Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-29

lfaAQ
aud isdain with which 1 roblsnes ~ vonr Ierd
shib's cxsl,ed standing rirbl e Il s meet
gross and studied insuit az that vanr
0 obaininz the msstsrv Of your bstfsr is5gnent
Z might induce you, in that burning elosuense .
words which your lordship can so resIiIv ommans
to hrl back the insult in the faces Of rour tr.du
= ears; or, mider and more humane thsn either and
perhaps more IN censonanee with the eantla man
ners which might be expeslsd to dIstinsuisb thoa,
through who's veins faW gentle blood you woald
have responded t 10 not my sins bat yoxr IN, aaitv
which has led you 10 believe that could hold fel,
loWship with the partisaus and admirers Of m ss-
sassin. Col you are madmsn, and forgive vou y
These thoughts, confess, were my shoughts and
that give them voice here will show 10 your lord
ship that dia not rank you amongst the vicious
and blood-thirsty fanatics vita whom common
sentiment upon . gle point hsd served, in some
| measure, to idensfy you. Besides will add, tbs,
my high respect for the exalted erdsr 10 which you
belong, as well as the position in which you stand
Il towards the occupant Of q throne induced in my
misd the belief that you would, in come manner.
exhibit your horror Of the crime Of assassination,
aud with such an emphasis thai even madmen might
ssver sgsin give expression to the thought that
English nobleman could have any sympathy in com
non With either assassirs or their partsans
II Pardon me, my lord, il I. in unconscious iRno-
rance did not estimate al their proper value the
refined principles sf that shigher laWS which have
been Incorporated among tbs doctrines Of that So
which you are 80 distinguished chief
AZ first view it might occasion surprise that the
"Philanlhropists'' Of Great Britain should seem to
shut their eJ es to the spectacle and their ears to
the wall Of woe which rises mp around them from
the millions Of the unhappy, the destitute and de-
pressed of their own race aud KIM who live through
life lingering death. while they have only eyes %
see, and ears 20 hear, snd tears to shed over the
reputed wrongs Of & handful Of Africans upon the
fsr-off shores Of q continent beyond the Atlantic
But il is necessary in charity to remember that the
dexradasion and wrongs Of the one are fsmilisr To
them from youth to old age Il il an eft to d tale.
to which they have become accustomed, familiar,
snd perhaps Indifferent from its constant repeti-
| tioD. They are probably appalled, by the masnIsude
Of the evil aad ask to forget its existence and their
| obligations by the exhibtIon of redoubled zeal in
the cause Of those whom their imagination, excited
By heart rendiDg ronanoss, pictures the victims
Of sorrow and oppression in far distant land
| Prom this brief but not unnatural dgression
will return 10 the subject Of the invitation which
was given to you to participate in the celebration
| in memory CT John Brown, the great American muT-
| derer. Permit me to refresh Sur memory with the
rst lines Of your response the committee in your
own language:
'.SIE-I feel honored By the invitation to attend
| the Boston Convention" 10y
| Upon reading these IeW emphstio words, paused
and re-resd the letter of invitation which had been
| addressed to you, to discover if had net in my
uaSk1 pctuHo1 e1ok0OAg anu
object beg to quOts its Rord,:
my Lord: number Of young men, earnestly
desirous Of devoting themselves to the work Cf Grad
ics,iug slavery in the United States, respectfully
invite Jou to meet them in public cenyeniion, to
he held in this city on Monday the 81 dsv Of SEN
| tcmber.
Ii seems to them that the anniversary Of the death
| Of John Brown who was killed for sttem. tib to
dec3e this problem in the mode that be believed to
be the most Efficient is an occasion peculiarly sp
proprise for the discussion Of our duty to the race
| Tor whom he suffered
l. would be work Of fsupererog.tion now to defend
John Brown and useless waste of tine to euloRise
him. Leaving both these duties to the coming ages
Ies seek TO continue his s By striving 10 accomplish
| Vhaf he kt US 10 Jinish."
