The true Democrat., 1855-10-30
COPY l
Only, near Onancock, ,

AccOnl0c County, Va, Oct. 0th, lSo5. {
 Gentlemen:--On my return home, after an absence of some days, I found yours of the 18th ult., respectfully inviting me to deliver one of ahe lectures of the course on slavery. at Fremont Temple, in the city of Boston, on Thursday evening, January 10th, 1856; or, if that time will not suit my own engagements, vou request that 1 will mention at once what Thursday evening, between the middle of De- cember and the middle of March next will best accommodate me-"
 Now, gentlemen, desire to pay you due re- spect, yet you compel me to be very plain with you, and to say that your request, in every sense, is insulting and offensive to me. What subject of slavery have yOu "initictteCl lectures up0a2 1 cannot conceal it from myself that you have undertaken, in Boston, to discuss and to decide lobetber n1y property, a VUyinia ought C. remain mine or not, and whether it shall be allowed the protection of laws, federal and State, wherever it may be carried or may escape in the United States; or, whether it shall be destroyed by higher law than constitutions and statutes.
 IVho are y0U, to assume thus such iursdic- ton over a subject so delicate and already fixed in its relations by solemn compact between the States, and by States which are sovereign l will not obey your summons nor recognize your jurisdiction. You have no authority and no justification for thus calling me to account at the bar of your tribunal, and for thus arragn- ing an institution established by laws which do hot reach you and which you cannot reach, by calling on me to defend 1t.
 You send me card to indicate the character of the lecturers. It reads:
 Admit the bearer and lady to the indepen- dent lectures on slavery Lecture committee, s. G. Howe, T. Gilbert, George F. Williams, Henry T. Parker, w. Washburn B. B. Mussey, w. B. Spooner, Jas. w. Stone"
 Itis' endorsed:
 "Lectures at the Fremont Temple, Boston, 1854-5. November 23, Hon Charles Sumner, Rev. John Pierpont, poem. December 7, Hon. Salmon P Chase of Ohio. December l4, Hon. Anson Buringame, December 21, Wendell Phillips, esl. December 28, Cassius Nj. Clay, esq., of Kentucky. January 1, Hon. Horace Greedy. January II, Rev Henry Ward Beech CT January Is, Hon. John P Hale January g, Ralph Waldo EmmerSon, esq. February s, Hon. Nathaniel P Banks jr. February 15, Hon. Lewis D. Campbell, of Ohio. February 22, Hon. Samuel Houston, of Texas. March l, Hon. David WiImot, of Pennsylvania- March 8th, Hon. Charles w. Upham All Honorable and Squires except those who are Rererenlst The card does verily indicate their characters by simply naming them. And your letter, gentlemen, is ranked by "C. Sumner, U. $. s." With these characteristics, I am at no loss to understand you and your purposes.
 You say, during the next season, larger number of gentlemen from the south will be invited" etc., etc. 1 regret it, if any others can be found in the slave holding States to ac-
 ..4 n. IL, l., of Gen IIouston IL is the last 1 would fol- low have no doubt that you accorded very respectful attention to him last winter, and were very grateful for his services in your cause.
 You offer one hundred and fifty dollars to be paid to the lecturer, he bearing his own cx- penses" Let me tell you that Fremont Tenn pie cannot hold wealth enough to purchase one word of discussion from me, there, whether mine, here, shall be mine or not; but 1 am read y to uol4nteer without money and without price, to suppress any insuwectOn, and repel any in vasion which threatens or endangers the State rights of Virginia, or my individual rights un- der the laws and constitutions of my country, or the sacred Union, which binds slave States and free together in one bond of national contee- racy, and in separate bonds cf independent sove- reigties'
 In short gentlemen, l will not deliver one of the lectures of the course on slavery, at the Fremont Temple, in Boston, on Thursday even- ing January 10th, 1856; and there will be no Thursday evening between the middle of De- cember and the middle of Mafch next, or be- tween that and doomsday which will best ac- commodate me for that purpose. l give you an immediate answer, and, at my earliest convenience, indicate to you that "the particular phase of the subject" that l will pre- sent is, deliberately: TO FIGHT IF WE MUST.
 Your obedent serv't.
 HENRY A. WISE. To SAM'L. G. HOME, Phys. and Supernd't.
 Blind Inst.
 JNo. NJ. CLARK, High Sheriff SAM'L. MAY Merchant
 PHLo SANFORD, ex-Treasurer State.
 NATH'L. B. SHURTLEFF, Phys. and Anti
 quarian.
 JOSEPH STORY, Pres't Com. Council
 THo's. RUSSELL Judge.
 JAS. w. STONE, Phys.