New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-02-03
THE REF HENRY WARD BEECRERS REPLY
TO JOHN mitchell.


Tie Ia6ree; Of this week rabhAes the oovi1. reply Of
the Rev BErcES Mr. JoaH MircHsLs letter to
hin published in TIE TEiUuNE lAst week;
LITTER To JOHN Mitchell.
You address very long letter to NE in Tie CAi'ea
Of Jan - :5l in defense OF yourself and OF American
slavery That YOU select nae from among all who rep.
rotated your apostacy from the gospel OF human iber
~ arises | prefume from reasons Of convenience to
yourself rather than OF compliment to me. an a
clergyman; and it might TO the unwary very
natural thing to address to such an one an argument
uIon HJt,r Slavery. Il is doubtless more agreeable
for you TO stumble over the records OF rude society
four thousand years ago. and to talk about Moses aud
the prophets than to ponder what John Mltchel-the
Irish patrOt-said but the other day about AmericdH
Slavery shall not suffer shat new issue to be made
IN tie article which has excited such surprise, you
expressed no opinion about Abraham; you said moth
ing of what YOU would have thought 1t right to do II
born four thousand years ago on ChalGean plains or II
YOU Lad been q jew. II was American slavery that
YOU spoke Hebrew Slavery admitted that slave was
man with all appropriate human responsibilities and made
annie provision for his religious and civil Instruction
American Slavery stands upon the Fundamental idea that
a slave Is chatic not a and makes the teaching
him TO read penitensry oiensean ogense for which
Mrs Douglass now lies in Virginia prison Ihis slavery
that destr VS. manhood 10y ts first touch you not only JUS
tilted ahstracty, but lopged TO practice it, in Alabama
end that no doubt might remain of Your Intention you
volunteered your belief in logging and other means OF
ercing unwilling slaves TO their hated tasks
Now, SIR, don't wonder that you would Ike to have
that forgotten and that you ndt pleasing TO take
nm amateur survey Of Moses and the prophets than t.
talk about John Mitchell and that plantation in Alabama
from whose ownership ne is kept only Dy poverty NOT ny
principle
Butthe poverty Gifts reasoning the spar oft No man
in yonr circumstances could make good argument for
voluntary slavchoding without more time tor practice
Corruption does not work so quickly IL takes time 10
round up and ripen treason to moral principles
Under the circumstances marvel that you have done
so well Your engagements in Ireland for many years
voud not be apt to turn your investigations in the drec
ton OF arguments for slavery.
Neither was it to he expected that you would spend your
Leisure in penal colony where you expated the crime Oh
ffnacifm for liberty in searching out arguments to Prove
The right of one set men to own and Cypress another
Afttr your arrival in America, you were so busy IN re-
ceNirg republican congratulations upon the restoration oil
vour s bertv that YOU had little time to besow upon
reasons for taking away other men liberty
If 10 these considerations be added some happiness ma
taj TO new work some aTkwaTdness IN the discussion OF
Srirturj totics and that dizziness which one must be
EXPECTED to Eel after somerset, think every one vii
regard your performance as far beyond anything that
could have been expected
hove il will not be accounted vanity for me to say
ha: could have helped you 10 frame fa better arsu
meut in favor of Hebrew Slavery II IS new qgesti IN
n Won ia vcry old one to us have heaps OF trash
In nv library that YOU might have added TO your raDois
have within reach enough clay and straw ON that mister
10 have bulded you an argInlen. huse d. I'll l. P1
pyramid
Il ~ desire 70 defend monarchy from Scripture, haye
t re that do that The Bible has been regarded
az a bulwnrk OF oppression by all oppfe:s9rs IL nus
opeped its doors ike vast magazine IN "hch every an
Who wanted to wrong bis fellows could md precedent or
resson word TO say the innocent ana sheId 70 cover
tie gul,y And poemicel free hooters there nave been 10
defend from Scripture every wrong ttal ths sun ever
.bon mon and their and books are thick as me
ocusts and frogs OF Egypt and as loathome Aud yet IA
suite OF all and tyrsnnons nseTetaohs "eree
fre Rhla ia read Inspires free heart aud strikes the
roo, of liberty down into mems bosoms "11n iIeraicsoe
grasp.
Wherefore your argument be regarded not in the light
of your Ios; personal history but N OF wha'
done again, you have bees but a poor workman; 1o9
kave been angling IN petty dieh among pnnsa am
bse us and BAYS where prolific oppression has To- ages
spsyIed and hs.cbed unDumbered monsters mat dHport
beselyes upon the surface, or nuLze IN tue ru.e or
hang poised In silent vigilance Tor the ul"ary IKE ioP
cal Shark In the warrs bsys Of equatorial waters II s
your Iurpee 70 on in your rev vocauon you VIII hhd
deep and ponderous prey all ready Tor your ,po
Bu what has turned you 20 such waters az all Had you
been born in Aabeme, had you sucked in republic
fo tie breasts of Southern gospel had your conscience
been cultivated Ike cotton plaAt and your principles
sun from il fine thread and easily wound around
any spoo that interest might hoOse to whir In political
Spinning ienuies should have been less surprsed For
have learned to be surprised at nothing n moral ana
POLITICAL lecerGenain But honest riotous john
Mitchell audacious snd ferOcOus John Mitchell whom the
world has admired CGEr de Los laundering with LIS
battle at the ostern of the castle OF iorqustone, TIL
his blows rung ebOye the whole shout Of the battle to
this Hercules, sitting with his distaf and patiently
spinning out fine threads for the meshes of the kind
OF slavery that the world has known, this is moral
marvel At last are surprised again. Ihe long lOst
luxury OF that feeling has returned.
But of course You did not expect me 10 follow yo1 into
your twilight researches You had idea that should
BE eoa1ed away from the real isue between you and the
American public, into discussion Of Greek and Hebrew
slavery.
The question between you and the public is not whether
Hebrew Slavery right. Nor whether Roman Slavery
light Nor even whether American Slavery is right.
The question il simply this: Can Jd'H NseAe! Be az
inericcE slascOder f.A0lt opot1ey tr01 tie grounds
rlicA he tcok GgGiRs,he EEgl,h Co-crRment That IL
question about which Mr. Mitchell viii find LILLE light eth
in the Greek Hebrew. Tia: has 10 be discussed in
plain Saxon English.
What was The liberty which YOU asserted for Ireland
Has htaty fonEde9 upoH M iaa!eaoJi rigR q crery
.mln lang % hfs. Ltts,y aai iGPyiast' Or was T.
liberty nrdcd ne sigit T ne strong 70 oPDrcss o.
fcoki Tia; i the question which American nswpsper;
ire ut Ic sslg ard 10 which be has les
we from Noe and The patriNchs, we recommend Mr
Michel attention.
Il mhy be ,An. the Bb'a ias.is absola..n Or !: may
be .'t ir,Ies and author e- liberty. Eat Fhl hove
WY i,i-. Ria E-h.4siO do aA y9uT position bs).e tn.
Iur -.
VIC e--.s, fret NV, vl..tr thrlam ~ 3, ho,
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