Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-04-09
HENRY c. WRIGHT.
Letter from \. n. Selby.

hSW WfOHgS no man. Nh. fiLLsBCEl.
Mn. EDiToR: In the last Buglc is al article
from your "Nrw England" correspondent.
Parker Pillsbury, which contains the follow
ing very singular paragraph, in connection
with my name, TO which, in all kindness, |
wish to make short reply. Mr. Pillsbury
says: In spite Of all that has hccn spoken,
written and published ag1iust such li,lsehood,
there are those who persist in attempting to
iasten all that an abo'itiOniet says, believes or
docs, upon any subject, upon the Anti-Sla-
very enterprise. II seems 10 me proper to
believe one of two uines of such persons;
either they are too duh OF apprehension to
be reasoned with, or else too hypocriticol aud
too dishonest to be convinced or enlightened
by any amount OF argument or instruction.
| was not surprised NJ
the position of your correspondent Mr.. Sell
by, in relation to the Convention. Aud the
rpy of our freud w. was an admirable
tyindcation of Our enterprise from such ar
rogant charges" Now that there are per
sons who have aud do charge individual
conduct "upon the Antl Slavery enterprise"
| am free TO admit; aud that il is improper
TO believe of such persons HAT they are too
dull, or else too hypociiiicul or too dislouesl
to he reasoned wi,l, cou,inccd'or enliglten-
ed, 10y nny, ,amoun,of argument or,ins;ruciion,
may lie true. But Why am charged, with
this wickcdn"ss, and these defects OF cllarac-
ter? Why ia the midst of all the comments
aud structures that have strengthened NJ.
Pillsbury's purpose to write as,aboye, has my
name been selected aud connected as herein
set forth. Did.I ever pursue such course /;
| deny the whole cbnrgc-it is utterly I'M
founded. But suppose my letter "to the
members Of the Bipla Conventions" 10 have
been susceptible OF such an influence, from
the fact of my having used the term come
outer, (which simply did as n name 10y
which some Of the members Of the Conven.
ton as well ms myself were callcd.) ought
not my explanation, (iGr all admit that every
man should he allowed TO explain the sense
in which he wishes To he understood ms set
forth in my reply to air. Walker To have put
the matter forever at rest. II wasithis expla-
nation of mine that vndicated the enter
prise from such arrogant charges" and'not
Mr. WIS reply by any means. This expla-
nation was satisfactory to all parties 20 far ms
! knew, and Was III this seuse to us forever
buried. Aud why, | ash, in view Of my
prompt and candid effort to viudicaie the
Anli-Slavery Society from any official action
in The matter involved, and myself from any
design TO he thus understood, should MIR.
Pillsbury dig it up from its quiet resting
place, aud send i, forth again with new life
TO be a bone of contenlion-a matter of
complaint on the one part, and OF serious
injustice ou the other? ! have conversed
with numbers OF leading members OF the
Auti-Slavery Society, rure OF whom were
members Of the BlhIe Convention who do
not reject the Bible, aud Mr.. Walker also adj
miis in his review of my article all that |
ever charged upon any persons IN reference
to that fact, aud they all with one accord
give as reason for 81 doing that the Bible
is the bulwark of sInvery, war, and other
crimes, aud claim that 10 strike az the Bible,
is to strike 1T the very roo, Of Slayery-is
properly and legitiuaIcly anti slavery work
have dissenied from this view, aud from
this movement altogether, as Iseing false in
itself-unnecessary and injurious TO the An
ti-Slavery cause, and have had the honesty
to make the same known; and fIrsoOth my
name must I've hiiched on TO the most dam
ing and hopeless traits of human detection
thrust into the news and huralded abroad
without the semblance Of an apology. lam
willing that Mr.. Pillsbury or any other person
should call me dull Of apprehension, hy-
pocriticaI," or " dishonest" as Inay suit them,