The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-02-24
SeEisa HitcEePs Reply 10 tie Rev. EH. az
ESeecheT,

REVEREND SIR: You will be surprised to see
letter addressed TO you by one whom you sup.
posed to be dead. In your anri-savery lecture.
as reported in the Tribune, | find that YOU an.
honnced my deceasI 10 a large congregation and
win Christian moekncss repressed the loud Kisses
o! your hearers, in consideration of the respect
due to the deceased. This morning | have read
my own epitaph in tfe Tribune, and even an ac.
count nl the coroner's inquest, which must have
greatly affected my friends, If have anv left
ind myself, therefore, in the position Of Par
fridge, the almanac maker, who had 10 come be.
tore The public to prove himself alive, notwith-
standing the obituary notice of Dean Swift, and
had even much trouble in establishing The fact
IT is hard necessity. You may be difficult to
convlnce' and may choose even TO regard this com.
municatIon as a de pr0fundjS clamavi, or voice
from the tombs; but will 10 satisfy your rever.
ence.
he New or& Tribune first, next a small fry
OF newspapers whose names | forget and lastly
your lac@tious reverence, in your paper. The IN
dependent, all have poured out me q torrent of
V'rtuous Indignation, simply because | refused to
brand as criminals large portion Of The citizens
OF this republic, and about one-half of all the
human beings who have lived in the world
besides. You and the Tribune, and the benevo-
lists" OF this enlightened century, have found out
new CRIME, as if there had not been enough be.
lore; and when any man heStates 10 load his
IeloW-creatures, his fclloW-citizens and (oreEa.
hers, with this laely-nvented sin, over and above
all their other sins, you cry out that he is
"caltlff," THISTLE" hideous hag,' and
dead man.
You write his epitaph, and find verdict of fezo
de Sc up his corpse.
1t seems also that have disanpointed Won and
the Tribune; which is painful But what if the
disappointment is owing not to my fault, bat TO
your stupidity For here is your reasoning; |
tried to destroy British dominion in Ireland, but
decline to say that half of the American citizens
are vile criminals; therefore sc there could be no
principles in my struggle with England" n
quote from your article in The independently And
The tribune makes no scruple 10 say 's that if
liberty for Ireland and the Irish is sought in the
SPIft eVnced, and on the principles avowed by
The Citizen, II can hardly be necessary to say that
the effort will be frutless, and the hopes of its
champions mockery. Alas, for the aspirations
OF the oppressed and exiIed, il their incement to
struggle for liberty IS the horrible desire of buy.
ing selling, and lashing each other" I confess
mar can make no sense out of such language
perseverance, IS good, but little logic also would
be no HARM Let US see how it would apply to
another case. General Washington the Father of
his Country, saw crime and no peccadilio in !
holding slaves, and in making them work on his
farm. General Washington wished 10 possess.
and did possess till he died, and always took good |
care OF plantation stocked with negroes not in |
Alabama, but IN Virginia. Nay, he wished to
poSsess more plantations; otherwise he certainty
never would have offered So, 500 for Mr. Cjifton'S
nomas Jefferson. the greatest of the founders of
n american democracy, lived and died sayehoder
ana 0equfathed his slaves 10 his relatives There.
tore There could be principle in their struggle
with England - the effort OUGHT to have 6ppn
ruItIess, and the hopes of its champions a mocke.
y; ior "the'r incItement' Jcferson's s and Wash.
hs'ohs lnc!t"men) {" 10 struggle for liberty was
he horrIoie desire Of buying, selling. and !ashing
ach other." Ii your reverence would boldly
peak your mind, YOU would tell your hearers IN
he Tabernacle that Washington was caiiff, and
efterson thistle Il hideous hag
know what you will say-that those illustrious {
nen, those Shareholders always felt and said that
Iavery was an incubus and curse to the country.
'ossIby 1t may be SO. That is a subject on
Inch gave no opinion. But the national debt t
an incubus and curse 10 England, and vet many /
ood men, believing il TO be so, hold deben,ures, ! E
20 even go so far as to buy stock in The three. v
nd hall per cents.
But you crusaders Of abolition are not content b
rest The case on grounds Of policy You will a
ave IL mat those who differ from you and agree a
Ifh all The "lsest of mankind, are tools and vii. a
ms You have number Of excIamaons and il
fetJechons always ready, and you seem to think b.
oPie Will take them for reasons "Whatr' cI
'u cry, " can n man be chatteI - To which | oil
sweF, why not The Legislator of the Jews saw
hafm 10 It, ' ould you sell being with an cl
mortal soul' Certainly; Moses and The proph. ia
Gid The same. ''WouId you send back fugi. III
e to his master?" Assuredlv; Paul the apostle tn
ry honestly sent back the abscondng Onrsimus bl
q begged OF his owner, the worthy Philemon, er
uis dea7Iybeloved and fellow. laborer, TO forgive ST.
returning slave. III
Was Pau! hdeous hag Believe me, it is 70
ur reverence who Is an old woman. You will NJ
yer get new code O! morality received among II,
u. We will never consent TO believe that you II
better Christian than the founder of iha, pI;
IgIon; that you love liberty better than those Of
mortal Greeks who invented it; that you are We
fr republican than all The republicans of anccn. 10
modern times and Of both hemispheres This Sc,
undoubtedly great century, and thinks il knows thi
ch; but ] have always been accustomed II er,
DIX God thai am brhind my age It is a sla
Ter Of taste.
do not affect 10 be ignorant that your lille ca.
oo claims the founder of the Christian religion ha
IN abolIuonst; not by reason of apy positive set
or prohibition OF slavery or slave
ting but ay virtue OF what you call the deveop- o
- vi "'e 'eiIs!oh "hlch you suppose to be due
wing and advancing as man grows and ad-
ces. Especially you dwell upon the great pre-. lou
=, :" do uno others ye would that others hol
'ld do unto you;" and you say here is aboli. On
IN embryo. Though Iaic, shall venture exc
ugsest 10 you, most learned clerk. simple ter
anaiIon Of that text, which perhaps never oc- had
ed 10 you before. Il means, do unto others of