Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-30
TO THE RIGHT REVEREND ALONHO
POTTER, D. D.. BISHOP OF Tile Dlo-
CESE OF PENNSYLVANIA.
TIVE rrrLJc VIEW OF SLAVERY.

test against my letter on the Bible view 81
Slavery" signed by YOU and lnng list o
your clergy, in which yop condemn 1t US """
moyihy " cry scrram cf Jesus Christ" Us "a;
cliior; to sistainy on Bible principles, thu
States il. rebellion against the government Ii
the WICKED attempt 10 establish, by force :"
arms, tyrdnny in tile name Ct republic
whose Cornerstone shall DC the perpetual
bondage OF the African" and ~ such you say
that it challenges your 'indiynaHt rerroda
HOr"
Now, my right reverend brother, / am sorry
to be obliged to charge you, not only with a
| gross insult against your senior, but with the
more serious offence OF false accusa
ton. lily letter was irst published in .,iani.'
ary, 1861, more than three months before
the War 6egaD, at O. time when no one
could Anticipate the form Of gorernmept
which the Southern States should adopt, d
the course which Congress might take in re-
ference to their secession. And wien con-
scn'ed to It's republication, did nat suppose
thas itwuu!d ic used in the service OF any
political party, although | had nc right IT.
complain, ii it were 50 used, hecause the lct'
ter, once published became public property.
But in Its present form there is nothing what
tNCL AZ IL NlIlEI Ic,itS VI
lion or Of the perpetual bondage of thc,Afri-
can, " oroI Tyranny under the name of a re-
public" OF which slavery should be the ''cor-
last page, to my lecture published in Buffalo,
| can Cisizon,' published in New York. in
1851, where Sc: forth the same views on tho
subject of slavery, adding however. n plan
for i:5 gradual Addition whenever the South
should consent, and the whole strength of tn"
government could aid in its accomplishment :,
"Sooncr or later" added, IL believe tba;
:omc measure q that character mus: be
adopted. But it belongs TO the slave States
themselves to take the lead in such move
manr. And meanwhile their legal rights ard
their natural feelings must be- respected. it
we would hope for unity and peaco."
With these facts bei"ro yDur eggs, am To.
tally at . loss I" imagine how even the cx-
trayagance ui' part zeal could frame against
ME So bitter Il icnunciaciun. The Whole cs-
'res -: Iny letter vas It. prove from the Bible.
that in the rcl4i:"n n: master and slave there
WIS necessarily Z" sin whatever. The sin, if
there were any, lay in the treatment Of tie
slave. ard not in the relation itself. Oh course,
ii Was liable to abuse. AZ all human relations
mus lie But e.iie it was certain that thou
sands, of cur Christian brethren who held
slaves were treating them with kindness and
justice, according tu the Apostles rule and
earnestly laboring tn improve the comforts
aud ameliorate the hard-hlps Of the instiru
ten, l held it to be Il cruel and absurd charge
in accuse them as sinners against the Divine
Law, wien they were only doln. what the
WHrd Of God allowed, under the Constitution
ana established cGdc ri their c1uM!ry.
! do not knew whether your baHd Of inii2
nant rcpruhwtiGnist- eyer saw nay book, pab--
lisfcd i'll lsI11, bnt you read it, because sent
You :. cony. ard | have yonr letter OF acknow,.
iet:Emcnt, in which. while you iissen;cd frru
a2nc G: ny ""rc!n~'o:s, ys,s4ssS !: with the
aoT;icsy OF Christian gentlefnan. In thar
letter there is nstlinr, said about my opinions
being unworthy cf any servant Of jesus
Christ and nothing Of Indignant reproba-
ton But, tcmnora mHiGntur, CT nos musta-
mwr IN iis.
les the tipes are, indeed. sadly changed,
and y"u lave changed accordingly. For
many years vou have met in hrotlcrly c0un-
ell with these Southern shareholders. You
invited them to the h">r;'aities Of yonr house,
and paid them especial difference. The new
light Of Eastern ;.holit:onism had not yet
rirn ~;'hin our church, and if ynu then
thcncht ~ you now think, yuu took cxcclcD;
ca"c that no man amongst your Southern
rricr Is should know it.. Moreover, y0ur favur-
tc Theoo@cal Seminary only three years ago.
wa. the Hirsinia school 1T Alexandria, raised
- ..reat prosperity by Bishop McaHe, a sluvc.
hrier, and III! very sure that nothing at Va
Rance with my Bible view Of slavery was
t.ngr! in that Institution. Yes, we NAY well
say "r 7oI a5 Of many nthcrs--QadHipm mt
fGju# ad W0. How changed is the Bishop OF
Pennsylvania, in three years, from hia former
cour.c Of conservatism, peace and Scriptural
consistency:
But tho Wort! Of God has not changed the
doctrine Of the Apostles has not changed the
Constitution OF our country has not changed:
he great standards Of religions truth and
civic !aJalty remain just NJ they were: and |
rera#in along with them. notwithstanding this
bitter and uEi .;ssaut from yuu and your
clergy; do not intend TO initiate your late
style Of vitupcra:ian. ior / trust that have
learned. even when ain rcviled. not to revile
again. | respect the good opinion of your
CLERGY. anl am net aware that | have done
anything to forfeit it. | respect your Office,
your talents, your personal character and the
wisdom and success with which, for many
years, your Episcspac has been csaducted =
But J do NOT respect your departure from the
old and well settled rule of the church, and
from the Apostolic Law IF Christian fairness
and courtesy. 10 not i,eliere in the modern
discovery OF those Eastern philanthrspists
who deny the divinity Of oar Redermer, and
a. ach n Importance to tie Bible except IA it
may suit themselves. | do MT believe that
the vcacrated founders Of our American
Church were ignorant Of the Scriptures and
blind t. tho principles Of Gospel morality.
10 not believe in the modern discovery Of
'icsc Eastern philan!hropists who deny the
iiynity of our Rcdeamcr, and attach no ini-
portancc to the Bible except as it may suit
themselves. | DO not believe that the vcnera-
ted founders of our American Church were
Ignorant Of Tic Scriptures and blind to the
principles Of s9sncl morality. | do not be-
lave ;las Washington and his compatriots,
who framed our Constitution with such express
provisions for the rights of .slavehnlders, were
tyra:!ts and dcspO:s, sinners against the law
ii God and the feelings Of humanity. But
do believe in the teaching of the inspired
Apostles, and lathe iloly Catholic Tor univcr-
sail Church which 7Gu ard your clergy al5o
rroiess to hcl:crc kncr that the doctrine
If that Church was clear and unanimous on
the lamfulness of slavery for eighteen ccntu-
r:cs together; and on that point | regard your
protest and Indignant reprobatisn" es the
idle wind that passes by.
| wish yor. therefore, to be advertised that
shall Publish. within y few months. if a
::rarions Providence should spare nv life and
C,cuitie., q ;j!il' demonstration Of the truth
wherein staad.' And shall prove in sLat
boo?:, ny the most ,rnquestionable authorities.
that slaves and Shareholders were in the
Church from the beginning; that slavery Was
held to be consistent with Christian principle
by the fathers anu councils, and by ali Protea-
tan; divines aud commentators. up to the very
closa OF the last century, ard that this fact was
universal among all churches aud sects through
ont the Christian world. l shall contend thai.
our Church. which maintains the primitive rule
OF Catholic consent. and 'aburas all novelties. is
bound hy her very constitution, to hold fast that