The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-08-02
From the Auburn Union, July 2.
The Slave Trade.
AN ORIGINAL LETTER FROM PATRICK HENRY.

We are indebted to VIM. Howland, ESQ,
OF SherwooG's Corners, in this county, for
the privilege of perusing and transcribing
for publication this veritable original letter
from Patrick Henry 1t was addressed to
John Alsop, venerable and worthy men,
ber of the Society of Friends, then residing
at Hudson, n Y, whose son Thomas sub
sequently married Mary, sister Humphrey
and Siocum Rowland, Of this county, in
whose family it has ever since been carefully
preserved.
HANOVER, Va, January 13, ITS.
"DEAR SRI take this opportunity to
acknowledge the receipt of Anthony Bene.
zets book against the slave trade. l thank
you for it. 1t is not little surprising that
Christianity, whose chief excellence consists
in softening the human heart, in cherishing
and improving its finer feelings, should en-
courage practice so totally repugnant to
the first impressions of right and wrong
What adds to the wonder is that this abom-
Unable practice has been introduced in the
most enlightened ages. Times that seem to
have pretensions to boast of high improve
ments, arts, sciences and refined morality,
have brought into general use and guarded
| by many laws species ofviolence and tyr
amy which our more rude and barbarous,
but more honest ancestors detested.
as it not amazing that time when the
rights of humanity are defined and under
stood with precision, in country above all
others fond Of liberty-that in such an age
and in such a country we find men profess
ing religion the most humane, mild, meek,
gentle and generous, adapting principle as
repugnant to humanity as it is in consistent
with the Bible and destructive to liberty p
Every thinking, honest man rejects it in
speculation. How few in practice, from con-
/ scientious motives
"The world, in general has denied your
people share of its honors; but the wise
will ascribe to you a just tribute of a virtu-
Gus praise for the practice of a train Of vir-
tues, among which your disagreement to
slavery will be principally ranked. l cannot
but wish well to a people whose system i'm.
tates the example of Him whose life Is per-
feet and, believe me, shall honor the qua
kers for their noble efforts to abolish slavery.
1t is equally calculated to promote moral and
political good.
Would any one belicve that am master
Of slaves BY my own purchase? l am drawn
along by the general inconvenience of living
without them. | will not, cannot justify
it, however culpable my conduct. | will SO
far pay nay devoir to virtue as to own the
excellence and rectitude of her precepts, and
to lament my want of conformity to them
| believe q time viii come when an opportu-
nity will be afforded to abolish this immedi-
ate evil. Everything we can do is to improve
il, ifit happens in our day if not, let us
transmit to our descendants, together with
our slaves, pity for their unhappy lot, and
an adherence of slavery. FIVE cannot re-
duce this wished-for reformation down to
practice, let US treat the unhappy victims
: with lenity 1t is the furtherest advance
| ment we can make towards justice 1t is a
r debt we owe to the purity of our religion to
4 I
, warrants slavery. Here is an instance that
silent meetings [the scoif of reverend doc
/ tors) have done that which learned and elab-
crate preaching cannot effect so much pref
cradle are the general dictates Of conscience,
and steady attention to its feelings, above
! the teachings Of these men who pretend to
have found better guide | eyhort You to
, persevere in SO worthy resolution. Some
of your people disagree, or at least are luke
warm in the abolition of slavery. Many treat
, the resolution of your meeting with ridicule;
and among those who throw ridicule aud
contempt on it are clergymen whose surest
guard against both ridicule and contempt is
, certain act of Assembly.
know not where to stop. could say
f many things on this subject, serious re-
view of which gives gloomy perspective to
r future times. Excuse this scrawl. and
believe me, with esteem, your humble SER
vent. PATRICK HENRY, Jr.