The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-13

i announcer m0mxxG0tO nom Gorrtt &mttns
TO TIE RELIGIOUS NswsrArm REvmwEss on ny Rscsn
Pardon me for including you all in one address. Al
you are TO be counted by scores, and always
under heavy burden Of labors, cannot find time TO
few, though unhappiy but few of my reviewers have
written in kind and unexceptionable spirit Unegned
injuries which they believe / have done the cause Of
truth thank them, and hope to profit by them
Some Of you make fun of me and my discourse, and
seek to bring down the public and contempt upon
both This seems to me to be out Of keeping with your
Christian professions For the discourse subjects OF
the deepest and most solemn interest," and II full
OF plumbers as you say it is you doubt not that is full
of earnestness also.
Most OF you review rather than my discourse; and
you do il in ways that il not intended do nevertheless
tend to have read either not Mt all through the film of
pfeaace Inns deeply regret; Tor am very DESTROYS
own instead OF its authors real or supposed character
Some Of my reviewers Of this class pronounce weak
and others pronounce me insane This does not disturb
me. Some of them parade my changes and this, con-
iess, does disturb For the practice of dsparagng
and ridiculng because they change very evil
influence have always lamentcd the prevailing dspo-
sition TO set down weakness and fault the Willingness
to change In my judgment far do what we
tegry where they will feel free to experience changes and
avow them than is TO atter and their
habit of shrinking from the reproach of changing their
opinions and relations. confess that have been
PEELED to undergo frequent changes Some of them
me much self denial, and some Of them much suffering
Nevertheless do regret them. could be honest
and avoid them could not resist the demand for them,
Little than forty years ago was guilty of gambling
To give it up good change SO too was II good
change when, between thirty three and thirty four years
ago, gave up strong drink Thirty years ago was
weaned from political parties: and only years after
was weaned from ecclesiastical parties also, deep be-
came my of the sin of dividing the disciples of
Christ into sects These blessed changes from the
trammellng and shrveling spirit of party the soul
expanding freedom OF the truth. Quitting the Colonial
ton Society Is one OF my offences In your reviews. But
how could avoid this changer Slavery was the horror
Of my childhood. William Jay (noble and dear man y
I'M fhp
only immediate abolionist belonging to il. | can
not remember the day when | was not one. 1t
was to promote the immediate and unconditional abolition
OF slavery that joined the Colonization Society Hence
when found that it opposed emancipation unless
panied by expatriaon what else could do than quit
! had TO change my relations that might maintain my
principles BY the way, these DISCLAIMERS against change
are quite apt to conound the giving up of relation with
the giving up OF principle But often is il the case that
because will hold fast to principle to break
up relation and enter into another The inward must
be preserved ut whatever expense the outward We
must change in order to remain unchanged.
One of my reviewers (see the Christian Integencer in
oroer TO excite prejudice against my DISCOURSE refers
the fact that was baptized by immersion This is to set
all but the Baptisis against my discourse The
is to set all Christians against it,
fear most the effect of the New York Independents
For whoever believes that my mind is as eccentric
and my judgment as weak it represents them to be-
will not think worth while spend one moment in read
ing what writ 1t hold me up as foolish enough to be-
ieve that could be elected Governor last fall and this
too, though in whole county into which would 90 to
present myself as candidate, could not find man
willing TO vote for me-
The friends of freedom and temperance have repeated
y nominated me for Governor and President usually put
the bodest face the matter; call loudly the people
to vote for me- and even practice the great mmodesy Of
voting for myself But never supposed that any one at
trbued to me the expectation OF being elected thought
every one was aware that value my nomination, be-
cause II may result In my election but because avail
myself Of to ncucate, both pwse and penwise princi
pies which are as precious TO they unpopular
with the masses. Oh no. cannot be simple toexpect
the election Of an abolition and temperance ticket this
State so long not religious newspaper the State
goes LOT tho, temperance
true little sheet Syracuse The temperance press this
State would have people talk temperance but vote for
With few exceptions, the religious press of this
State pirates for Christ but prefers political expedency to
HIS principles Imay be gnorantof Christ-and surely
He is with these great parties that tickets
and prosavery tickets and not with the little handful
who believe that earnest friends Of temperance and free
dom are alone fit to be civil rulers.
Another means of the Independent for convincing its
readers that they must not mind anything say is its
young and indolent and inexperienced of color
into hardy squatter upon parcels of wild land For the
last forty years have had to do with wild land
this State than any other man in -having in that time
given away or sold seven or eight thousand parcels of
j. to as aso many ., persons Surely, then must
do not know what qualities essential to
the successful occupation Of wild land Yes, /
my fathers long nfc, eulishtoned at this
point by religious newspaper editor--by who has
Of wild land. would add that the Independent is mis-
taken in supposng the gifts in question to be conditioned
clearing and cutvatng They all absolute. The
Independent may not see, nevertheless my experience
does, many ways in which poor may be helped by
being made the of land, even though he shall
occupy it. Such ownership may increase his self
respect II may give him access to the ballot box The
watching the timber and the taxes upon it may
be useful 10 him The sale of it may benefit him ''
Another of the ways of the Independent for bringing
readers to treat my productions with neglect and con-
tempt is its lmputaton of eccentrcty Eccenrici
ty is great calamity 1t is very disagreeabe to
To believe myself the subject of it would make
unhappy. / hope / am not eccentric in dress,
manners modes, expressions of thought
and am not aware that my family neghbors think
am was never suspected of ecccntrcty until stopped
drinking rum Then for the first time l was called
queer fellow But since then millions have stopped
drinking rum, and have of COURSE ceased to be queer
at this point Excepting my going TO bed at nine and
rising at fve out of which the newspapers make SO
much sport know of remaining grounds for calling
eccentric that never allow myself to vote for
any man who knows law for slavery, for any man
who recognises the sacred rights of property in ntoxi
eating liquors when offered for sale as beverage But
the refusal vote for such is logical conclusion
instead OF eccentrcy; common sense, and not a
crochet and the person on trial other than myself
should call such refusal the normal action Of sound
mind instead of the whm of queer one.
am truly sorry that the Independent thinks
sary to hold me up eccentric and weak in judy
ment u IS newspaper OF very wide circulation and
very wide influence, not to say very wide authority.
Many will believe that all this which says Of true;
and Of course they will not to read what such crazy
smpeton writes readily admit that this charge of
eccentrcity and this impeachment of my judgment a
very cunning and effective device prevent reading
of my DISCOURSE and to deduct from influence those
who do read it, Nevertheless is there farness-s there
justces there the ingenious spirit of Jesus in the
vice?
strikes gentlemen, that those Of you who treat
my discourse with levity and contempt and make little
else than the occasion Of misrepresenng and ridcung
myself, have fallen into a great mistake. You
cannot annhiate what is going around you simply by
turning your back scornfuly upon it. The fast
growing intelligence of Chrstendom has at last made up
issue between progressive and conservative rel
gon between the religion of and the religion Of
authority This issue to be ignored-t not to be
evaded. Do what you will to the conrary-sander and
rcue earnest your hearts contcnt-take on what
affect what superiority you please this issue will
nevertheless push itself into notice. 1t will command the
public attention. and occupy large share Of the public
thought. COndescend, then beseech you and without
any further injurious delay, the lists and to bring
to the discussion all that earnestness sobriey sincerity
and modesty which become men, and which characterize
Christians.
You prize the Bible. know not that you think to be
in danger Very probably you regard it quite safe
virtue Of your conceited and overraed defence of
If, however, you do think to be in danger you think it
to be not because Of yourselves of others do