Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-04-18
The .True Fire Of Che Flint. ;,

The "True Fire of the Flint.o
A friend has placed in our hands the following
letter from New York merchant to be used as we
may think proper. 1t was addressed to patriotic
lady in Northampton, in this State who desired to
be informed as to his opinions on the great question
OF the Constitutional rights of the South before
she gave him further orders for articles. Mr..
Haughwouts letter is highly creditable to him a
citizen of nonslaveholding State. If all the citi-
zens of that region of the Union were governed by
the sentiments which he entertains and so forcibly
expresses in his letter, we would soon have peace
and concord, and this still glorious Confederacy of
States would be perpetual. 1t is proper, as mat
ter of justice to Yr. Haughwout among our South
ern readers to state that he is of the firm of E. v
Haughwout & Co., Nos. 1885, 400, and 492 Broad
!. way, New York =
New YORK. Feb II, 1860
DEAR MADAM:-I have the pleasure to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your note of the Both ult and
thank you kindly for the remittance it contained
In regard to the other articles spoken of will make
up and enclose you the particulars
have been quite interested in your letter on &C.
count of the questions you ask in regard to my po
litlcal views. was never asked this question i'm
writing before As am candidate, not for office
but for position in life, must answer your ques-
tions like man, especially as they come from a
lady, at the same time assuring you that no pecuni
airy gain or interest could make any difference in my
reply.
My principles in all things are those which l
deem most sure to preserve "union" in my fami-
lS in my circle in my business, in my State, and
in my country. When shall take one step, or do
one act to sever the bonds of our Union, given to
us by the blessing of God and the blood of our
forefathers, then would my eyes grow dim, and my
right hand forget its cunning
To say that | approve the act of him who deals
in slaves, | cannot. To say that | condemn him
who is the owner of slaves, cannot. If it be a
great sin in the eyes of some of om countrymen, |
do not condemn them for saying they think So but
| do condemn them when they commit any act that
violates the laws under which they live, and do
condemn them if they deprive a neighbor of anoth-
State of his property, whatever it may be- ifheld
in conformity to existing laws
| cannot see that resident of the North is in any
way more responsible for one kind of sin committed
by his neig hbor at the South than for another. II
my Southern or any other neghbor does what is
wrong, he alone is responsible for it. If against the
laws of his country he must be punished according
to the law. IF against the laws of God, he is re-
sponsible to God, and God will use his own wisdom
in inficting the punishment If men think it so
dreadful thing to hold slaves and so awful thing
to compel them to raise sugar and cotton why do
they encourage it by eating the sugar, manufactu-
ring the cotton and wearing the fabric?
Again, when poor. negro has been aided to steal
away from his master, why do they forsake him and
leave him to perish in ignorance and want as hum
dreds in Canada and other places are now doing?
lived while slavery existed in my own State
| have seen the slaves in my grandfather's family
clothed and fed, and cared for second only to his
own children. ! have seen them made free under
the laws of our State, and | have seen these same
people after their freedom poor, miserable filthy
beggars; and one of them actually died from eating
poisoned meat found upon the beach ofhe sea shore
do not mention these things to intimate that
approve OF slavery, or to infer that believe that
these poor people could never be worthy or capable
of freedom but ! believe that God was bringing
about this result as rapidly as the intelligence of
the race was capable Of receiving it.
| am sorry that slavery exists in our country.
Yet it has always been of our institutions, and
the webeing of the slaves themselves yet calls for
its continuance. The greatest enemies in my opin-
ion the slaves ever had the designing and I'M
scrupuous politicians of the North and the South,
who would even sell into slavery the weaker Of
their race whether they be white black, to gain
their political schemes; and last not least the de-
luded phlanthropist whose fanatical notions and
unlawful proceedings have put off the day of eman-
cipation at least hundred years
In conclusion let me say that you who live in the
South hear most Of such people as have just named
Interest and deluSIon makes them noisy. The con-
sentative peaceful and thinking man is ever more
quiet, and may be numbered by thousands, while
the former are scarcely numbered by hundreds; and
l sincerely hope their numbers may never increase
as to disturb the peace Of our glorious Union.
These are the sentiments that | hold, and the
man who would be so suicidal as to disturb our
peace has neither heart nor hand for me.
LOU" E V '. HAUGHwoUr.