The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1852-11-10
Whole Number 1888

BY some means it appeared in England. When,
IN view of it and oiher not greatly dssmilar opin-
IONS OF American. clergymen, the semi annual
Congregational Union eff Goucestershire and Bris-
tol, England, April 1851 adopted resolution that
0ore severely upon American clergymen who were
expected in London at the Worlds Fair and The
May Anniversaries, the wisdom of their action was
questioned, on the ground that no such atrocious
sentiments could be held by American elergyn,en,
as was alleged.
In reply to iENs, the Bristol .Nercury one of the
oldest and most widely circulated Journals in the
West of EDgand,published opinions of Dr. Spring,
Dr. Wood, Bishop Hopkins, DR.. Dewey, DR.
Rogers of Boston, Prof. Stuart and this sentence.
ascribed to DIR. Parker. 1t has been said to me
that the same was published in the Briiish Ban
neT and The london .7nt->lauery Reporter but
have not been able to verify the fact.
In this form the paragraph came back to Amer
lea in the letter of Agricoia, the English cores
pondent of The Independent, and was ptsblished in
connection with the opinions of the afore mention
ed gentlemah, in TIE Independent for May l5sh,
1852.
twas inserted III the annual report of the Anti
Slavery Society which, like the repoat of the Col
enization Society, is made up of facts and docu-
ments, which supposed TO have permanent
and historical Importance. A cory Of this report
was sent TO DIR. Parker and he saw the passage
and gave to me during only interview, as ren
sons for not noticing it, that he did Think when
standing in connection with such Names tnat it
could produce unfarorabse impression on the
public mind, but that it was very different when
he alone was singled out by Mrs. Stowe.
At fhs point commences Mrs. Stoves eonnee-
ton with the matter. She inserted the paragraph
in Uncle Toms Cabin. (Which was first issued in
weekly chapters.) in the National Era, for 4ugust
%, 1851, with DR. Parker's name in n note, in all
respects precisely it stood afterwards in her book
| The Era had circulation at this time of about
$4,000, and in every State in the Union.
Thus it stood, wi shout word from DIR. Parker
for eight months, until the GOTH of March, 1852,
when her story published in book form at
| Boston. From the 20ih of March, until the stht
of May, Six weeks, not word was heard. Bot Il
Mrs Stowe and her friends had, had scruples as
to whether it was best thus to name an individual,
FaHster of public expedency, but none as to
the mere correctness Of that paragraph. And
Mrs. Stowe had supposed that she had given or
| r..
book was going through Jewett's press.
The above letter of Mrs. Stoves was sent by
the hand of J. T. Howard, Esq, to the Post Of
fee in New York, on fhe 22d Of May. Itappears
that DR.. Parker did net receive it until the 29ih.
have never known the cause of the deteui o.
Not receiving this letter, DIR. Parker on the 25h
of May, addressed Mrs. Stowe again.
/ DR.. Parkcy's third kHer to .4Irs. Sfo,ce.
New YoRK, LEROY PLACE,
May %, 1852.
MADxM-1 lave addressed to you two COM
muncations respecting your holding me up to pub
lie odium. In each | have demanded an open
and full retractinn. You have not proposed any
reparation for the wrong, nor even dsigRed a re-
ply. My letters were under dnte of the 9Th and
10th inst. Sufficient time has elapsed. The
calumny is still spreading. I am not bound in
justice to wait longer.
/ Yet It is my desire to exercise spirit of Cmis-
tian forbearanee. sincerely deprecate the nc ces-
sity of placing you in an embarrassing position.
beg of you, do OF compel to do so. have
no resentment to crafty. do not wish, because
you have ipjurad me, to in}ure you. On the con-
trary, it will afford great pleasure TO be spared
the necessity of public conflict with lady,
professed Christian, and the wife of "a clergyman.
| Though you never repair the wrong you
have done, you can make such amends as will, if
made now, satisfy me. Should you find yourself
in difficulty hereafter, therefore, be pleased to re-
member HAT it is not of my seeking. I greatly
prefer that you should not compel me to appear
before the public in a conflict with you respect
a matter which you so easily bring to an am
cable adjustment, and that. too, without doing
any thing which one who has inflicted wrong
ought not TO regard pleasure to perform
Respectfully,
| 5oEL Parker.
I Mrs. If. B. Stowe.
| In the mean time, Mrs. Stowe. was making
every practicable inquiry to ascertain the origin os
this paragraph, and the correctness or Incorrect
ness of DIR. Parkers assertion in respect to it
She was assured by eiergymen personally cogni-
zant of the history of the matter, of the highest
responsibility, personally and by letter, that she
had not done injustice 10 Dr. Parker Friends
| in Philadelphia were written TO; the cories of ihe
Christian Observer containing the original articles
of DIR. Parker solicited. visited DIR. Hat
| field, of n New York, myself who was of impress
sion that Mrs. Stowe was correct and as he was
on the eve OF leaving for the N. S. Presbyterian
! General Assembly at Washington, procured his
premise to see Nr. Converse. editor of the CHI is
tan Otser7er, and TO investigate fhe facts
Through friend, Mrs. Stowe wrote to the gen
t'ernan, who DIR. Parker's respondent in the
controversy in which the language said to have
been employed, and received from him The follow
ing brief uoie, which he afterwards corf firmed by
more elaborate letter.
DEAR BRoTuER:-T received your note, and
called TO see you. IfDr p. denies the statement
made by Mrs, Stowe, it will be strange. These
are his enact words, used by him in our conirvrer-
sy: What are the evils that are in epar05'c frcr
slavery! There is not one that is not equally IA
separa6Ie fem depraved human nature IN o'"ef
lawful relations" If Mrs Stowe uses the wofd