The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1854-06-29
For the Daily Gazette.l'

of the exhibition of Matthias d Co., / feel
myself called upon 70 reply 70 thounwar-
ranted attack made 1pon that company by
YOU through tho columns Of the Gazette Of
the eth. For the first time in the history
of the Novel or drama Of "Uncle Toms
Cabin" has either been attacked by a
minister Of the Gospel in the North;
and to you, reverend sirs, is due the credit
of discovering the demoralizing tendency
ofthe work; and you shall have that credit
in full, be assured of that.
With one accord, the clergy of the north
have defended the work from the attacks Of
southern fanatics, robed in the livery Of
their master above, and doubtless bought
up by their fellow worms below. These
men have as yet. been unable to discover
the immortality of the work; and / doubt
not, many Of them have been endowed with
intellects equally brilliant with your own;
and that they deliveredtheir Conscientious
opinions with as much candour and homes
ty. But to the direct reply.
AT the ouset you say that you consider
it no compliment to receive a ''eomplimen-
tary ticket to our exhibition; and attribute
the courtesy to the desire Of the proprietors
to 'increase their own profits by the use of
your influence" Ali / see. You enter
tain some fear that some one else should
catch a quarter in an honest way from out
your congregations; if indeed you labor un
der the impression that your Influence IS
sought. And if it be so in truth, would
there not have been more christianity in
quietly passing it by, or speaking to your
respective congregations in your pulpits?
Think SO, and SO viii the public. And l
also think it would have been equally char
table, and worthy Of a christian to have
went quietly into his closet, and there to
have prayed in private for the sinking of
our boats, as to attack the establishment in
a public printfor the express purpose, and
none other ofinjuring us, not only pecun-
iarily, but personally. You raise you hands
from out your robes into the air in holy
horror, and exclaim, not alone "brethern,"
but "felIow- citizens" "Beware" of what
r we do not fully comprehend, for all such
8 enigmas Ue esteem most vile, and entirely
unworthy Of the countenance of the pub
lie. But, Reverend sirs, your admonition
is entirely too transparent; your object is
| obvious TO all unbiased minds; and am
the more warranted in saying this since ]
heard the remarks of many of those per-
: sons to whom your appeal was made. You
7 know well,-or you know nothing aboutit
g that there is nothing of a ''pernicious OF
demoralizing' nature contained in the
drama of Uncle Toms Cabin. lam in
|clined to the belief that you know nothing
? about, and hence are you the more cul'
pablo in c~ondemning before you under
S stand. Because ~circuses and shows of va
rious kinds that you have witnessed exer
a pernicious effect, does it, in your philos
ophy, naturally follow that the drama o
d Uncle Toms Cabin must be alike demon
O alizing? There is consistency, and thu
same consistency which characteristics you
: entire article, which fact shall illustrate
to your satisfaction before I'm through
If. that be SO, then am | justified in judg
ing ofyour profession in like manner.
There are many instances, gentlemen, ii
which the most abandoned and despicabl
! characters have been discovered in tn
pulpit; and received from Indignant com
Of munitics the most disgracefM punishment
t. for their perfdy. Knight give the name
ofmany Of this stamp in your professio
a who have been the recipients of a coat c
e tar and feathers a reward for their base
ness, but deem it unnecessary. Would
be Just, or after the heart of a christian t
y Judge of the character of the profession b
vs. the conduct Of these wretches. say NJ
I most emphaticany. But you, gentlemen
n who are the exponders of the christia
= doctrine, appear, in your decision in a sim
:, lar case, to think otherwise.
81 Not satisfied with condemning the PEE
tn Torrance, you take the liberty to attack tt
character of the performers, (dearer to an
one than the wealth of Golconda) withoV
er knowing anything of em;butmerely infe
o. ring them to be d~isreputable because son
Of one ofyour acquaintance in the same pr
fession bore a bad character. In this attaC
= gentlemen, you have outraged the feelin!
ng Of your fellow man; in the attack upon Il
le- establishment you have nodded with bus
he ness that did not concern you; and fro
beginning to end in this transaction, show
to the public that you have a very sm'
in = dUlOuLlJ u DuotuOoo " dgVciO W. CiSp "
- could not waste the time intended to wo
y, good in the community, to injure strange
en- to no effect. Had you spoken in the vol
gy of christians, your words would have be-
Up heard and needed; but you attacked
nd without the slightest cause, in q spirit
vin~dictiYeness unworthy ministers of t
:: gospel; and this is evident to all. A chr
ms tan ~admonition, well timed, and especial
from the pulpit, cannot but exert a me
= salu.ary influence, and annihilate the mt
W. formids Bile temptation; but doing of e
that good may come oft, / have ney
in before heard taught from the mouth 0
ore christian as a correct principle for any o
ers to act upon. You lay great stress up
me continuation to ministers. 1t would a
pear that you conceive yourselves insultf
us from the manner in which you let doV
your indignation upon our heads. 1fit W
received as an insult, you are certainly I
most sensitive divinesI have yet seen,
W. was intended as a courtesy, and as su
'wo been received heretofore, by the most er
At nent divincs in the country. lido not vi
rip to be understood as speaking disrespcctf
ly of any church, or the Office of any m
lister; but if anything in this reply can
,no construed into d~isrespect, it is to yol
lied selves, gentlemen; you, who have stoor
the from voIr station and made a scurrilous