The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-07-24
LETTER OF 9. P. CULVER.
MApnor. Gronar.. Man. Isss.

GESrLEaES; Your esteemed favor Of the 9Th instant Is
before me- and in response 10 the distinguished honor thus
conferred upon by your invitation to visit the Stat
OF Ohio the present or autumn and deliver Sc
es Of lectures upon the subject Of domestic slavery as ex
istng in the southern States Of the Uuion is compliment
must be allowed say altogether uumsrited as well a.
unexpected by secluded in the walks OF private lie
and utterly unaceusomed am TO public partepa
ton in and vndicaton Of questions involving such oppo
site opinions and OF such thrilling interest 10 the country
the of domestic slavery causes me 10 feel my naae
quacy discharge satisfactorily responsible and wesh
obligation the enjoined upon me by your inv
,aton However much feel my weakness, and real
ze the conscious necessity Of undivided attention 10 my
professional duties nevertheless knowledge OF the sape
ror intelligence and high social and political standing o.
the gentlemen whose appended 10 this letter 81
invitation together with the magnitude and importance OF
the subject and the great necessity al this umemore per-
haps than any other period in the history OF our coun
uyof knowledge by the honest masses In tnt
North upon the subject of African slavery as existing 10
the South and hope ALSO of being somewhat nstrumeI-
tai in aayng northern prejudice against and fanacism
upon the question of slavery induce me TO lay aside every
personal consideration and accept your invitation ana
thus discharge however feeby an obligation owe alike
to you the South and the entire country whose proud
arch this day bends wentyour millions OF freemen,
whose bosom swell with patriotism at the sound OF "Hai
Columbia Happy Land" As its vibrations sink deep into
their souls they feel proud consciousness wbether theJ
be "naipebora" qlieas that they in the land
the free and the home OF the brave .t s.
But gentlemen what indemnity have We, under the
isng state sectional prejudice and universal excitement
that this proud fabric erected it By the united
erges of foeiather irrespective Of locality shall long
stand monument Of glory to the past and beacon
light to the future point the reclining blossoms OF youth
of manhood of old age Of generations yet unborn 10 thai
arch liberty, of repubicansm, which the pride OF
our oreathers and boast OF their postsriy? ask gen
temep what have of the perpeuity OF ths
Union Is it the of slavery that has well nigh
cred the last tie that binds the sovereign States OF this
Union into conederacy2 or rather has not the curse o.
fdnatcsm and party dema9cgsm that has from time to
| time severed one by one these ties
Who let me ask are the agators this vcxed question
Are they those who are the most intimately and d.
rey affected by this institution Of slavery If slavery
bliehng whitening, and social curse as its op
posers say, why have not Of the South seen and felt
the damning evil 2" Why have they been the frs,
to cry out against its expressions Why has the soil
which produces than threehs of the American
poraons been cured by kind Heaven if slavery be such
great moral evil The answers 10 these interrogaorie
plain aud obvious The evil not so much the result
of the existence slavery domestic institution in The
slave States Of the Union as itis the result OF en- uro
poksd and unjustfabe attack Of the aboonsts Of the
North upon who neither directly indirectly
wrongfully either socially poically-aeced by the
| institution.
The great evil resulting from slavery then is the undue
agitation of the subject by its eneies who neither
approximately remotely affected by It, but who
time by every possible to heap caumny and oppro
brum upon the stakeholder and deny to him the feelings in
common with civilized man. much less to those belonging
| to Christian. ..... ....#.
Their opposition to slavery domestic institution does
stop with the denunciatons and epbes hesped
upon the STAKEHOLDER which, if it ALL could be borne
with immunity, but il extends to an abrdgement OF theft
constitutional rights. And when it thus appears, then that
large of counirymen have forgotten their obli
cations citizens Of great eonfederaey, and arraye
the pselvs open hostility its dearest interests tramp
ling under foot sacred principles and boldly defy
ing the execution OF its laws is IL not time for those pos
sesslng rights which affected by this OF conduc
around them 10 order to ascertain It's tendency
When behold in portion Of the Union banefu
groups of fanatics and party parasites sacrificing homo
principle and everything that Is sacred to Of int
ritz In order defraud the citizens of the other Of
their constitutional rights Is II not just suppose tina
these assaults will be and repelled with force ade
quate the magnitude of the object to be attained That
this state OF affairs exists there be such thing
denying That the time for manly resistance has IL
evident beyond a shadow Of doubt And while would
ape the examples of the Beecher the Parker and the
Dutops In counscng to arms would, nevertheless urge
the South to stand firmly by rghdecare them openly
aud boldly defy honorable controversy upon the merits
the question issue An appeal to the judgment Of
by the force Of reason and to their passions excited
false statements and Misrepresentation is courtesy the
South has right to expect and impartial and candid
hearing upon the merits Of the question is prerogave
which the North viii not deny her.
Aggressions OF former years patiently borne and
peaeeably well amicaby, settled between conendng
parties The time was also when there reason
found in the minds Of these aggressors and hope may
still be found among the honest masses who willing
listen to the appeals Of truth and not be led away
by that blind fanaicsm by which thousands OF the New
Englandes are this moment actuaed in the execution
of their nesarious plots and who have determined to resist
and every other honorable principle rush blind
y on to the accomplishment Of their heish purposes the
cost OF their countrys ruin.
These facts forced upon the mind Of every rejecting
with fearful forebodugs Of their consequences
and the practical demonstrations Of this degraded spirit
which has trampled under foot the constitution aud bid
defiance to the laws Of the land has kinded the fires
indignation and resentment within the very heart OF the
New England States and the Territories where
the ever-actye Of rebellion is fast being surcharged
with reyengeru power hnr defiance In the face o. law
and drive terror If 1t possible to the unanchin
hearts OF the las-loviDg and law-abidng citizens Of all
sections Of country and especially those residing
IN the Territory OF Kansas These ungroanded assaults
have already assumed the character OF unlawful invasion
and being fairly understood such, have been, aud
will still continue be, met and repealed with force
and spirit worthy Of those who "now their rights and
dare maintain them"
do not wish be understood charging the entir,
North with this reckless spirit OF aggression and no
lawful INVASION upon the rights OF the South for ap
nr tor