The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-25
For the National Era,
TO THE HON. DANIEL WEBSTER,
No. 3.

DEAR SIR: Your reflections upon fanatics are
ingenious and, in the main, Just. Fanatics, upon
a small SCALE are especially annoying. They in
terrupt the current Of human opinions, without
turning the channel or enlArgine its bounds.
But the evolution Of "sinsle idea,n when 1t
lies at the foundations Of society and government
is one of the boldest, most useful and glorious, OF
human achievements. The great battles of human
freedom and true morals have been won by just
such men as you describe | need hardly mention
examples Take the human life Of Christ himself
He was fanatic to the Jews and Gentiles. To the
Jews "a stumbling block" to the Greeks fool
ishness, y and to the Romans an innoyator-"turn-
ing things upside down. After all, the new
ideas which he introduced into the world were
few, but of immense mportance-underlying the
whole fabric Of human society and government
By subtle analysis of the human heart, he
enppciated a rule of conduct which is applicable
to VI possible emergencies Of moral action, =" DO
unto others as you would others should do unto
you" The other idea was the rejection of all
physical psace-offerings to God The doctrine
of material sacrifice was worldwide, and pervaded
all classes of society-more fixed and universal
in human opinion, perhaps, than any other idea
This he rejected and restored nature TO herself.
Teaching that the true worship Of God was the
perfectipg bis greatest workman. Enlighten
the intellect purify the soul and beautify the
body-these are the three bases of all true wor-
ship of God And if so, our fanatical friends,
the Northern Abolitonists, are not 80 narrow in
their ideas as one may suppose. Slavery is in di-
rect antagonism to the only elements of human
civilization and progress. Are not, then, the
great mass of cavillers at the "one-ideaists"
themselves to be pitied who cannot see this great
truth! imagine to myself John c. Calhoun
listening to your structures upon fanatics. Now
one, then another, of these odious agitators,"
pass in the memory's review: first Hale, and
then Giddings; and then, as you date upon the
subject William l.. Garrison, the arch-fanatic
appears. He enjoys the sport you mend your
pace he Is in ecstacies the fun grows fast and
furious till, like Tam O'Shantsr, he Can contain
himself no longer -" Well donep he cries!
I" Quid sides? de Re tabula naydim" Daniel
Webster denounces fanatics the greatest OF
fanatics applaudsi
"Impatient men, there are, no doubt, too.
Some Of them have been waiting for sixty years,
and more, for slavery to die cut - and yet IL
seems AZ unwilling to give up the ghost ms IL did
in 1871 How much longer must we patiently
wait 7 How long do you think the Shareholders
would have US waltz They are proverbially
liberal, sir; leave il TO them, and We should be
as we'll off as Sheridan's creditors !-"the day
after Judgment would be soon enough do
not see the appositeDess Of your parallel between
the rise Of Christianity and the fall Of slavery
Moral truth is one thing, and political action is
another We cannot compel belief but we can
action. In Niblo's garden, in 1897, your percep-
tions seemed TO be somewhat clearer. You would
hardly have regarded IL as good reason for set
ting up slavery In Texas, where Mexico had
abolished IL, that the Christian religion had been
long time in existence and had not yet subjected
all the world'
"Impatience,p II the South was in good faith
making efforts and sacrifices to extinguish sla-
very, would be worthy Of denunciation. But,
when they are doing the very opposite such Ill
timed sympathy will hardly be set down, ny I'M
partial men, ~ the fruit Of an enlarged charity
And moral insensibity is worse than fnaticism
IL may be true that society, left TO itself, in all
cases, may right itself at last. Soil by bad col-
ture, may In a single year waste the accumuia-
tons Of centuricsl True, centuries viii restore
i'll But ia IL the part Of wisdom TO take the rem
edy instead Of the prevention 80, Sir, II Is win
regard to governments and morals. fonr idea:
that moral truth ia not capable Of demonstration
M the mathematics, Is now pdmitted by the best
thinkers TO be founded in error. The method II
different, but the result-eertalyy-is equally at.
tainabls though the process be more difficult and
the data more complicated. But what II true
The standard of every mans action must pe NJ
last what he believes right. You seem, however,
TO follow a learned magistrate such as the great
West sometimes boasts " lie was satisfied, from
all the evidence, that the complainant Dug 10 gain
his suit; but, out OF abundance Of eaa'on, he would
decide for the defendant ~ Your charity towards
Southern Christians is in partwel based. There
are many, very many, conscientious SHAREHOLDERS;
but they are the weaker brethren The lead
ing minds among them are ss finished Jesuits and
swindling hypocrites a. ever wore black gown
The regular slave traders are Infinitely better
men
The opinions Of the fathers Of the Government
were as you say. II was expected that slavery
would "run out.p
sherman and Madison and others were not
willing TO allow that man could have property In
man. Those who had Just made solemn avowsls
TO the world of the right of all men to life, lib.
srty, and the pursuit Of happiness, we're ashamed