Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-03-01
9WOrtester @ailp Spp.
INTEREsTING CoRREspoNDENCF

Our readers will doubtless peruse with inter
est the following correspondence between one
of the Virginia champions of the peculiar in,
stitution, and Bayard Taylor, the distinguished
traveller and lecturer. 1t will explain itself
1t will be seen that the exquisite representa-
tive of the Virginians of 1860, repudiates the
opinions of Washington and jefferson as un-
suited to the present condition of things in
that remarkable sovereignty. This is certain
ly an age of wonders. Read the correspon-
dence:
From the New York Tribune, Feb. g.
MIR. HOWISON TO MIR. BAYARD TAYLOR.
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 10, 1860.
"Bayard Taylor, ESq.-SIR y our letter of
the Sd inst, has been received.
81 am truly sorry that you consider anything
in my last letter personally discourteous or
insulting to you.
Certainly such was not my intention, nor
do l believe that the letter, in whole or in
part can with fairness be so construed
at was due as well to yourself as to those
l represented, that, in Withdrawing the invita-
ton previously given to you, | should inform
you plainly OF our reasons for SO doing. And
your letter in no degree removes or diminshes
the force of those reasons
munity that you were connected with the
New York Tribune, and the facts of such con-
nection assumed significance in the light OF
recent events which caused open expressions
OF dissatisfaction.
"And when in addition to this, you inform
me that you hold the opinions of Washington
and Jefferson on the subject of slavery, your
partial edit0rship of the Tribune indicates
positive sympathy with its doctrine. Wash
"A
they lived and died before the subject OF slav-
cry had been thoroughly discussed in view of
Scripture and reason, and above all, they died
before modern Abolitionism had commenced
its peStilential career
"Washington's opinion in favor of emanci-
patton were moderate, and in his time, not OBJ
jectonable; but jefferson went much further.
eff it be true that you, scholar and wri-
ter, do now in 1860 hold with Jefferson, that
the whole commerce between master and
slave is perpetual exercise of ;he most bos-
ferrous passions, the most unremittng despot-
ism on the one part, and degrading submission
on the other and, i'll view OF slavery that you
'tremble for your country when you reflect
that your God is just; that His justice cannot
sleep forever that considering numbers, ma
ture, and natural means only, a revolution of the
wheel OF fortune, an exchange Of situation is
among possible eUentS, that it may become prob
able by supernatural interference and that
the Almighty has no attribute which can take
side with us in such contest'-if such be your
present sentiments, then you cannot be sur
prised to find that you will not be welcome
visitor to Virginia community.
GAS to your lecture on Humboldt have
never heard it, and as it has not been published
in full, have Of course not read it. But GER
tain extracts from it, and statements of parts
OF 1t have appeared i'll the papers, the Tribune
among others, the accuracy Of which you have
not within my knowledge, denied. One of
these represents you as saying 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 satire upon clergymen, AMI to
this, certain remarks OF your own are added,
from all of which, others besides myself had
inferred that you indicated and approved
Humbodts religious belief, although it was
Deism, and not simple faith in the Scriptures
as divinely inspired. Whether such be your
real sentiments your own conscience can only
decide. l pretend not to judge, but | ann
bound to draw my own inference from the in
dications apparent, and | regret that nothing
in your letter removes these untayorable I'M
presslons
1Ou COuCluuS Win ltC SlCOHS WOIuS,
Yours for free thought and enlightened Chris
tianity.' 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 infdeity and culmi-
mated i'll free love- and that they have sought
to 'enlighten Christianity by holding up in
the face of the Son of righteousness the smok
ing taper Of their so,called higher law For
such tree thoughts and enlightened Chris.
tanity' am not, but am,
yours for constitutional liberty, and the
Christianity of the Bible.
OR r HoutcoN