The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-10-28

relations.
But a. it is the connection which fairly in
terprets the sense Of any detached sentence.
it is further proper that the reader be made
aware of the connection in which the remark
occurs
In the year 1916, discussion was held in
the Philadelphia Observer between Rev Mr..
Rood and Mr.. Parker, TO the following effect
Mr. Rood held that the various evils Of sla-
very, such as the severing Of families the hold
ng for mere purposes Of gain, the iOrbiddIng
OF education and the various physical suffer
ings inflicted on the slave, were inevitably con-
nected with the system of American slavery,
and could not be separated from it,
Mr. Parker maintained that these various
evils could be separated from the system of sla-
very, and that there was no evil that could not
be separated from it, excepting such as attend
every lawful relation
1t will be seen that as the remark stands by
itself it would appear to Justify American sla-
very ~ it IL, and to state that its evils as they
now exist are no greater than the evils of other
lawful relations, but that in its connection it
simply asserts that it is practicable to separate
these evils from slavery in every case
Although the author does not agree with
this statement of DIR, Parkcr's in itself nor with
most Of the things he adduces in support of it,
yet she considers it far more favorable to his
character as a man and Christian than the
other. and regrets that through Mr.. Parker
delay to rectily the very general misunder.
standing as to his language and sentiments,
shc has been betrayed into an unintentional
injustice
TO have been signed II. B. STOWE
The reader will observe the instructions
given me
Before proceeding now to the interview
which ! hud with DR. Parker, it is proper Ia
pause and consider the public impression which
has been caused by the statements of the do.
serucr and Of DR.. Parker.
1t would appear from their statements and
it is the impression generally produced upon
the public mind that | drew up this CORES.
pondenco of my own mind and took it 10 DR.
Parker; that he examined it, and turned me
off by saying that it mght after he had seen
his counsel, ruth some modification, be satisfac-
tory to him, and that DR.. Parker was shortly
after utterly amazed TO see the letters published
What now will the public judge of the man
and of the Observer if it shall appear that the
idea of these letters occurred to me while al
DR.. Parkers house, in friendly conference with
HIM over the "CGrd which Mrs Stowe had
written for publication that they were written
in his own study, not only with his own knowl-
edge and privity, but ut his own urgent re-
quest; that they were thrice read once 10 him
and twice by him and that after critczing a
single sentence, he gave them his most unquali-
fed appreciation God, the All Beholding,
knows that these were the facts, and | call
Him tn witness to the truth of the statement
which | now shall make
On or about the 10th of June, | called ut
No 2 Leroy place, aud introduced myself and
errand to Or Parker. He was occupied, appa
rently reviewing II manuscript sermon, in the
room occupied rs n study. | presented Mrs
Stoves card which she had promised that he
should see before publishing We sat down TO-
gether ut his writing-table, and went over the
card generally and in detail Many changes
were made in it, phraseology, and some addi-
tiOnal sentences inserted. At length, when all
mod ticatiOns were made which | thought
proper to make, DR.. Parker said evidently not
satisfied with IL, that perhaps it might do. II
was ut this point that ! surprised him by an
abrupt declaration DR.. Parker, am no,
satisfied with this whole thing; it does not
meet my views il is too complex; all that both
of you wish to have said can certainly be said
more simply and in a Christian way | be-
lieve that I could draw up two or three letters
which would put the thing exactly right
DR. Parker, almost without "A moments hest
-tation, and with decisiveness, said that he
thought it could be done, and urged me to dc
it. lie rose from his place to give me seal
at the table cleared away his manuscripts
pat writing materials before me, and then
stepped into the adjoining room to give me an
undsturbed opportunity. In, ! should think
less than twenty minutes, called him back
for the letters were written at a dash. ] read
them to him, little anxious to know how il
would strike his mind to zee himself in letters
which sprung from my mind. The effect upon
him was unequiyocal, There was an express
sion Of satisfaction with them, both of counte-