The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-01-30
JOHN NITCHEL on SLAVERY,

JOdN 4llChEL UN ci<h 800 p 5
The ssveress castigation which hiss been
adninistered to the abolitionisse for many
long year. is the letter Of John hiteher .ne
Irish patriot, TO Henry Ward Beecher ne
Aasdles his .Js.y.renee' without gloves, and
shows mp. IN most effective and laaehaoie
style, the csnf, hunbag and hypocricy, of the
whole Beecber and Tribune clique The
origin Of the controversy was the paragraph
Of Mitchell in his paper. the Ctisea, referring
hvorably To shvcry, and expressing the wish
that he owned a plantation, well stocked with
negroes, IN alabama. This fearless and hon
est expression OF sentiment drew down the ire
OF Beecher and the Tribune; and, in one OF
Beecher's public lectures, that sanity person
showered upon the head of Mitchell profu-
sion Of peculiar epithets, calling him "a dead
man." q scaisih,' "a thistle, and "a hideous
bag" &c -a''-s1s@ ~sss j
Ii is in reply TO the lecture containing these
compliments that Mr.. Mitchell letter is writ
ten. He treats lis Reverence with admi-
rable good humor, and in style Of inimitable
Failery and sarcasm. 80 yHs s6 -
he completely demolishes the nonsensical as
sertion Of Beecher, that -.there could be no
principlein Mitehel's strugglewi England"
because he defends slavery in America, and
refers to the examples OF Washington and
Jefferson, who were Shareholders, and asks,
il on that account there was mo principle in
their struggle with England" fit be replied
that Jefferson considered slavery an incubus
and crime, Mr. Mitchei replies that the Ma
tionaldebt is an incubus and crime to Great
Britain, "and yet, many good men, believing
it to be SO, hold debentures, and even go SO
far as to buy stock in the three and a half
per cents Mr. Mitchell drily suggests tc
Beecher that Benevolence is a good thing,
but little logic does no harm.
We cannot deny ourselves the pleasure of
extracting the following pungent and conciu-
sive paragraph: E@ f4'5 = 2 =
But you, crusaders Of Abolition, are net coz
vent 70 rest the case On grounds OF policy. You
viii have it that those who differ from you, and
agree with all the wishes OF mankind are fools or
Williams. You have number OF EXPLANATIONS and
intersections always ready; and you seem to think
people will take them for reasons. what" you
cry. Can q man be chattea.r- to which answer
Why notl The legislators OF the Jews saw no harm
10 ii. Would you sell being with an immortal
soul9' Certainly Moses and the Prophets did the
same would you send back IL pitive to his mas
sers" Assuredly- Paul, the Apostle, very honestly
sent back the abseopding Onesiinus and begged Of
his owner, the worthy Philemon-Pauls dearly
beloved and fellow iaborer- TO forgive his return
ing slave,
Was Paul ahiieous hags Believe me, il is your
reverence VIII, is I'D old woman. You will never
get new co,ie OF morality received among men.
We will never consent TO believe that you are a
better Christian than the Founder OF that religion
that you love liberty better than those iInmoi tai
Creeks who invented it-that you are truer Re.
Publican than ail the Republicans OF ancient and
modern times, and Of both hesnispheres. This is
undoubtedly great century, and thinks it knows
much; but have always been accustomed TO thank
God that am behind my age. 1t is matter OF
taste asa 81
do not affect TO be ignorant that your little
school claim the Founder OF the Christian religion
- 90 AbolnioHist; not by reason of any positive
condemn alton or prohibition of slavery or slave
holding but by virtue OF what sou call the deve
opnenteo OF the religion, which you suppose 10 be
growing and advancing, as man grows and advan
ciHg, "a man grows aud advances Especially you
dwell upon the great people, do unto others ye
would that Others should do unto oa.r-snd YOU
say acre is abortion 10 embryo Though 9 laic,
shall venture 10 suggest to you, most learned clerk
simple explsnaio of that text, which. perhaps
never occurred 10 you before. Il means, do Untt
others asyou would wish (if they were in your cir
cuHstaDces and you in theirs) that they should d.
unto you. II you are creditor, treat your debto
with that forbearanee and consideration which, j
You were the debtor and he the creditor you nlgh
reasonably wish and expect him to use toward you
This does not mean, creditors discharge your deb!
0rs free. Again, il yon are elaveholdef, use you
slave with geBtlene-s, humanity and kindness-re
warding him when he does well, never punishin,
him wantonly or oppressiveiy; in short just yo'
could reasonably wish we're you the slave and b.
the master, that he would behave towards you
sTherefore Ot q New TEST ie
NOT masters discharge you slaves, but, be mercitu
10 your slSves-saves, be obedient to your mas
terra
Mr.. Mitchell then proceeds to the Scriptur,
argument upon Slavery, in which he over
throws all Beecher positions with great ease
He closes his exeruciating letter by a quota
ton from Father kenyan, who says: ave Al.
all slaves, in 8, thousand senses of the word
slaves to time, to place, to circuinst ance; I,
the habits OF oar great grandfathers on eithe
ride and to the hims Of our maternal AN
-eestors in all their nonsensical generations
TO fire, air, earth and water throughout al
their analyses; totailors--a most CALLING yok {
snnf, washerwomen, quacks, poll cemen, um
brellas, London merchants, native millers an.
royal engineers. Ii to all these slayerie
there be superadded onea other-namely
slavery 20 shareholders, cannot see tina
our position viii be very essentially deterio
rated
Mr.. Mitchell concludes with the followins
parting blessing to Beecher: "a
Now your reverence is a slave: slave 70 cer.ai,
words and phrases which have got the rnastsr,
over yosr poor mind. and thus over your bodv too
sou are ss one possessed by them They make vo,
cry cut, and res ie uate violently and toll an,
sweat. and resile psssers by. Who win emanci
"A ps.e you, unhappy Congregational pastor Yo,
cs uess noi,y spi' IT'S that posess YOU priaeiplss
sea You ask me where is my " PRINCIPLE 70,
esu me you Thought had risen ND aeainst Enpl;s,
dominion IN Ireland, tor principle God forbid
!fnst that haze no principles Of this sort h.,
wno knows bis avn heart. Who can tell ,vbeshe
~ - truly e,nsei psted or noes Yet do A.,
Ter my:eif tha'a seeking TO throw on the dominic,
OF England ~ae setaated BY NO other rrinc;n
tean Intolerance OF tusoicnf and ignorsur opnres
sion my prins iple was simply thaf Irishsnen wer
6eed for higher destiny and sphere ana fhst ,te,
al oaehs 10 feel British doninion q intolersh,s
did. Ny pri,,citae wss, shst even ii all othe
iEiahmen ehoose ~ submit TO that mean tvrsnny
Ior M paFt would ehoeee rather 70 DIE ass = :
You zee am hgs narrow -nainded. NY thought