St. Mary's gazette., 1863-11-05
LETTETt FROM JOHN II. HOP
KINS. u. D.,

hl-sC. ~. ~,
Bismop or TBs PROTESTANT EpfscorAL
CBUBcH IN THE DIocEsK OF VERMONT.
TO THE Rr Rev ALoxzo PorrrR. d..
D.. Brsmop or THE DiocrsR or PENN
syLvASIa:
have sfcu with great am azemant. a
protest against my letter on the .rBible
View OF slavery" signed by you and
long list Of your clergy. in which YEN con-
de.nn i; as 'nntsorthy II any ssrs,m of'
Jesus Christ" as IAN effurt TO sustain ON
Bible principles. the States in rebellion
against the Government in the wicked Mt
tempt 10 establish, by force Of arms, a
Tyranny 10 the name Of Republic whose
cornerstone shall he the perpetual bon
eage of the African" aud AK snch you say
] tist If ehaIeng.s your Indignant repro.
d.,toa.y
Ney ms Hight Reverend brother. ap
yTEff AZ 4 Obliged 70 charge you, nosIlall.I
lI!I Ef6sE l6ztlIt s9aiailss ,yFcnr senior. Iias
witk Gle snare serious offence of false
srcnsasion Ms letter va. FIRST publl>hrd
il, January 1861. more than three nouths
hef're thr war hegan. a, time hen n"
one ocnli anticipate the form Of Govern
fnerc wtlch the Southern States shoui
scc,t oT the course which Congress might
i,c iH refe,encc to their secession. And
wh-c consented to its republication,
did nnt suppns. that il would oe used in
the service Of any poitissl party. although
I had no right To complain. If it were SC
Id
became public property. But in its pre-
sent form there is nothing whatever in it
which bears on she question of 'reb%l-
lion or of tie perpetual bondage of the
African" or cFh '';,ranny under he name
of RspnIlir," # which slavery should I've
tllc "ccta,r-s,onc On the contrary,
rcfrrred. ou 'hc iast Page TO my lpctur"
pntl>h.d i. IL fTalo il lSG0. and to my
book called "j'tr American Citizen" pub
li.hed III NV FORK. in 1857. where Il
set forth the same rirws on the subject Of
slavery. adding. however. a plan for it.
qIaddai H}oIHi.n whenever the South
should cousrn', and gtc whole strength Of
the Governucnt could aid In its accom-
piisl,ncnl ''Sunpcr or later" | added,
II believe that so,ne mcasure Of that char.
:,eter u ust ko adopted But il belongs tn
the slave States themselves to take the leaG
in such a movement And meanwhile
their legal rights and their natural feelings
must be respected, If We would hope for
unity aud peace
With these facts before your eyes, am
totally at loss to imagine how even the
extravaganza Of party zeal could franc
against me so bitter dcnunciatiop. The
svloe oLj.c, ofersy letter was TO prove,
trtm The Bijie. that ia the relation of mas
ter aud slave there was necessarily no sin
whatever. The sin. if there we're any. lay
ir the tred'n,eat of the slave and not ia the
relation itself OF course, il was liable to
abrse. az all human relations must be-
Bur while il was certain that thousands of
our Christian brethren who held slaves
were treating them with kisdness and JUS
tice, according To the Apostles rule. and
earnestly laboring TO improve the comforts
and amcliorste the har.iships Of the institu-
tion, | held it to be- u cruel and absurd
charge 10 aceus. them as sinners against
the Divine law. when they we're only doir,g
whas the Word OF God allowed. under the
constitution and established code of their
country.
/ 10 not know whether your band Of in
dsgnant reprobationisss ever saw ms book.
pabfshcd in 1850. bns soa read 1T. be-
csuseI sent yoa q copy. and have your
letter of Acknowledgements. in which while.
ven eIisseutcd from soue of my conclusions.
you did il with The cnnrtesy of christian
gentleman In tia. letter there i. na,hiug
said ;fbout my npinions being unworthy
of any rsant OF Jssas Christ ani moth.
srg Of indignant reproba,io,,. Bnt.
tBsgl0ra m#iaHtsr. ct mos r,safansur an Mis.
ies. the times are Indeed sadly changed.
aial you have changed accordingly. For
n1aay years ron met in brothcrly council
with fhcss Southern shareholders, You
invited them 10 the hospitalitics of your
hc,ise. and raid them especisi dslference.
The new light Of Eastern Aio.sisvnisn