Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-10-17
A Letter from Mr.. w,,.

., The following letter was addressed By Mr..
Wise to the Boston Anti Slavery Committee,
who invited him to deliver lecture in Boston on
the subject OF slavery. The committee requested
him to give an immediate answer, and at his ear
liest convenience to transmit the particular phase
of the subject he would present:
ONLY. NEAR ONLNcocK,3
Accomac County, Va, Oct. 9Th. 1855. {
Gentlemen On my return home. after an ,b.
sencs of some days, found yours Of the 18th ult.
respectfully inviting to deliver one of the Lee
Cures of the course on Slavery. at Tremopt TEN.
'plc. in the city of Boston, on Thursday evening.
January 10th, 1856; or, if that time will not
'sut my engagements, you request that I will
"mention at once what Thursday evening. be-
tween the middle of December and the middle
''of March next, will best accommodate me.n
Now, gentlemen, desire to pay you due res.
pect, yet you compel Inc 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 goa "iailiatsd" lectures upon 3
cannot conceal 1t from myself that you have IN
taken, in Boston. 10 discuss end 10 decide whether
my property, in VrgiaiG ought 10 remain mine
or not, and whether 1t shall be allowed the pro-
lection of laws federal and State, wherever it
may be carried or may escape in the United States;
or whether it shall De destroyed by higher law
than constitutions and statutes!
Who are you, to assume thus such jurisdiction
over subject so delicate and already fixed in its
relations ~ q solemn compact between tho
States, and by States which are sovereign
will not obey your summons nor recognize your
Jurisdiction. You have no authority and no jus.
tfcation for thus calling me to account at the bar
of your tribunal, and for thus arfaigning an nsli-
tuition established by laws which do not reach you
and which you cannot reach, by calling on me to
defend it.
You send me card, to indicate the character
of the lectures. 1t reads:
"Adnit the bearer and lady to the Independent
"Lsctures On Slavery. Lecture committee. 5. G
Glove, T. Gilbert, George +. Williams, Henry
ct. Parker, w. Washburn. B. b. Musssy, W.
I'D. Spooner, Jas. w. Stone"
1t is endorsed
"Locturcs at the fremont Temple. Boston,
IS54-'5. November -, Hon. Charles Sumner,
"Rev John Pjerpont. poem. December 7, Sal
"mon P Chase of Ohio. December Ia, Hon.
"Anson Buringarne. December 81, Wendell
"Phlips, Esq December %, Cassius NJ Clay,
"Esq.. Of Kentucky. January A. Hon. Horace
"Greey. January H., Rev. Henry Ward
"Bsecher. January l6, Hon. John P. Hale
january rs, Ralph Waldo Emmerson, ESQ.,
"Fobruary g. Hon. Nathaniel p. Banks, Jr. Feb |
"ruary Is, Hon. Lewis d. Campbell, of Ohio
FEBRUARY %, Hon. Samuel Houston. of Texas
"tiarch | Hon. David Wilmot, Of Pennsylvania.
"Alsrch 9Th, Hon. Charles w. Upham." -All |
Honorable and Squirss, except those who are
Reveyend,! The card does verify indicate their
characters BY simply naming them. And your
letter. gentlemen, is franked by"C. Sumner, u.
S. S." With these characteristics, | am al no
loss to understand you and your purposes.
You say. during next season. large number
of gentlemen from The South will be invited, nc,
&c. regret il, fany others be found in the
slave holding States to accept your invitation
You plead The example Of Gen. Houston. 1t is
the last | would follow. 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 zone hundred and fifty dollars to b,
paid TO the lecturer, he bearing his own expenses"
Let me tell you that fremont pie cannot
hold wealth enough, 10 purchase one word Of dis
cus.on from me, there, whether minis, here, shall
be mine or not ; but am ready TO volunteer,
without price, to suppress any insurrectlon, and
repel any invasion which threatens or endangers
the State Rights Of Virginia, or my individual
rights under The laws and constitutions OF my
country, or the sacred Union, which binds Slave
States and Free together in one bond Of .Natio!o!
and IN separate bonds Of Independent
Sovereigniies!
In short. gentlemen, | will not deliver-one OF
the lectures ofthe course slavery, at the IRE
mont Temple in Boston, on Thursday evening,
January 10Th. 1856; and there will be no Thurs
day evening between the middle Of December and
the middle Of March next, or between that and
doomsday, which will best Accommodate me, for
that purpose.
give yon an Immediate answer, and, at my
sarlies, convenience, indicate to you that "the
particular phase of the subject" that | will pre-
sent is, deliberately TO FIoHr IF WE MUST.
Your, obd't servant,
HENRY WISE