, 1860-09-12
IMPORTANT LETIEs From REV. r. N. EDDY.
II. D.. EDIiDR or THE NuRTHW EST EHN
CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE, TO PRESIDENT YU.
CHASAN,

45 !;
HoS. JAMES BUCHANAN,
EtIfai5tnf Of sAs Tnittd Staffs:
S1a:-Tbere are times when the humbles
: citizen may and should approach the Chic
Magistrate with his Cause. 9nch il the present
ana nddre1s you, not seeking any otiice, no
interfering with <he ordinary questions wbic
ara thrust upon your attention. write -
member, a minister, an officer OF tho Methodia
Episcopal Church.
! Yo7, sir, are "public fnnctionary," charge
with tie highe.. c.ponsibilitee and tho weight
est dutiet The matters dFsfgn to lay beEor
.our Excslency affect the life, the liberty, Ii
properly Of our people. They sfiecs their right
in the Few States end Territories; thcy aHec
The dessinies of this country; for they mus
lead to the practical solution OF this question
Ars Ms ri9hts Of tke citizsn, under the tonstittt
tte". 70 b 9,ct.ed, or GRE thy htld at tie Fie1s
ure Of The ns3df
Ths history Of the people called Methodists'
is not unfamiliar 10 you. Ior it is part of tho Liz
tory cf the country. We have been among ths
pi3aeere Of civilization and Chris1ihnity. On.
clergy have been emocg the frat IN the wilder.
ncss. They hare not waited uatn roads were
made, bridges bnilt. houses erected, and disa.
biltiea removed: They have 8ons, with the
woodsmau, they have camped wiki the hunter,
searched out the cabin Of the t4uAttsr, followed
tho hardy au,ness Of the Pasl6c i1to their
gafcaes, aad gone aftor the lumbermen into tie
lae1hsustibe pineriss. Sir, We have won The
right OF existence, sad come TO you to-day de-
nanding protection IN tho e1ercise OF cur
Tssted righ;e.
1rsgret, sir, that must write this commuui-
ca.ioa asao, while the political excitement uaa-
vo:da5ly connected with Presidential election
ts upon u, bu. there is no alternative. 1t is 4
question Of life and dsctA.
l Will sta.o-
!. TIE Gaorxp We OCCUPY.
J.. The "e'hodis: Episcopal Church is no
political organization. It's functions are spirit
ual aod eccteastical. Man Of I'LL political shades
srs in its minis -, its eticarr. and its member
snip. lis papers lend no iutusocs to either
o: any candidates. ct the head OF their colomnr,
| 1Aus }1r, our people have never besn cousoli-
dated INTO political organic atson, for no denomi-
national interest has demanded it.
2. We haye eser been = loyal people. We
have bowed to tae majesty OF law, bota feds raj
and state. ne have counselcd no resistance to
unjust laws. There ia noihiug in our doctrines
Of discipline calculated to sir up atrlfe or sedi.
| g. These things being 20, We claim The right
10 60, under the constitution Of our county,
| into au5 part Ct our domain. We claim the
right OF free speech and free printing. We
eaain--msrk, VI. President, do not say We asE
We so'acik ro, sir, We deMdad-equal rishts ind
privileges With other denominations. Ii cur
people Eio|ate aSy Law, let them ba fairly tried.
Condemned End punished. Give them an i'm
counsel.
4. 1t caun>t hare escaped your attention,
m, thas Methodlsm VIVA early remarkably suc-
ce.sfu in the Southern States, tut possibly you
may NOT have observed that it was thu, sue.
cessful AZ a dtc;dtI ant Incorporating enti
tt7ctry church. The present anti slavery tore
Of our discipline and literature is no new utter
aIce. Oar fathers spcke warmer vofds than
We, 2ad The warmest c.ma from slave territory.
1uu Will bs struck, sir, With the remarkable
asreemert Of their words with those OF Wash.
lug.on, Jefferson, Madison, Franklin. and. if I
tsn t>ntiusnts. It was known every where
that J7ha Wesley abhor1ed slavery that tc
oenou ced the t!ave trade as the "sum Of all
Fieinles," and slavery as "complicatcd
crlmei aod ret Southern conferences were CT
gained under bis direct superrisian. In 1850 q
coofereoca hell. not in Boston, or even il New
York. but in Baltimore, on slave s2ii, s.id;
Slavery IL contrary to the law OF maa and |
nature. and turs:ul to society-contrary to the
dictates Q! c7nscicrce and pure religion" Tou
wid be told tLat cur church has bscome abpli. |
t1onlzed. Open Our Discipline and read it. It |
Gays nothing stronger thnn was said by that |
Southern conference in 1880, In 17s+ Baj:;mnra
agun n spoke, ss5ing, ave view is fslsycryl as
contrary 10 tho golden Law Of God.... tie ina.
