Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-01-31

incurring suspicion Of unsound morals.--
1t is impossible to speak before political
enemies, unwise Christians or unthought-
full men--above all, self-constituted and
oracular arbiters Of human rights and di-
vine truths, standing on the platform Of
in6delity without incurring the gross
est Misrepresentation, and oftentimes the
foulest abuse.
The peculiar facility on this subject for
misrepresenting liberty and morals con-
stitutes the popular power Of m odern Abb
olitionism The facility on this subject
for falling into error, in the supposed ad-
vocacy OF truth and morals, has been the
support of modern Anti-slaveryism.-
While the peculiar difficulties which en-
viron the subject in any popular discus
sion, together with the truth that the
whole disposing Of the subject is laid, in
Gods providence, Immediately, upon
brethren and citizens in the South, whose
wisdom and humanity, and patriotism
and love Of freedom, and piety, we be-
lieve, fully equal to our own, have been
the cause of silence of the North for many
years past. But while this silence in the
past may have been wisest and best, now
duty to God and to ourselves, duty to our
country and our most holy religion, call
upon us to speak, and so to speak: SO that
the trumpet shall give no uncertain
sound"
This silence, break in the pulpit, to-
day for the first time in the whole course
Of my ministerial life.
|
tial to perform this task with any degree
of profitablcness.
| will not say that no one whose expe.
riencc in life does not reach back quar-
ter of century, is competent to treat
this subject, but | will say that he ap-
proaches it under great disadvantage. |
will not say that one who has but a neigh
borhood experience cannot treat this sub
ject well, but will say that the presump-
ton is not in his favor.
Long experience and wide observation
, may leave their possessor untitled for this
! task, but the want of them must do so.
1t is, therefore, but duty which owe
! to you, to say that the years Of my eXpe,
rience overlay the last quarter of centu,
ry, and extend into thirteen Northern
, States, Southern, Middle. and Western
, States. That experience has been asso-
/ ciated with official duties, which have car.
Q ried me extensively through the States
= living between Maine and North Caroline
and has brought me into intimate relation
ship with Methodists, and Baptists, and
Episcopalians; with Dutch Reformed, and
7 German Reformed, and Associate Re-
5 formed; with Covenanters and Seceders
| and with Lutherans. Moravians and Con
4 gregationalists. This period covers al
most the birth hour of modern Abolition
? ism, as we'll rs the elimination of its in
} huences, which to-day SO portentously
overshadows the land. You may know
that, except my eyes have been shut and
G my ears have been stopped, l have not
. lacked the essential requisites for gather
: ing material for Judgment as to the intlu'
ences which now imperil our land
That you may appreciate and judge OF
! this influence Alright, | hold it to be o
: the first Importance that you should be
possessed of some facts in my personal
: experience.
Let me then say that more than twen'
, ty-eight years ago went to New Eng
f land for temporary sojourn. which con
tinued, with short interval, fo- more
than three years.
l Previous to this time the word Aboli.
| tionism had never, l believe fallen on my
r ear. In Philadelphia, where l had lived
Q from childhood to early manhood, this
ism was then unknown. Union and peace
G reigned through all our philanthropic,
= ecclesiastical and civil relations, Nortf
: and South Abolitionism, with its de
n nunciary and divisive spirit, was Just be
0 ginning to be an ism in Massachusetts
! 1t was a viperous egg, unmatched, du
t aoarmipg IN us nest, The LiJerator office o
!! VIM Lloyd Garrison!
n Now l saw and read this paper tor th'
e first time. 1t was characterized by thu
G bitterest denunciations and most unmeas
e ured invectives of which the English Ian
:. guage is susceptible. And at this time
: nowhere through New England, had this
!, ism aid or comfort extended to it
r Church and State were one against it
IS ave, actively against it, as a novelty alili
h false and pernicious. The pulpit, tho
press, the popular assembly, as well a
+, the mob united to condemn it. Aboli
S tionism and Infdclty had not yet beel
e Joined in wedlocll sufficiently long to brin!
! forth their first born child-a spurious
}, Anti-slaveryiSm-to be laid in the arm
y of wcll,meaning hut eiring philanthro
e pists, and to be carried by them into tn,
$ church for baptism, in the name of its
sponsors, when its hideous parentag
= would have been frowned from its affairs
e But allow me to state some ILLUSTRATIVE
e cotemporaneou facts. George Thomp
d son, an cx-member of the British Parlia
S ment, and popular lecturer in tina
If country, during the efforts to sccur
a the abolition of slavery in the West In
d dies, now came to New England for tn
s purpose of accomplishing the same resul
n in the United States. He visited thu
: town where I resided, and was receives
e by its first citizens with all the courtcs,
d and hospitality due to a stranger and
gentleman. His hospitable home was be
g meath the roof of native of North Car
y olina.
d These gentlemen, who received Georg
j. Thompson on his first arrival, were me
% of matured years, OF largest culture and O
Is approved piety. They conferred with hin