacrament 20 men who barter the image OF bOd LOT
paliry gain and that too without rcprooi from
Won or YOUR Church Now the principle is the same
whether a man sell one slave or thousand ANA u
slavery i right slave dealing. II Il Is right Tor
rob his brother OF h. liberty 20 dsroDe nun oi
his humanity ana reduce him 10 mere brute u cannot
be wrong 20 sell him.
yoYr effort 10 cast odium upon Henry for sn attempt
20 regain the ri .hts with which God had endowed HIM
and of which he had been robbed exhibits an u-cnsl
biity 20 human rights which, for Christian minister
j. too appalling 20 contemplate. Was u wrong Tor God
90 bcstow upon him that inherent love of liberty with
the right 20 enjoy Wa Il wrong IN this unfortunate
youth 10 seek % regain the liberty which God end
nature designed for him. and OF which he was de.
priycd There can be- but one answer given 10 s0cn
questions
! am surprised 10 your efforts 90 Tree yoursch nom
the charge Of ju-iying slavery, while am aware that
in common conversation you have no nesitancy 70 *
pres. your appreciation OF tic institution and your
hostility 10 the attempt. made FOR IL abolition.
do not admire the taste the propuety oi your
thrust 10 my xiOu and sympathy with an individual
who has been prominent In the Ambient movement 10
Ncwlork and st less justify the spirit that in-
duced vou--qa pHofendiHg minister 81 ~ Gospei-io
an, pt 10 cast odium upon who would not decan
himself by shaking hands with shycdcalcrs aud their
coqdmfors-upOn a man who has made i the great duil
of his life 10 ii -semnae and advance the highest pm
ciplcs of liberty and justice. Ii YOU had taken hall NJ
much pains learn the true character OF Dr. boui"h d.
YOU did 90 publish an aspcr-on upon his nalne-an as
pcr.ion unjust because not provoked hy injury nor
called for b, circumstance Of any description AMI be-
cause utterly unfounded-you would have discovered
that malice was too feeble n weapon with which ID IN
lure him am proud 20 acknowledge that man b.
fellow worker IN any designed for the dement, OF
humanity and your thrust fail, % accomplish Us OBJECT
of disturbing my feelings though IL satire T. enforced
bv the name of Big Thunder Applied 90 a friend
and man who s h0norcd by at who know his charac-
ter You may be assured that Dr. Bouton VIII never