Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-09-27
LETTER OF HON. HENRY A. WISE.


We referred yesterday to an interesting cor.
respondence between Rev. Dr.. Adams of Bos-
ton and Hon. H. A. Wise. DR.. A. propounds
in his letter the following inquiries.
At the South heard you, sir; and your opin-
ions spoken of with great respect as represent
ing one side of the subject. 1t would strength
en- me much in my aim to do good to know
your opinions on few points, viz:
l. What idea have you of the destiny of the
slave population in the United States?
2. What is your conviction with regard to
the practicability and usefulness to all concern
ed of the colonization scheme?
3. If a slave asserts his liberty and runs a.
way, do you feel that he ought to be recovered.
or has he natural right to escape he choos-
es?
4. Does slavey west of Georgia and in the
Southwest differ much as to severity from that
in the eastern ard central southern States?
5 Is emancipation desirable or possible in
any view of it. if the blacks are to remain here?
Where did John Randolph's slaves find refuge
at last, after being driven out by several free
States?
Mr.. Wise's reply is splendid production; CO.
gent in its reasoning aud original, striking in
its illustrations; VIGOROUS, manly and eloquent
throughout. We regret that we have not space
to lay before our readers even such synopsis oft
as will do justice to its unanswerable argument,
commanding eloquence and lofty tone.
He begins by enlightening DR.. Adams as to
the feelings and relations Of the South in the
matter of slavery. He shows that slaves are
scred as property by the moral as well as mu
nicipal law. and, that the Interference of the
North can only ALLEVIATE the affection of patriots
on which alone the Union rests. His answer
to .he first question is admirable, repete with
sound sense and playful wit. Mr.. Wise dose
not profess to know the designs of Providence.
Nevertheless, he has no doubt some wise end
was in view, in bringing Africans from worse
state of slavery in their own country to a milder
one here, and from Paganism to Christianity.
In two centuries, 434, ,675 of them in the United
States have been set free and the Slave States
have liberated more than the Free States. The
following passage, showing the effect of Ameri-
can slavery upon the African is so strong and
striking that we must give it entires
There are 3,204. 3I3 slave population in the
United States. which, for civilaton, arts, arms,
social and moral blessings, are worth all the
principalities, powers, and peoples of all Africa
without excepting the Dutch, Portuguese and |
English settlements there, from the Nile, |
through Timbuctoo, to the Cape of Good Hope |
In the very words l would repeat this PROPOSE
ton a thousand times to emphasize it and show |
l mean literally what / say: hattbe descendants |
of Afiicd noo here n bondage, in the United t
States, are en- ndsSe, as tchOLe, aoealtb Of peo-
Pile, IN bodily fort, morality, enlightenment
Christidnty; and actual personal freedom,
,corh more than their mother country entire,
not ercepting the Europeans there combined
,ciM tie natireS! This is no boast but fact
which callenges comparsonl This is an enor-
nous result. Nolhng short of the power OF
God could have effected this prodigious result
upon near four millions of human beings in so
short time as that of two centuries: Gods
churches in the southern States Of this Union
have done this, some and all, by operating both
upon the masters and the slaves. The Metho-
dist and Baptist churches have been the traat
apostles among these Genties. And thus I
add another proposition, to wit: that Slarery,
american slarery,in the United States, has been
The most efficient missionary among the heathen
IN the last taco centuries. Not by going to
Africa and raising affairs there at first, but by
bringing the fathers here and preparing priests
o 60 back to Africa and bear the christian torch
through the darkness of her night.
The answer of Mr.. Wise to the first question