Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-06-29
Daniel Webster and the Society of Friends


John @. Whittier, in the National Era, de-
nes with an emphasis and Indignation wor-
thy of the occasion, Daniel Webster's asser-
ton that " the Society of Friends approves
the sentiments" of his late speech In the
Senate. lie says of Webstor's letter:
ait is a literary monstrosity which will
make the fortune Of the antiquarian who
shall hereafter bring il to light, when Chris
tian slaveholding shall have become as difii-
cult of comprehension as Christian cannibal-
ism"
OF his claim to Quaker support, Whittier
says:
"Now, we undertake to say, that there IS
not n member of the Society of Friends, IN
free or slave Staios, who, whether acting as
a magistrate or citizen, could carry out the
provisions of this most atrocious bill, without
rendering himself liable to immediate eNpul-
sion from u Society whose character wouli
he disgraced, and whose discipline would be
violated, by such action. Ii has been, IN
times past, the misfortune of the Society OF
Friends to bo viliiicd, caricaturcd, and mis-
represented, but we remember nothing, even
in the old days of persecution, so liard to
bear rs the compliments of the Massachu-
sets Senator Whatever his authority may
have been, we do not hesitate TO pronounce
il unquaifedly false to the last degree"
The Friends Weekly lntelligencer, of this
city, also replies at length TO MIR. Webster's
assertion, disavowing his claim to the support
OF the Society of Friends in Pennsylvania, in
his recent course upon Slavery. 1t says:
"Therc is perhaps no body Of people more
unilcdly opposed to this course, than the So
ciety of Friends, and none who more sim
cerely regret the apostacy of this eminent
statesman, at time when his talents and in
fucnce might have been SO favorably cxcrted
IN favor of the cause of liberty and humanity"
The editor then notices the leading senti-
ments of Mr.. WIS Senate speech, separately,
the pledge 10 vote for Mason's Slave-catch-
ing bill, and TO form four new Slave States
out of Texas, the remuneration of the Wilmot
Proviso, and the assertion that "law of Ma
ture EXCLUDES Slavery from New Mexico
and California, and asserts that the Society
lissents from him on every point.
But as Mr. Webster may prefer his Eau
thority" to the lntelligencer's opinion, the
editor very properly feels the necessity of ad-
ducing facts in proof of his denial.
We sincerely wish the proof had been less
meagre, us it might have been, had the Soci-
ETY. heretofore shown that active interest in
the anii-slavery cause which its principles re-
quirc. Then every page of its history would
lave furnished proof against Mr.. Webster
Now, the only official acts of the Society
which the Intelligencer finds TO disprove Mr.
WIS claim, are the sending of memorial and
a committee TO the Legislature by the "Orho-
dox" Meeting for Suilerings, TO demonstrate
against the repeal of the law of 1S47 an eX-
cellent and timely movement, highly credit
able TO the body which made it. But what
credit the Society which the Intelligencer
represents, (the "llcksite," can derive from
it, especially as il directly refused TO take sim
liar action,-if we are correctly iniorned,-
is beyond our perception. One might almost
suspect that the editor under the garb of
defence, was mischievously giving his own
Society n sly rap for its censurablc inertncss.
1t is true, as the lntelligencer asserts, that
many individual Friends were active TO pro-
cure and have been firm i'll sustaining
the law of'4I, and ever prompt 10 protect
the rights of the colored people, and that the
old Abolition Society is composed largely of
Friends; it is also true, as the lntelligencer
forgets TO State, that the Pennsylvania Anti
Slavery Society is composed still more large
~ of Friends, and that an Anti-Slavery Asso-
citation of Friends exists in this city. But
whether the Society is to receive credit for
the action of its members in these bodies or
efforts, depends upon the question whether
it encourages or dscourages such action
Let those who know decide.
We have no wish TO commit the Society
unjustly. Most earnestly do we wish it was
distinctly and actively committed on ,be side
OF Liberty in the great contest now wnging
between Slavery and Freedom. We grieve
at its apathy, aud at that political and COM
taareinl alliance Of 10
which permits Daniel Webster to claim its
support TO his moral treason to humanity
We Hre glad that the Intelligencer has open
ly repudiated Wcbster's course, feeble and
tame as are its terms compared with the just
and burning indignation Of Whittier. Still
more would it rejoice us if that great and in
fluental Society would awake TO an action
worthy of the present crisis-Pd Freeman.