Daily national Democrat., 1860-03-24
Sharp Correspondence.

AS the correspondence between Mr. How.
ison' Of the Young Mems Christian Associs.
tlon, OF Richmond, Va, and Bayard TAYLOR
has excited goon deal of interest, and as
our readers may like TO see what was said
pro- and CON- we give the two principal let
ters
BAYAnD TAYLOR, Eso.-Sir; Yopr Intiov
OF the 81 inst has been received.
am truly sorry that you should consider
anything in my last letter personally discour.
teous or insulting to you.
Certainly such was not nv intention nor
do believe that the letter, in whole or in
part can with fairness he so construed
1t was due as well to yourself as to tboso1
represented, that, in Withdrawing the invita-
uon previously given to you, should inform
you plainly OF our reasons for so doing. And
your letter in no degree removes or dimin
lshes the force of those reasons.
1t was not generally known in this com-
munlty that you were connected with the
New York Tribune, and the fact of such con.
hectlon assumed significance in the light
OF recent events, which caused open express
slons OF dissatisfaction.
ana when, in addition to this, YOU inform
me that you "hold the opinions of Wasbing-
ton and ) Jefferson on the subject of slavery"
your partial edltorship of the Tribune indi
Gates positive sympathy with its doctrines
washington and Jefferson were great but
humans they lived and died before the sub-
Ject OF slavery had been thoroughly discussed
In view OF Scripture and reason, and. above
all, they died before modern Abolitionism
had commenced its pestilential career.
Washlngtons opinions in favor of emanci.
patton were moderate, and, in his time. not
Objectionable; but jefferson went much fur.
ther. '1 'U'-
II 1t be true that you, scholar and writer.
do no~ in 1860 hold with jefferson. that "tbe
whole commerce between master and slave
is perpetual exercise of the most bolster
ous passions, the most unremitting despotism
ION the one part, and degrading submission
ON the other, and, in view of slavery, that
you "tremble for your country when yCu re-
fleet that God is just; that His Justice can
mot sleep forever; that considering num-
"bers, nature, and natural means only. rev-
"otnti0n OF the wheel of fortune, an erchdnGe
"ct S't"dtinm is among possible events, that it
may become probable by supernatural in
"terference," and that "the Almighty has no
attribute which can take side with lis in
such contest"-if such be your present SEN
timents, then you cannot be surprised to find
that you will not be welcome visitor TO n
Virginia community.
AS to your lecture on Humboldt, l have
never heard it, and as it has not been pub-
hshed in full, have, of course, not read it,
But certain extracts from it, and statements
OF parts of it have appeared in the papers,
the Tribune among Others the accuracy of
which you have not, within my knowledge,
denied. One Of these represents YOU as say
ing that Humboldt rarely attended Divine
service, and that he possessed an unbounded
scorn for much that is called religion; that
his religious nature was perhaps too deep to
find expression by such methods; that in a
conversation with yourself he uttered a sat
ire upon clrrgymen, and to this certain re-
marks of your own are added, from all of
which, Others beside myself had inferred that
you vindicated and approved Humboldt's re-
ligious belief, although it was Deism, and not
a simple faith in the Scriptures as diyinely
inspired. Whether such be be your real
sentiments your own conscience only can de-
eide. pretend not to Judge you, but 1 am
bound to draw my own inferences from the
indications apparent, and l regret that no.
thing in your letter removes these unfavora-
ble impressions
You conclude with the strong words,
yours for free thought and enlightened
In a proper sense unite with
you in desiring these blessings; but the very
forms of your expression remind me that
with many at the North free thought" has
degenerated into free thinking" or infdeli.
ty, and eliminated in "free love" and that
they have sought to "enlighten" Christianity
by holding up in the face of the Sun of
the smoking taper of their So
called "higher law" For such "free thought
and enlightened Christianity" am not, but l
am yours for Constitutional liberty, and the
of the Bible.
r r HowIsoN