Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-04-29
Horace Preston and his pretended
Owner.


remanded into slavery by the infamous commits
sioner Morton, is from Methodist clergyman,
who was formerly located in Vermont, and who
sustains high character for worth and truthful
ness. 1t places most shareholders in q light in
which few, whether as men or christians, would
be willing to stand. EE.
Letter 10 WiliGm Reese, No. 100 Sharp. street.
| Baltimore.
SIR: The public prints inform me that you
have recently laid claim to the man Preston, and
have gained possession of him as your property.
Concerning your agents in this nefarious bust
ness, have only to say, now, that leave them
with the public, which keeps" book Of remem
brance," and will not fail, ultimately, to reward
them according 10 their deeds
But have some special reasons for addressing
you, which will appear sooh. You will remem-
Der that was your guest and enjoyed your hos
pitalty four days and nights in succession, about
four years since, while Oh my way to our Genrr
al Conference at Pittsburgh, Penn. have ever
been grateful 10 you for the hospitality extenued
TO me; and nv soourn was a pleasant one
Our intercourse was friendly, and our worship
together delightful. 1t was my privilege to
| ptCuCH VIC w utld w SHup-
ell, on the Sabbath and you made my stay with
you the more delightful, because you appeared
and conversed like kind, humane, Christian man.
cannot think that | AIN violating any rule of pro
priety or courtesy by making public some Of your
declarations,- profession and promises. These
were not "prvate and confidential" nor were
they made at my solicitation. They were your
own, and in whole and in part, voluntary /
made few notes by the way" and therefore
do not depend on memory for the facts am about
to publish.
You introduced the subject of Slavery, in con-
versation, and in the most plain and direct terms
expressed your disapprobaton of the lchoLe system
and practice but confessed yourself Legal but
involuntary STAKEHOLDER. You said you became
+, wldower, several years before, and married
again, without caring or thinking of the factAhat
this second wife was the daughter of slavehol.
der After time, her father died and your wife
became the owner, by inheritance, of several
young slaves. This, you told me, was a cause
of much perplexity 10 both your wife and yourself
that you often convelsed together about it, and
we're of one mind, not desiring to own that kind
of property, and being, on principle, opposed to
it. You said it was perfectly understood and
agreed that the SLAVES should all be made free as
fast as they should G71Ue at The proper age, This
second wife died also, leaving you to carry out
her desire in this matter and This you assured
me yoM should do, as ii tcas ypur oton desire
and in accordance iOih yoT otOil conviction Of
right.
! To convince me more fully ofvour own oppo
sition to Slavery, and of your determination to do
the will of your deceased wife, you told me that
two of those slaves, the only males among them
had already gone off You said you were glad
they had gOne-that you knew their whereabouts
had seen them several times since -said they
were fine eLLolOs, doing ,Oet, and you Vo1id never
trouble them.
To set your opposition 10 SlOvehoding in o
still stronger light you related an incident which
to me, was peculiarly interesting.
A slave trader had purchased several slaves in
Baltimore, one Of whom was personally known by
you. After the sale and before the trader was
ready to leave with his gang, this man was mis-
ng-having in some way become acquainted
with the transaction. Search was made for some
days, but he couhl not be found In the mean.
time his friends besought you to buy him, and
prevent his removal to the South and his separa.
ton from those he loved. Yon told them yoa
acOuld not be d STAKEHOLDER and besides, you
might never find hlrnliyou should purchase him
They gave you assurances that he should be
produced, and their entreates so wrought upon
you as to induce you to offer the trader 5000 fol
the man at your own risk. The bargain was
closed, you took bill OF sale and returned home
Shortly the man was in your house, full oil
gratitude and willing TO be your servant forever
Yon said TO him, " shall charge you 5000 and
as fast as you pay me will give you credit
When you have paid me that amount with such
interest as may accrue, you shall have your free
papers. Go, and do the best that you CAM
And you assured me that the whole was paid in
IL months. The man vas made ree,and still re-.
sided in Baltimore, prosperous and upright.
Now, Sir, it was on the strength of such state
mens out OF your own mouth, voluntarily made
that wrote you that letter, some months after
giving you credit for sincerity, and honoung
your nobleness Of soul In that letter yoIun,
teered word OF advice. Reminding you of the
uncertainty of life and your inability to foresee
what might be the disposition of your heirs, en-
treated you to execute deeds Of emancipation for
all those slaves, both at home aud abroad. TO
take effect at such times as you Judged would be
to their advantage. In this way you could shield
them from all evil after you should have gone to
the grave with her whose icM you declared to
me you should sacredly execute That letter
had not been written, nor that advice given, had
] not believed in your sincerity and honest inten
ton to do the right, yourself and your wife being
the judges of what right is.
Judge, then, Of my surprise, if you can, when
| learned thai you had sent your son to New
York to identify Preston as your prOperty-that
you had forgotten all your declarations to me Of
your views of humanity and right-that YOU
had di@egGrded The ottrepeated ViN ofuourde.
parted toife, by whom those slaves came into
your possession; and had torn the man from
freedom-from the bosom of his epribL,, nortoe,
and from her side.
On the strength ofyour professions and prom.
Uses, have often argued with nv Northern
friends in behalf of class of shareholders WIN
are made such by the force of circumstances -
have insisted that they are good men-hstino
slavery, and GUlng all they can for the cood GI
the bondman. But your action in the case or
Preston has sealed my lips. How can / ever
urge that plea again? As have often referred
to VIM REESE, as a living witness of the bn.
mainly and moral uprightness of a class If
Shareholders; SO VIM. REESE will beroasor
De called upon the stand before the world nry
To prove Just the contrary! As you have vo!nn
'eereu 10 prove TINT no reliance can safely be
PlaceG upon such professions by that class
Enal 10 my part to make your testimony as pnb
nc us possible and hold up to the gaze Of AN
indignant world this Illuminating truth. turn
II, utter despair, from the task of defending anv
CLASS OF shareholders: and as | love truth
even though 1t covers some men with infamv.
nave here presented WIN. REESE, as he profes.
seq TO be IN 1913, and as he IS in 1852 Let
me public look on this picture then on that y
But Sir, you profess to be Chrstian-aI
| WOfSDlDD1F nj Him tgho hot l.