The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-09-18

| EDITOR or THE NORTHWESTERN CHRISTIAN AID
/ 4 yoCATE, TO PRESIDENT BUCHANAN.
| hon. JAMES BUCHANAN,
President Of the United States:
SIR There are times when the humblest
citizen may and should approach the Chief
| Magistrate with his cause. Such is the pres
ent; and address you, not seeking any of
fee, nor interfering with the ordinary ques-
tons which are thrust upon your attention.
write as q member. a minister, an officer Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church.
You, sir, are ''publio functonary,o
charged with the highest responsibilities and
the weightiest duties. The matters | design
to lay before your Excelency affect the life,
the liberty, the property of our people. They
affect their rights In the new States and Ter
ritories they affect the destinies Of this eonn
try; for they must lead to the practical solu-
ton of this question: Dire the rights Of the
citizen, under the Constitution, TO be pro-
tsctea, or are they held at the pleasure Of
the n,ob2
The history of the "people called Metho
dists" is not unfamiliar to you, for IL 10 part
of the history OF the country. We have been
among the pioneers OF civilization and Chris.
tianity. Our clergy have been among the
first in the wilderness. They have not wait
ed until roads were made, bridges built,
houses erected, and disabilities removed
They have gone with the woodsman; they
have oamped with the hunter; searched out
the cabin of the squatter followed the hardy
miners OF the Pacific into their gulches, and
gone after the lumbermen into the inexhaust-
ible pineres. Sir, we have won the right OF
existence, and come to you to-day demand
ing protection in the exercise of our vested
rights.
regret, sir. that | must write this com
munication uop, while the political excite
ment unavoidably connected with Presi-
Dental election is upon us, but thore is no
alternative. 1t is q question OF life and
death.
| | will state
|. THE GROUND WE OCCUPY.
|. The Methodist Episcopal Church 10 no
| political organization. lis functions are
spiritual and ecclesiastical. Men of all po-
| ltioal shades are in it's ministry, its otEciary,
and it's membership. Its papers lend no in
huence to either political party, as such, nor
display the names OF any candidates at the
head OF their columns. Thus far, our peo-
pie have never been consolidated into polit-
| ical organization for no UNCONVENTIONAL IN
| terest has demanded it.
As
have bowed to the majesty Of law, both fed
eral and state. We have oounseled no re-
sistance to unjust laws. There is nothing in
our doctrines or discipline calculated to stir
up strife or sedition.
3. These things being so, We claim the
right to go, under the. constitution of our
country, into any part of our domain. We
claim the right Of free speech and free print
ing We cldim-mark, Mr.. President, do
not say we ask, we solicit; no, sir, Ne de-
mand-equal rights and privilegest with
other denominations. 1T our people violate
any law, let them be fairly tried, condemn ed
and punished. Give them an impartial jury,
an unbribsd judge, and competent counsel.
A. 1t cannot have escaped your attention,
sir, that Methodism was early remarkably
successful in the Southern States, but posi-.
bly, YOU may not have observed that it was
thus successful as decided and uncompro
missing anti-slavery church. The present
anti slavery tone of our Discipline and lit.
erature in no new utteranoe. Our fathers
spoke warmer words than We, and the warm.
est came from slave territory. You will BIZ
struck, sir, with the remarkable agreement
of their words with those of Washington
Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, and, if | mis-
take not, your own earlier spoken or writer
sentiments. IL was known everywhere tina
John Wesley abhorred slavery that be de
nounced the slave trade as the "sum of al
vilainies," and slavery as a complicated
crime; - and yet Southern conferences were
organized under his direct supervision. In
, 1880 conference held, not IN Boston, oil
, even in New York, but in Baltimore, on slave
soil, said : "SIavery is contrary TO the law
Of God and nature, and hurtfnl 90 society
| a fnta nf sasa a.,
pure religion You will be told that on
church has become abolitionized. Open GU
Discipline and read it. Ii says nothiul
stronger than was said by that Southern con
9 ference in 1850. In 1884 Baltimore agail
spoke, saying, ave view it [slay cry as con
trary TO the golden law of God, the inalien
able rights Of mankind, AS WELL AS EVER,
PRINCIPLE OF THE voLUrIoN,o DC.
These are mere specimen quotations, bu
= they express the early sentiment OF Method
ism. Slavery was wrong, and by religion
agencies was TO be extirpated. Holding thes
: views, they spread everywhere through th
y South. They encouraged no instructions
they stirred up no violence; they made n
a interference with State laws. We stand upo
the ssme platform, and hold similar views.
1t 30 happens, sir, that | am able TO Civ
r you the views Of our church in Virginia at
: somewhat later period. In 1918 a minste
q preached 0 sermon in Washington county, i
which were some illusions to tho relations G
;. slavery, and was indicted for attempting t
O promote instruction and sediton among tt
|, slaves. BY a change OF venue the trial VIC
n held in Frederick, in March, 1879. Til
senior counsel for the accused was Roger
fancy, now Chief Justice Of the Supren
Court Of the United States. One of the a
torneys read from the Discipline of II
Ia Church the Law bearing on slavery, While
may be thus condensed: (). A strong de,
larasion OF the great evil Of slavery; (2).
., requisition upon such as unite with the churt
'r To emancipate their slaves; (3). Forbidden
10 any stakeholder 10 be a travelling preacher
tf.5. = orDitioiny the saie of siaves ar thu