The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-03-24
For the Courier. !

friend, to communication in your issue of
the 9Th inst, over the signature Of Thomas
Fowler. Had not that article contained ex-
lprcssions respecting me which were untrue,
or were calculated to create erroneous i'm
pressions, | should not have deemed it at all
incumbent upon me- to offer any remarks up
on it but under the circumstances, should
be wanting alike in self-respect and in cour-
Itesy to my friends, who desire that their
cause shall not be misrcpreSented without a
proper vindication. ... .s,.
| am represented by Mr.. Fowler as having
asserted that 1t Slavery was not politi-
cal evil" would desire to Judge ofthe gen
tleman with every reasonable d,sree Of char
ity. 1t is certainly true that I was often un-
der the necessity of correcting him when he
male statements respecting me: he was
sometimes so exceedingly inaccurate that
could only account for it on the supposition
that his Imagination must have been so far
excited as involuntarily to create to itself
supposed realities out of airy noth.ns,." +
suppose it must have been from this ideal
mandatory that the statement to which
referle was obtained. certainly never
made such an admission, and much less such
an assertion. To have done so would have
given the lie to the antecedents Of my whole
4 life; for from the days of that deadly foe TO
slavery (the immortal Wilbcrforce) up to this
hour, have ever held that slavery was a
hiieous moral social, and political evil.
/ 1t was unfortunate that Mr. Fowler was
not present at my open ns on the first even
ing had he been there, think that even
his fertile Imagination would have failed to
supply him with materials out of which to
create the assertion imputed to me. l
then distinctly repudiated examining the
subject upon political grounds. I said eff it
cnnnot bear the test of morality and religion,
it cannot be defended at all. If I can carry
this, the. true citadel, the town below cannot
be held by the enemy ;; for from its elevated
position a destructive fire can be poured in,
to which no cffectual reply can be given. If
there are other grounds higher than those on
which have placed the subject, have yet
to learn what they are. If there are higher
issues than these, then has our Savior taught,
suffered, bled and died in vain" After such
an introduction as this, it is rather too much
to ask the public to believe that asserted
slavery was not political evil" and that too
whilst was still combating against it on
moral and religious grounds. ...' I'D .
| The other remark to which take excep-
ton is contained in the same paragraph as
the first. 1t says, "when Mr.. Taunton was
driven to the brink ofthe precipice-'' This
looks something like man blowing the
trumpet of his own fame In the first place
have certainly not been aware that I was
forced to any precipice at all on the subject
+ of slavery, and in the second place, is it not
very remarkable that after having driven me
h to the 'brink," Mr. Fowler abstaincd from
pushing me off? This exhibits degree OF
forbearance an his part, for which | think
he is not generally remarkable; and | sup
pose he is entitled to my grateful thanks fol
,nercifully making me an exception to his
general rule. But it must be borne in mind
that if he extended an unsolicited mercy t.
i, me, he did an injustice to his own cause.
The question of slavery is. one which i:
now intensely asitating the public mind, aud
f consider that any man, whether assailant
or defender, but i'll performs his part who
stays his arm in the critical moment of pros
pective victory. e. In conflicts of mind, as il
physical conflicts, it is not usual to give quar-
ter until it is asked. and resistance has ceas
ed. Resistance on my part has not ceased
: this premature sounding of the trumpet o
! victory is naturally coupled with a repor
!. which has been industriously circulated, L
the effect that at the close Of the discussion
lad openly admitted defeat. Il regret to ST!
!, that some persons have aided in giving cur
rcncy to this untruth, from whom we have
right to expect better things. Some hav
n stated it to be a fact, knoning Ito be false
e The only material out Of which this falsehoo(
O was nude, sprung out of a conversation
; which took place after the discussion ha'
4 closed, and most of the audience had left
Is Mr.. Lewis Stamm. Of Albany, invited me t
l. deliver an address at that place, on any sub
2 ject might choose. To this | replied tina
y am now advancing in years, and my con
r, stitntion feeble; that in order to give tn
l. bulk of the people All opportunity to attend
it must be a night affair, which was uncon
genial to my health hence, thought
. should give up the practice of speaking i
IS public. OF course these remarks had no rel
u erence whatever to the discussion which ha
&c just closed, and am wholly unable to CON
prchend by what process the circulators ca
:, convert this into an admission of defeat
. Messrs. Archibald Dorothy and Lewis Stamr
= were both present at the conversation, an
will affirm the correctness of my statement.
JAMES TAUNTON.
n BLAKEsBURG, March 18th, 1859.
f WHY is the Star-Sprangled Banner like IT,