Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-04-16
Respectfully yours, DC,
B. LANIER * CO.,
HART, MACREA d CO.,
B. w. MACREA & CO.,
s n "HOLLINGSWORTH

In the latter part OF MIR. StrsIght's an
swer, he says:
Having thus hastily noticed the most
prominent points of your letter 1 may as
well confess my faith, briefly as possible,
on this vexed question" hoping TO be
better nderstoodhereafter Coming in
direct conflict with the views of the Gar
r~isonian abelitionists, l believe the
founders of this government were great
and good men, hat they were honest in
the expression of views which The de-
bates incidentally elected, that they were
sincere in their renowned declaration OF
self evident truths, hat they intended
freedom and slavery Should be known
and treated under the government, the
former as permanent and national, the
latter as transitory and sectional and
that a majority of our executive and leg
~islative officers, since chosen, have
proved recreant to their responsible posi-
ton, giving the whole weight of their
votes and influence. TO the protection and
enlargement Of human slavery, instead
of freedom. Notwithstanding this wicked
policy has allowed The area of slavery TO
become largely extended since the fer
nation of our government, resulting in
many and great evils to all concerned,
my conservative" views impel nae 10
do nothing more than to seek by my vote,
and by all peaceful means 10 conine the
evil TO its present limits, claiming no
right 10 interfere with the local inslitu-
tons of other States.
Assist us-(myself and the large mum
bers in this country with whom | sy m
pathise in their views and aims in our
efforts TO procure the repeal of the Flu
gitive Slave law, or its more odious pro-
visions at least, ask no more of us in
your efforts to reclaim your human cattle
from our territory than we can claim of
you in our efforts to recover our horses
from yours-in short. release US from
the degradation incidental from the pres
ent misdirected powers of this govern
ment, and we will most cheerfully leave
the responsibility of sustaining and per-
petuaIing slavery with those who are
willing 10 bear it I; still maintaining our
rights TO a free expression of our views
in regard to the social, moral and politi-
cal evils resulting therefrom, and hold.
ing 10 our firm belief that the American
Eagle can never soar to her true and
lofty position, while fettered, in one half
her territory, by the coils of American
Slavery. A few ideas in regard to
starving men to embrace ones views, or
to refrain from opposing them, and l
have done.
You offer an insult to every Cincinnati
merchant to whom you tender your pat
ronage on any such conditions as the
tone of your letter indicates, and you
may find, TO your surprise, that the
large majority of them are holding them
selves out Of the market. Suppose we
should propose any such conditions to a
Southern merchant or planter on which
to purchase ~lnssagar, rice, cotton, fruits,
DC, DC, what think you would be the
result /? Believing in free labor, and
protesting to encourage it so far as prac.
ticable, we weekly receive and sell the
products of slave labor, proposing no
such degrading conditions as others, and
We will submit to none ourselves. Then
the thing is absolutely impracticable.-
Every intelligent person knows that the
people Of the Western Reserve counties
of this Stale are opposed, to a man, to
the further extension of slavery /; and a
very large majority-neally all of them
ARE u~niinching advocates of principles
that you profess TO regard as fanatical
and mischievous in the highest degree.
Your liberal purchases of their produce
enhances its value, facilitates its sale,
aud fills their "corpulent purses" They
add farm to farm, building to building.
very easily sparing the means to support
anti-slsvery lectures and publications /;
they have their Giddings and Wades in
Congress TO faithfully represent their
views, and you pass over all this and re-
fuse to pstronize their humble agents
here, for the merest expression of sym
patby for the principles which they SO
feailessly and efficiently advocate !
Beautiful consistency truly !! As well
might you pluck an acorn from the out