The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-01
A CARD.
WASHINGTON, Noe. 2

WASHINGTON, Nor. 20, 1859.
The Washington States and Union" of
yesterday contained the following statement;
"To secure very large circulation of Hell
per's infamous book in the North large amounts
of money have been subscribed ~ leading Re-
pubicans. Gov. Morgan, of New York, gives
800; Thurlow Weed contrib ties 500; so
does Horace Greeley. ID. r. Co dloe, of Wash
ineton, subscribes 500, and the James of some
forty or fifty others are down OF Helpers sub
scription list for corresponding amount"
presume that this statement is made on the
authority of publication in the New York
Herald of the Saturday previou,, in which my
name occurs in a list of subse ribers for Mr..
Helpers book. regret TO be allied upon, by
sense of duty to myself to y that'I have
never contributed cent to Mr. Helpers book,
but, on the contrary, refused to gave my name
used in that way, even as a nominal contrib
utor. / did so for the reason that strongly
disapproved of the book, both in the views it
advances, and in the tone and t,mper it mani
tests. / also refused to be pls ed before the
public as a large subscriber for work which
was to be distributed gratuitously on the ground
that my means would not justifyAuch liberality,
and l had no wish to be made ridiculous by af.
fectingit. But the following extract from criti-
cal notice of Mr.. Helpers work, written by me,
which appeared in the Era of July Ia, though
conceived in the most charitable spirit of liter
airy criticism, will show the impr3bability of the
statement that have become it, endorser and
circnlator. After stating that the book con-
tains many valuable statistical tables, and
other useful information for the ,ublic speaker,
editor, and controversialist, proceeded to say
Mr.. Helper claims to be al, Abolitionist !;
and, from a cursory perusal OF his work, we
infer that his views conform flore nearly to
those of the Radical Abolitionlsi !, of which Mr..
Gerrit Smith is the type, than , the old Lib
erty party or Republican school
His plan for abolshing Spvery will find
| more favor with Abolitionists than with slave
holders, or even the non-save holders of the
| South. 1t simply proposes abolition without
compensation to the slaveholf,r, and at the
same time requires the slavehol ters to advance
| sixty dollars per head to each sE,ve. Whatever
merits this scheme may posFss, feasibility
cannot be set down as one of them, and we
incline to the opinion that MIR. Helper has i'm
paired the utility of his book by deliberately in
the shareholders, and only serve for merriment
with others. As bantering of Jet to the pre-
posterous demands of the stockholders upon
the Federal Government, it MAJ do very well !;
but as serious proposition,.it will in lure
rather than promote the object e has in view"
The political position which sense of duty
constrains me to occupy, necessarily alienates
from me many who would otherwise be cher
| ished friends. / hasa no wish to widen the
breach. / am Southern man. / am not
the enemy of my native land, but its friend !;
and | cannot permit any man To- place me in
position hostile to it. / urgl the value of
Freedom, and the duty of emal cipation upon
the white men of the South ID have never,
anywhere, publicly or privately, altered word
which could be strained into an. imp lication of
revolutionary violence, or cal upon the free
States to interfere with the affat,s of the slave
States. believe that the F deral Govern
ment should use its constitute gal power and
Legitimate influence to prevent the extension
OF Slavery. But have never Given the least
countenance to the idea that the common Gov
eminent can interfere with the local reserved
rights and Jurisdiction of the Sites. Far less
could | justify or excuse any Dlent invasion
of the South by the North. Al appeals and
declarations which give count+nance to I'M
warrantable political interference, or lawless
aggression; are as abhorrent to my feelings
they can be to those Of any lJan, North or
South.
make this statement with a view to being
properly understood, and ESPECIALLY by my
friends in the South. Whatev~ estimate they
may place upon me, with a full understanding
of my views, ] must submit to but UNDER no
circumstances, for no earthy-consideraton
will consent to occupy POSITION of hostility
and hatred to the land of my bi.th.
DANIEL i. GooDLoE.