The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-10-07

ism.
NV introduction and visit to Mr. Parker, at his
snd William Lloyd Garrison-with the lions Of abo
itoniem in their very den-I must reserve for, and
make the staple OF another letter.
RICHARD YEApoN
ST. NICHOLAS HOTEL, !
New YORK, Sept 20, 1851
INTRODUCTION TO REV. THEODORE PARKER.
The services at Music Hall having been concluded,
as narrated in my last letter, ! fingered to get .
good view Of Mr.. Parker; and, being offered an in
PRODUCTION to him, followed him into an apartment
across the passage way between that apartment and
the hall in which he had just discoursed, and was
presented to him. He no soouer heard my name
than he said: Are you the gentleman that saw
and heard speak at the Plymouth celebration in
1892 replied, Eyes, the.very man, who, with
the weakest and feeblest voice. you had ever heard
from South Carolina, dared to defend slavery the
sacreds2l of Plymouth" AT this he smiled, and I
added: AT home, sir, I am thought to have rather
. loud and sonorous voice." After some other
slight interchange of words, told him would like
to have some conversation with him, and he there
upon said he would be happy to see me a. his
house, Exeter place, after O'Clock, on the evening
Of that day.
THE VISIT TO THuODOHE PARKER.
At or near the appointed hour, proceeded to Mr..
Parker's, accompanied by N. H. R. Dawson, Esq,
son of the late Lawrence E. Dawson, Esq. and =
native of Charleston, but resident Of Cahaba,
Dallas county, Alabama, and . practising lawyer
there gentleman of high character and talent,
cultivated mind and refined taste-who is cores
ponding with and writing a very elegant series
of letters for the Dallas (Ala.) Gazette. On ar.
irving at Mr.. Parker's residence, we were po-
litely and cordially received by that gentle
man, and introduced by him to Mrs. P. and to
several other ladies', and to several gentlemen
whom we found assembled in the parlor or draw
ing room. Among the ladies was Mrs. Garrison
and among the gentlemen was the famous abolition
list, William Lloyd Garrison, and Mr.. J. T. Goodrich,
and Mr. Willis. Mr.. Parker assured me that the pre-
sence of the gentlemen above named was entirely
accidental, (his friends being accustomed to drop
in on Sunday evenings, for social conversely; but
added that he did not regret the occurrence they
we're the very persons he would have selected
and invited to meet me.
On being introduced to Mr.. Goodrich, said, with
empyess1msnt: "what, Petsr Parley?" Not
exactly, replied he, smiingly and Mr.. Parker in
formed me that his guest was Mr.. Goodrich, former
~ anu idcly vi SunBiSob lIolu musSuCtlu-
ests; when added: "Oh, remember now, Peter
Farley is in Europe.
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON.
Introductions being all over, took my seat near
Mr.. Garrison, who immediately commenced dis
cussion with me on the lawfulness, morality and hu-
manity Of the institution of slavery which we both
conducted with great vigor and earnestness and al
most exclusively, for some time, Mr. Parker aud
other gentlemen only occasionally putting in a
word.
THE rRo-sLAvBIY AND ASrr-sLAvERy DEBATE.
Ipressed home on Mr.. Garrison the scriptural
argument, shelving that Jehovah himself not only
sanctioned the pre-existng system of slavery, but
actually ordained it among the Jews-his chosen
peope--as perpetual institution, authorizing and
commanding them 10 make and to buy slaves Of the
heather that were round about then, as q posses
sion and an inheritance for themselves aud fer their
children, postcrity, forever ard expressly recog
nized slaves prope. ty, In the remarkable njnc
ton, that where Jewish master smote his slave,
who died under the stroke, after o day or two, the
master should no, be punished, Because says God,
''he IN his money; that Jehovah himself returned
the first runaway or fugitive slave 70 her jealous, M
treating and prosecuting owner, Sarai, who, by
Abrams permission, had dealt hardly with her,
so much So that she fed from the face Of her mis-
tress" into the Wilderness at time too, when she
bore within her the little sanctuary OF embryo life
that, by Sarai's own doing, was 10 make Abram
the ancestor of the fshmaelites and commanded
the returned fugitive Ito submit herself under the
hand" OF her capricious and tyrannical mistress;
and that Jehovah himself, amid the thundcrs
and soiemnities OF Sinai, placed slave property
under the protection Of the Decslogue, expressly
against covetousness," and implicitly against
theft and robbery. At the assertion. on my part,
that Jehovah was the first who executed the Fugitive
Ia nf tha R,hla Mr. Ea~r,aop
"blasphepyl" "Whatf' said l, "blasphemy sim
ply 20 quote the words Of scripturel" He there
upon denied that 1t was scripture, or Gods word,
and even denied that Hagar was Abrams slave at
all! then went on aud added the cumulative testi.
mony or evidence, OF the New Testament to that of
the DID, and showed that both st. Paul and st. Pc
ter recognized slavery as an existing Institution
der the Roman empire, (where the master had the
power OF life and death the slave,) and regn.
lated mot abolshed) IL by code for the conduct ~
both Christian slaves and Christian masters admit
ting Christian masters into full church fellowshlp
and communion, and counselling Christian slaves to
fidelity and obedience TO, and against then from,
and even against impertnence to- Christian masters,
good and bed, buGeting and unsuHeting az thank.
worthy" conduct, and as mode OF adjoining the
doctrine OF God their Saviour In all things;- and that
sc. Paul, after converting the runaway slave
0nesmus 10 Christianity, returned him 20 Phile-
mon, his Christian master, and pledged himself for
his future good conduct and proftabIeness to his
owner. In reply 10 this Mr. Garrison denied that
hired servant, the ground that he In spoken Of
A. owing debt TO Philemon, which St. Paul as
sumed and promised TO pay; and that, II slave,
be could not owe debt 10 any one. I answered
that the debt was doubtless that Of duty or ODE
dience, which bad been withheld or unfaithfuily
performed or arising from then or robbery commit
ted In the past. St. Paul says "If he hath wronged
thee, or oweth thee any thing, put that 10 mine
account" Philemon, v. Is. ! also insisted that
II was absurd TO suppose that hired servant,
who bad right TO quit his owners service at
will. should have been returned to his master,
hy the apostle, under the circumstances and In
the manner that Onesimus had been restored
to Philemon, whom 81. Paul recognized AZ his
clearly beloved friend and fellow laborer," and as
one by whom "the bowels Of the saints were refresh.
ed when he that horrible thing, in the eyes Of
modern fsnaticism, or OF Phsrisaical righteousness
a slsveholder. Mr.. Parker had another vet shorter
and more patent way Of getting over the dilemma
he did not bubble on the meaning Of words, az his
principal in the argument had done, but boldly
asserted that 0nesmus not the slave but the bro
tber-the iegitimate brother, / think-of Philemon.
Both OF the antisavery disputants, however, finally
al tad n uholcQafe nefhad NJ evadu0 f,roo n