Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-04-12
LETTER III.
March 8, 1856.
IL. w. u.

March s, 1870,
DEAR SIR: thank you for your courteous letter
but regret that it contained no answer to my
inquiry whether the language of the Independent,
villifying Mr.. Garrison as an 'irfidel Of the most
degraded class is approved by you.
l have under scored the essential words of the
slander l do not think that Mr.. Garrison, or any
of his friends object that his fees should apply the
term nfdelI according to their tastes. tits word
of varying import and is fast losing whateversof re-
proach implies. Derogatory terms, when habitually
applied to honorable characters soon lose their base
Specification, honorable terms, when, appropri
ated by the base, soon cease to be honorable. The
head ruihan of the nation is endorsed as an ex
emplary Christian by leading religious papors
which stigmatize the Channings. Garrisons, Ger
rit Smiths and Lucy Stones as infdels. If this is
to be the established of words there is reason tC
fear that hypocrites, who desire the advantage oi
decent name will claim to be infdels.
But to call q man who sustains not merely re
spectacle, but an eminent character, who is widely
known as person of singular blamelessness and
amiability of department and purity of life, and
of high public and social standing 'one Of the mos
deyrdded class is quite another thing. This at
rocious slanded is published in such say, that il
derives force and currency from your name
which no disclaimer of responsibility can cancel, i
you withhold your testimony OF its ialsity. loi
kno,c tito be fdlse and cannot justly refuse, wher
thus appealed to, to declare your knowledge. Mis-
prison of slander is as culpable, morally, as mis-
prison of treason. Justice truth and honor forbit
silence or evasion. As bank officer is bound whcr
spurious bill of his bank is presented at least tt
stamp it counterfeit and thus destroy its power
mischief, so are you bound to stamp this SANDER
proceeding from an institution with which you are
associated, with the brand of falsehoOd. do no
pretend to dictate terms. l only claim that, as ar
honorable man and an advocate of truth yor
should state your knowledge or belief concerning
the truth or falsity of a defamation which derives
Importance from your connection with its source
Since my first letter. l have consulted some of the
prominent friends of Mr.. Garrison and give this Of
their view, as we'll as my own.
Your suggestion, that Mr.. Garrison's friends
procure certificates of his character and New
Testament views, to be published in the LadepenG
ent, is one which, from its source, | am inclined
to treat with respect. But l do not think it viii
work Until the Independent shall purge itsel
of SANDER, it is not a proper medium of truth
Besides Mr.. G. and his friends are avcrse to what
ever implies acknowledgment of ecclesiastical
authority. They Iepudiate the priestly claims 0
ROME and of UTAH, and of course could not boy
to any in New York. AS reciprocal overture
however, ] suggest that the editor of the Mdepend
et procure certificates that he is not a slandere
of the most degraded class, and also concerning
his views of the Old Testament, particularly the
text, Thou shalt not bear false Witness &c.,
which doubt not Mr.. Garrison will willingly pub
lsh in the LiJeratOr. | consider this more thar
an equivalent proposition, for the slanderer has
much more need OF certificates than the Sian
dered.
VIII you favor me with your answer as early a!
convenient?
Very truly and respectfully, D. NJ.
No reply to the last letter has been made, fol
tho obvious reason, that silence is the best re
source for one who is too much man to tell lie
and too much priest to declare the truth.
ID. NJ