Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-01-23
J. A. PATTERSON.
KAprrs O. Ian LII. 1851

WARRES o, Jan. 14th, 1861.
DEGR NErHrw Yours Of the Goth ult. wa
duly received, and l embrace the first leisur
to answer it; which l shall endeayor to do witt
the same fFankness with which yours was wit
ten. You request me to inform YOU What par
ty, by what authority and what are the reason
that l annot visit my native land with my fam
lily and my servants, without being robbed o
my property, my head shaved, and motives in
sulted7" Now 1 can assure you, dear friend
that we have no party in this latitude and lon
gitude, obnoxious to such charges, or %insinua
tons. There undoubtedly are a very few irres
ponsible individuals in this, as in all othel
communities, who when excited, in extreme ca,
ses, might be ready to execute the edicts Of
Judge Lynch; but the public sentiment in favor
of Flaw and order" restraints them very gener-
ally here. Aud where you could point to q sin.
gle case of personal outrage at the North. l
couli point to dozen at the South l feel not
the least hesitation in assuring you that should
you be disposed TO visit Us with your family
and servants, you would meet with none of the
indignities you seem to apprehend, but with o
cordial reception by friends truly glad to sec
you, who would endeavor to make your visit
pleasant The only caution necessary would be
to select such servants as are eoutented with
their condition, and would prefer returning with
you to taking care of themselves here; TO- the
fact cannot be ignored, that the principle is gen
eral among all parties and classes, at the North,
that one man has no property in another man,
any further than sustained by losal law, and
force.
That the Constitution Of the q. S. recognizes
slavery further than that, is q point on which
We shall be at issue. / honestly and firmly be-
lieve it does not; while you l doubt not, honestly
think it does. That the Constitution tacitly re-
eoguizel slavery in such States as adopted or
retained it, and provided in q compromising
spirit for the return of slaves escaping from slave
to free States, 1 admit; but in such o studied
and cautious manner as to forbid the idea Of fanny
completely between the general gOvernmentand
the institution. If it had fully recognized the
principle, it would have used the term sIape in
stead of persons held to service or labor" Al
tho formed by shareholders mostly, its authors
seem to avoid as much as possible in its word
ing and spirit, any contamination with slavery.
We feel willing to abide by the Constitution
and the compromises, In spirit and in letter
The only exceptions are q very few Radicals
whom We will Offset against your Fire-eaters.-
The opposition made to the Fugitive slave law,
originates mainly from the degrading and one
sided provisions it eontains-not from it's gen.
eral principles. Let it be pruned of them and
it would be faithfully executed.
With respect to the existing difficulties, and
the great danger that surrounds US at the pres
ent time, l must say 1 consider you of the South
almost exclusively responsible. Their origin
was the repeal of the Missouri compromises
fragrant breach of good faith-and the great
struggle to make Kansas a slave State. In that
unjust and unfortunate measure, the Wings at
the South. who with their friends at the North
had for years formed an influential conservative
party. deserted US. A natural result followed
the u%uioDof even antagOnistic parties and sections
in one united whole, determined by the use of
every CON Institutional means to stop your career
and prevent the universal spread Cfslavery. We
have succeeded constitutionally, in ~electiug as l
believe as honest aud capable a man as ever oc
cupied the White House. We did not select a
rabid abolisionist, but a constitution loving
Henry Clay Wing. who 1 doubt not will be,
with his advisers, adequate to the tasks diff
feult one | will admit-of administering The
government justly and efficiently.
Although the clouds look dark and porten.
tious, l cannot but fatter myself that better
c~ounsels will eventually prevail at the South.
You need entertain no fears Of entertainments
upon your constitutional rights as heretofore con-
strued. But you must not lay the hattering
JUNCTION to your soul" that the North will ever
~construc the Constitution as TO make the Gov
e-nueat a protector of slavery in the terrific
ries.
/ feed Individually disposed to eoncede, for
the sake Of ~averting the dread calamity threat
ened. all that Justice and honor will permit;
for l look upon the people of the South as
brethren. and while I cannot agree with them
in many of their principles, / would not i'm
peach their motives. Elueatien and interests
have very much 10 do in the formation of Prin-
eiples, and were our circumstance reversed,
our sentiments might also be reversed. Ihave
therefore, in my old age, learned to look char
itably upon those who think differently from
myself.
I had written thus far when 1 received a
Cleveland paper containing the news Of the
q secession of Alabama, and the firing of the
South carcllnians into TIE Star of the West, a
government ship. So it seems that treason is
e~onsummAted, the war is commenced. When
Il w1l end and what will be the consequences,
God only knows. / fear much blood will be
spilled. / know net what course the present
administrators will pursue. but the incoming
one will not let treason go UNPUBLISHED, or per
nit cur beautiful fAbric-the best system of
government upon earth. 10 be torn down over
cur heads with impuuity. But enough of this
melancholy subject.
Yours Respectfully.
GEORGE HAPGOoD.