Its true, my lord, thai you modified somewhat
the only legitimate Interpretation Of yeur frat en-
phsiio endorsenent Trus, IS ''the representative
OF the Anti slavery party 10 England you sToAed
wide d. ference Of opinion between those yOu rep
resented anu tne promoters OF tns hsrpers Ferry
e4peoihon. Irue' you denied that 9snn brown
was q reai martyr. True, yon declared your oppo-
si'ioc 10 me encouragement OF negro insurrscton'
because they myhL prove tess HGTyHs 20 hs "taster
| than the slave Truly, you minated that the
surest means OK accomplishing your cherished
schemes OF American negro emancipation was un-
der the form OF law, throngh tne nstruHentallsy q
9 recent poltiesi onsnge "a Ine uoser1meoI O' Tue
hePuDne! Det Pre-eninen' soose All Otner cen
siderations snicn are suggested Oy perussi OF
your letter stsnds iortn tne declaration tnat Jou
feel honored oy the lnVLAtor 70 attend the Boston
convention!
mnet sPeetseie Is ners PresenAeu, Shu 40"
lfultIui tneme lor IeAeebon- an hngnsh noO.e-
man ensAiue nSnus AeroSS Ie ooeah anu " @nSlAi'
Hng peasant messages 10 'Ae" an SsSe"olsge' con-
Vsnea I0f sHc" PHP0Se
IT'S; perhaps, NOT tunWosiny o. apss.ing !aougnt,
tnAt Wnlle some ol you, aunlreIs 11'e nAlie1 your
letIer as iurnlsniae e.luences .. Ing 0onsel'Aes"
ana mooershon OF Dsiush AoollI'onlsw' many nave
regsrded Jour sngns uss'ss'On lrOln tne -oioouJ
PAIN Of AZ extreme snHucl.m As Ioo grest coHess-
hon u 'ne uio'Secs oi ~ un0AAeu1ins anu "e@Ay
relenilng nu@shliy.
| confess that upon this subject there is chasm
between as. SO broad and 80 deep, that have not
| the hardihood to attempt to fill it up. l cannot
hope even tnat soy'nlng WIZ ever occur 10 reduce
the breadth Oh tnis impasSaOie gun 10 snaner oi-
mensiens. ,...-s.... 80,
But pardon me, my lord, ii suggest the possi-
bility that you may net have fully appreciated the
deep significance Of the first sentence Of your me-
morahie letter. Did you rehect upon the powerful
influence which your slightest word Of encourage
ment nigh! exercise upon the furious msdmen
whom ycu addressed Do you believe they will
fail to iufer that wkile you disclsim fympsthy with
John Browns plsns Of emancipation, :. because
| they are less likely to result in injury to the
master than the slave" You will, nevertheless re-
gard it Is an honor TO be inved to attend the cels
bFstions consequent upon the death OF other mar
| tyrs in the same c4usei Da you excuse yourself
my lord. With the thought that it is only the assss-
sins Of Shareholders in America who are worthy to
be treated with 30 much kindness, respect aud for
| beararcer Have you forgotten from whom, and
under whose auspices, American slaves we're ae-
| quifed as chettels May be pardoned for saying
that in the family OF the writer there is slave,
bought and paid for BY my ancestor from British
| subject in British province, under the solemn
sanction and approval Of British laws, and Waois
now held as slave under the guarantee OF Brit
sh title deed Should another John BruwD, under
the pretext OF giving freedom TO this slave say the
owner thereof, and for his crime suffer felon's
death. would your lordship feel hOuored oy an in
viaton to sttend the anniversary celebration OF his
'martyrdom? Your lordship has already answer
ed the interrogaiory IN the affirmative
| The day may come, my lord when ievenhauded
Justice will commend the ingredients Of the poison
! ed cbalice to your own lipsr There are more
| shining marks for the asssssio's dagger than the
e.vra,s ,f Ara.;cot NI;lions 81 i;vas stand