Henab!e rights OF MANKIND, As WELL AS xysmy
PaIScirLe Of THE REyoLrr1os," &c.
less az EeEe specimen quotations. but they |
Slavery was wrong, and By religious aceucrs
WAS to be extlspa'ed. Holding these vie1s.
taey spread ereryHhera through the South'
They encouraged no Instructions. tbeY htirrad
up no violence. they made DO interference Win |
otsse Avs: Wo stand u2oa tho aaue platform, |
and hold similar Eieus.
:, 70 happens, sir, thst am able to riye you
the sieTs Of cur church iu Virginia at some |
"h3. 20 - period. IL 1918 minister preached
aeerulon in Washirgon county, in 1tica vera |
some illusions 10 the relations Of slavery. and |
Was 1udic:ed for sttemp.ing to promote inaur. /
fection and asdislon among the slaves. b
IN March, lsl9. Ths senior counsel for tie &C. |
cussd was tt ger i. Ta2ey, now Chief Jus ice Of |
the supreme Couz: Of the United States. dina |
Of The attorneys resf from the Diseiplipe Of ,he
Church the !sr beating on slavery, which mar /
y D: thus coaden:ed:' ~. strong declaration
upon such as urite with tue church to t,aanci.
PLte .helT tluves; o. fcrbiddiog any dave
hoide: to be a'rcvelipg preacher; Ia. Forbid.
ding The sale Ct slaEe., or their purchase, ex-
cept ioE purposes Of emancipation; (5). Ad.
"nS'sasfs Thse E Saves 70 obedience and induslry.
~ "a n
s'5g'n'a jury, IN the presence Of Virginia
Jadse, ana the position boldly argued, that .be:e
"as nothing n them contrary to tia peace aud
safety OF tie S:a;e. Gbe Acea2ed was acquitted.
Ar. Taney said Of the Msthadia.s living under
these rules. tnat they equaled any other people
Of ohedience to The 1ars." lie also said:
man can be prosecuted for nteac1fnp
The art'cl=a Ct his religious creed, unless. ia.
deed, this doctriae is immoral a1d calculated to
disturb the peace and order Of society; and
- suej :e:s ct NatloEfl policy may at all times bs
where, without limitation or restraict Il
Is vel! known that tho peaceful and gradual
abolition Of slavery in these States is one of |
the otj j=css which the Methodist society have
steadiy in vie~.......Tbers Is no Law which
fosbd' us to speak OF 81. very Us we think of it.
tnas Subject whenever Le uIeases- It's q sub
1ect ot nat!oo.l conc r.. and may he treaty dis.
eu=sed- hr. Gruber {ihe dclsndaut) did ouote
ths language ol our great act Of national iude.
pencence, aud insisted on the principles caa.
tanned IA that venerated INSTRUMENT. lie dii |
power, arc deaf to the calia Of humanity. and
hs warned them OF the evils they might bring
upon themselves. Eo did SPEAK with abhor.
reuce OF thosn reptiles who Ire by trading
- human assb, and enrich Themselves
6J tearing the husband from the vile, the
Shall ! content myself with sayirg be had q
right to say th1s, and that there ID no law to
punish hi:nl ~ Wa ara nren.,aJ ~
tnnir:ain thu same principles, md to use, #
ns Necessary: e. ths same language here in the ten
PIE oi 1usnce, hard necessity, /
indeed, compeIs US to endure tho evils Of s!aye.
~ Ter time. Il was imposed upon US bY sn-
o1her nation while We were in state of colonial
Vassalege. l. cannot DO eaNl7 or auddeujy re.
moved. ct, while it continues. it is blot On
our national character, and every real loyer Of
freedom confidently hopes that it will be effect
ually, though itmua! BE- gradually, wiped away.
and earnestly looks for tbs means By which ibis
necessary object may be beat att1:ucd. Ard.
until IL shall b. accomplished, until the time
shal coHe when We can point without q blush
to tie language held in the Declaration Of tnde,
ptndo1ee. every friend Ct humanity will atek
- Ightea the CALLING eaairs Of slavery, and
nesHt. TO the utmoss cl Els power, The wreicaed
Perhaps. Ir. President. the above paragraphs
haye more I:cided rhetoric .ban the Gisiin
guisaed aaihnr Of the bred Scott decision would
pie will endorse them.
.. There ara naoy persons residing In tho
slEve States who prefsr cur discipline aud min
tstry to 1hose Of 1he Methodist Episcopal
Church South. They DO 80, III Because they
have Con5titutIonai right Ior such preference:
a. because they think our discipline accords
With helJ Scripture. with our early testimony
and the recorded sentiments Of our puress
statesmen; t3) because ours is tbe church Of
thelr childhood and youth; ~ Bs:ause it u
not sectional church, embtazoned ~ such on
tae vary si'le pages Of official publications.
lhsse aTe good reasons, end We hsve felt it