The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-02-08
Lord Broush.m ON Slavery i'm America

The London Times of the Sd inst, pub
lished correspondence between an aboll-
zionist committee in Boston, JAMES RED
PATH, Secretary" and Lord BRoUGHAM. An
invitation, dated November 2, 1860, invited
Lord BRouaHAM to attend public conven.
ton, to be held in Boston on December Sd,
there to address them in reply to the ques,
tion, so vital to the interests and the honor
of our country, and the progress Of freedom
in the world "How can American slavery
be abolished 2" The anniversary of the
death of JOHN Brown, Z" who, on the I'd OF
December, 1859, was killed for attempting
to decide this problem in the mode that he
believed to be the most efficient, is an occa'
sion peculiarly appropriate for the discus
sion Of our duty to the race for whom be
suffered, and more especially for the unfold.
ing of practical methods for achieving the
holy object he desired to attain by his
descent on Harper's Ferry, Virginia" The
committee, (who are earnestly DESTROYS OF
devotiDg themselves to the work of eradi.
citing slavery in the United States fur
ther intimated to Lord BRoUGHAM that he,
and Others, who should attend, would be
expected in his speeches or letters to con
fine himself exclusively to the great question
OF the day, for it would be work of supe-
rerogatiOn now to defend JOHN Brown,
and useless waste of time to eulogize him.
Leaving both of these duties to the coming
ages, let US seek to continue bis life by
striving to accomplish what be left US to
finish"
The reply sent to this invitation is at
once able and characteristic, ard pretty
considerably throws cold water upon the
doctrines avowed by the committee in
their invitation to Lord BRouGHAM. Here
it is:
BRouGHAM, Nov. 20.
SIR / feel honored by the invitation to
attend the Boston Convention. and to give my
opinion upon the question, How can Ameri-
can slavery be abolished p consider the APP
plicatiOn is made to me as conceivng me TO
represent the anti. slavery body in this country;
and believe that speak their sentiments, as
well as my own, in expressing the tcidest dit
ference Of opinion tcith you upon the merits Of
those ,cho promoted the Ha,per's Frru erpedi-
ton, and upon the fate of those tuh0 suffered for
their conduct in II. No one will doubt my ear.
nest desire to see slavery extnguished; but
that desire can only be gratitied by lawful
means-a strict regard to the rights of property,
or ,rhat the lao declares to be property, and a
constant repugnanee to the Shedding Of blood.
No man can be considered q martyr unless he
not only suffers, but is witness to the truth {;
and he does not bear this testimony tch0 seeks q
la,cfui object by illegal means. Any other course
taken for the abolition of slavery can only de-
lay the consummation we so deVoufly wish:
besides exposing the community to the hazard
OF an instruction, perhaps less hurtful to the
master than the slave. When the British
emancipation was finally carried it was accom-
plished by steps, and five years elapsed be-
tween the commencement of the measure in
1888 and its completion in 1888. ..-
The declaration of the law which pronounced
q slave free as soon as he touched British
ground Enormously ascribed to the English
courts under Lord Mansfield, but really made
by the judges in Scotland) may seem to be in.
Consistent with the principle now laid down.
But am bound to erpress my doubts II such a
decision icould haze been giuen had Jamaica
touched upon the coasts OF this country. 1t is
certain that the judges did not intend to declare
that all properly in slaves should instantly
cease, and yet such would have been the inev-
table effect of their judgment in the case
supposed, which somewhat resembles that Of
America.
In tie elevation Of your new President all
friends of America, of its continued Union, Of
the final extinction of slavery by peaceful
means, and of the utter immediate extinction
of the execrable slave trade-all friends of the
human race must heartily rejoice. They will
let US hope, find in him powerful ally, as his
country may expect to find an able, CON
sistent, and an honest ruler.
/ have the honor to be, o., ag.-
. ..- Your faithful servant;
- i'' e 'h-h'h' BROUGHAM.
To JAMES REDPAra, Esq, Boston, United
States.
The passages which we distinguished b!