The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1863-10-02

From the Smyrna Times.
Is no. 4.
To Ayres Stoekly, Esq.

My Dear SIR
When you were in my Office, few days
ago, presented you with two or three good
Union documents, and in return you gave me
"A Letter from an Elder in an Old School
Presbyterian Church, to his son at College"
To show the deep erudition of this apologist
for African Slavery, he gives quotation in
Greek, from Romans III ch., 3, 4-and one in
Hebrew, from Psalms CXVIII, 8. This '.let-
ter" as you informed me, had the high sane
ton of George W. Cummins, ESQ.,, who had
pronounced it to be the ablest argument he
had seen on the subject, and in his opinion,
unanswerable. With this high and discrim-
mating commentator, sat down to its pc
rusal-with q certain degree of interest--but
] found it to be only g the labor of the noun
tain-whose production was--"a mouse"
Able, and unanswerable, as the Honorable
George W. Cummins regards this apology for
human slavery; | propose with great defer
ence to his ripened judgment, to answer, or
review this piece of impiety and blasphemy
against God, against humanity and "the
rights of man." should, probably, have at
tempted this answer sooner, but that had
loaned this "letter" to two or three of my
friends, who, on perHsal, regard il as do, as
a barlesq1e upon the great principles of Chris
tianity. 4& ~ g
The author of this letter" processes to ex.
hibit himself to a christian community as an
advocate for the enslayement of the whole Af
rlcan race, nay, more, Of every person who
has "a black skim" He has undertaken this
task too, with the professed benevolent object
of giving sage, Parental instruction to a Son,
that he may be trained up sin the way he
should co.. And to add to the weight of q
pretended christian. authority, this "letter "
writer avouches himself to be ''An ELder"-
aye" in an OLD SCHOOL PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH" And yet further, to give greater
sanction to this assumed authority he quotes
passage from st. Paurs Epistle to the Ro-
mans in the original Greek, and passage
from 18th Psalm, in the original Hebrew
When translated, the Sd and 4th of the Sd
chapter of Romans, read--''3. For what il
some did not believe? shall their unbeliel
make the faith of God without effect. 4.
God forbid yea, let God be true, but every
man liar"--the learned Elder" omitted
the concluding part of the 4th verse, "as it
is written, that thou mightest be justified in
thy sayings, and highest overcome when
thou artjudged." The 9th verse of tho IlStE
Psalm, reads 49,
at is better to trust in tho Lord than K
put confidence in man."
These passages from Holy writ, however
authoritative, and refreshing they may be il
their proper connections yet in support o.
the theory of A tfican Slape7y, are less in point
than if he had quoted the French proyerb--
"HOni soft, qui nal y pense'-"E Evil be to him
that evil thinks"
In the course Of the remarks, / shall make,
in answer to this imposing letter, will en-
deavor to exhibit, sata
l. What kind of Slavery was recognized in
the Holy Scriptures--under which head |
shall expose the chronological error into which
this Elder" has fallen, in regard to the ne
gro race.
2. The benign teachings of Christianity, as
contradistinguished from the Jewish Polity in
regard to slavery. u
g. The institution of slavery Political
question in the United States.
A. The institution of slavery as a great ma
tional question of Political economy.
8, The happy influence of freedom from
slavery In the Free States, upon the prosperi
ty of those States: and the happiness of tn,
people, in the advancement of education !,
the encouragement of the arts and sciences
&C., and in the increase of population an,
wealth. FsH -gs
9. The unhappy influences of slavery, il
the Slave States-upon society, upon the moi
ais of the people, and upon the prosperity q
the State in which it exists.
7. Twill then endeayor to show. that SLAYER
IN the great moving cause of the present atrc
cious rebellion Of the South against the bes
Government that the sun ever shone upon.
9th and lastly, / shall submit with all du
respect, that it is not only the interest but Ii
imperative duty Of the people of the Unite
States to crush out slavery from every part ,
our beloved country, to devote "a free soil
free labor" 80 as to insure lasting Peace.
You will perceive that marked out a pre-
ty extensive course of remark, but .respec
iuliy invite your attention to my argument
You and l have long acted together in suppo,
Of the same great political principles, and a
low me to say, without hattery, that / thin
you are too good a man to be led away by III
false and wicked doctrines attempted to /
taught in this letter of an " Elder !" or by Ii
Inhuman craft ofreckless politicians, in the
efforts to engraf slavery upon the policy of on
Government ia. syie7is g s'-5zG.
In concluding this paper, allow nae to 81,
that J know not who this Elder Of an OF