The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-03-02
OPEN LETTER
FROM
PROF. JOSEPH N. MCDOWELL,

OPEN LETTER
FROM
PROF. JOSEPH N. MCDOWELL.
TO
REV. HENRY WARD BEECuER.
As published in the IS, Louis Daily Morning
Herald" of December 10th. 1859
(pY EEorEsr)
Sr. Louis. Dee. 9Th, 1859.
To the Rec. Henry Ward Brechcr:
Sir: This is the morning If the annivcr-
sary OF the Crossing of the Delaware hv
Ge"rg" Washington, and the battle Of Tren
ton. The Governor of Missouri has ap-
pol'cd to-day day of thanksgiving in
memory Of the achievements of the .FatI.,
of his Country And keep Il with Il
twotold feeling Of filiaI duty, for George
Washington and own father, who was
with him on that dreadful night and the
two succeeding days. do mos, heartily
thank God. my Fa,herin Heaven for their
dcliverancc in that most perlous adventure
thank Him that He parted the ice AS lie
did fh" Red Sea, to safely land on that
stormy night that small but heroic band
to attle with The enemies Of liberty, and
made them successful against five times
their number. l thank Him for the free
dom and prosperity OF our common coun-
try both North aud South; and I thank
Him for the preservation of our Union De-
meath the hollow "l Ills hands. But above
all things have thanked Him that lie has
not made me such man as Henry Ward
Beecher. with ii heart full Of such black
mgratilude for the achievement of human
iI"rny ly that lrIon band. thank Him
that not one drop OF blood flows in my
VEINS. Or the veins of l,mv family, for dis.
nni"r; and there still lives the same love
81 liberty III my humble bosom that imprl.
led them t" battle and to cross the Della
ware, AMI would impel me 10 cross the
Mississippi t" battle with The foes of this
Cn'"n.-thc rn!y hope for civil aud rcli-
eI"us liberty for the human race, Sir. let me
reason with YOU. and carefully read what
write you, that you may "see yourself as
others see you iuuprofess to lie Chris
tlan, yet III no wise do YOU follow in the
Footsteps Of you, Master, or are artuated
hy the spirit o! His religion. His WAS Of
re",", y"u,s OF the swo,d His was turbrar
anr", yours 3 aul even unto death TN. n vour
f., his a'"i your r"un,ry. II" .'..r>-1 nc
~ .,"'n even, 10 hr turned ui.", H.. ,..,,....
u" ,"u,$ i III" rrIi"i". II ,c :..s
y aud IL. n. H. :. un..n. :. IS
= >'"nrI'r You would iu,n 'h- :,,:.; IL.
g" ul"'n liz. nr>n>E~rtin. while man a,nI
tl," 'h'tcn-.'l, - white woman, aud ST.. them
gl"at "n murder and rnpinc. lie would
gather little. children TO bis bosom, while
you would ronsign innocent white girls Of
y"nr own race TO the brutal rmblare Of the
African. therefore cannot a.!d,css YOU rs
minisie, of The Christian religion, or a
follower OF jesus; bur rs hear,leSs. TN.
'ee'lng, nn""mpromising knavr. too WIS.,.
to act without II deadly purpose. too little
religion 10 be a bigot or fanatic, but Dos.
srssing the power to make fools and fanat-
les of o'hera' In your Church but reren.
1'y YOU have raised money TO excite insur.
rrc'"n j" my native country, and when the
damning deed is done sny with hypoci,ic cant
Il did not do it; thattH0 force should he
used cxccp, moral suasion.' rou send men
to apply the torch to your neighbor's dwell
ling, and excite black men 10 murder white
men, then say you only wish 10 libera,e the
sldve. Such conduct no reason can iusti.
fy no honest Christian can approve Of.
Christ lived in a,sProyinee Of the Roman
impire, and never excited feelings of anger
in man against his fellow man, and never
plotted treason against the Government IN.
der which he lived, but said, "Render unto
Cesar what is Casar'a, servants be obedi-
ent untssour hh'ssten,' and that, too, when
there were sixty three millions of white
slaves in the Empire. ;. i
! II, sir, your excuse for such conduct is,
that you wish 70 confer boon upon the
human nssce, Why pfsfstthe5 black and iii,
fssioraraes tostmi xhiis--wAy spare the ope
snd bstsRsr m sss ssbsrt' WY is ssssd q. a
stead OF peace and rnessyf S+,