The Liberator from Boston, Massachusetts • Page 2

142 From ihc Eswi Gazette DR. PORTER'S LETTER ON SLAVERY. I have risen from the perusal of this letter with sorrow nnd heaviness of heart. Giantlike as have been the strides of this nation towards that grand, destructive Infidelity, involved in the doctrines of Expediency, a substitution of man's weakness and folly nnd prejudice for the plain and holy law of our Saviour, I was pot prepared to find an advocate of it, in the venerated head of the Ando-yer Seminary. Dr.

Porter has, it seems, recently returned from a visit of several months at the South. The Colonization Committee of the Institution proposed to him several queries on the subject of Slavery, Abolition and Colonization. In the outset of his reply, Doctor P. very frankly says: 'Itfalliny intercourse Vith the South, I have rather avoided than invited discussion on the subject of slavery, because the intrinsic difficulties of the subject are great, and because the interference of northern or of any foreign influence, respecting it, 13 attended with peculiar delicacy. He believes Slavery to be 'a national evil.

Does he not also consider it a sin Yet 'in all his intercourse with the he avoided a discussion of the He saw iniquity at its ease, in high places, and forbore to rebuke it with the truth in love. He saw the robbers entering the places of the Lord and polluting them, (Ezek. vii. 22) and he did not take forth the precious from the vile' like the prophet of old, when in spirit he stood by the gate of Jerusalem, and looked in upon its foul iniquity he saw before him the creat abomination of the land, unlike that prophet, he lifted up no voice against it. Was such a course justified by the Bible 4 If a man be found stealing any oT his brethren of the children of Israel and maketh merchandize of him, or selletii him, that THIEF SHALL (Deut.

XX'lV7.) When I say unto the wicked Oh, wicked man thou shall surely if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy (Ezek. xxxiii. 8.) Had Dr. P. forgotten the admonition which God gave of old to his prophets when he sent them to take forth the precious from the vile, to be as His mouth amidst the workers of unrighteousness Be not afraid of 'their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

(Jer. i. 8.) 'Speak all the words mat i command thee to speak, diminish not a (Jer. xxvi. 32.) 'And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor dismayed at their looks.

Speak my words to them whether they will hear or (Ezek. ii. 7.) Dr. Porter was sojourning among those, who build their houses by unrighteousness, and their chambers by (Jer. xxii.

13.) The prayers and the groans of those whose possessions slay them, and hold themselves not ffuilty and thej that sell them, say. Blessed nun i were nearu eve ry where about hi in. A visible curse was resting upon mastor urul aiave. benpntd disastrous shadow, souls were hurrying downward to remeditess ruin. In the midst of all this, why wa9 Dr.

Porter silont The warm eulogium, which at the close of the letter be fore us, he has bestowed upon the Am. Col Society, is a sufficient explanation, lie acted in accordance with the views oj that Society. We are told by it3 organ the African Re pository that 'It condemns no man because he is a slaveholder' that to rob men of liberty is a misfortune and not a crime (see p. 202) that slavenolding is not a jault: tnat the society addresses arguments to no master, and denies the design of attempting emancipation either partial or general, (p. VJ7, vol.

3.) That it says nothing and proposes to do nothing respecting A. Review, jcx3.) In speaking of Immediate Emancipation Dr. Porter says, that 4 as he understands the phrase of Immediate Emancipation, the thin 13 not merelv inexnedient but imno.tsihle.' If Slavery be a sin, what would be the meet "fruits of immediate repentance, on the part 11 oi a slaveholder Acknowledging that Slavery is a national evil, and still keeping his grasp on his broth' er's throat? Selling his brother, and giving alms with his price, saying, 'Blessed God, for I am rich (Zech. xi. 5.) Would they not rather be the undoing at once of the heavy burdens and letting the oppressed go free, and the breaking of every joke Yet this is all which is meant by immediate 'emancipation; which we are told is not inexpedient merely, but impossible On the question of Slavery, Dr.

P. i3 by no I means alone in opposing the baseless doctrines of Expediency to the golden rule of Matthew vii. 12. He has great and honorable precedents. But the nature of error cannot be changed by its diffusion into that of truth.

If the rule of our blessed Redeemer is a perfect one, it must be always possible to obey it. If, on the contrary, there are circumstances in life to which this rule cannot be applied, then we must consider it partial, fallible, uncertain, the mockery of a command whose fulfilment is impossible, the rule of an Egyptian taskmaster, rather than the benevolent injunction of an all-wise and ever-merciful God "Alas what is man, that he should arrogate to himself a wisdom beyond that of his Creator The worm of a day, measuring the con- sequences of his in time and eternity, by a standard of his own, varying with every hour Daring to call in question the applicability of God's Law to all cases of His Provtdenre Palliating an awful violation of that Law, in its open and abhorrent sharne, on the ground that on immediate return to obedience would and ceasing at once to do evil, 'impossible But it may be said that Dr. P. misunderstands the doctrine of Immediate Emancipation. And in support of this charitable assumption, it may be urged that in succeeding remarks he descants upon the probable consequences of the liberation of all the slaves one month, and offers some truisms sms in regard to the powers of tern at a blow.

But how came Dr. P. by such an idea of our purpose Not surely from the writings of any Abolitionist for all ex pressly disavow it. feorry am 1 to sav tnat lie has set up anew 'the man of first fashioned by the advocates of perpetual slavery in order to render odious the friends of truth and hberty That he has given the sanction of his honored name to a wilful perversion of a doctrine inculcated by the Saviour of men the doctrine of immediate repentance. A general emancipation, continues Dr.

V. must be a work of time. It must be accomplished by a wise system of moral influence and of prospective legislation, and must allow opportunity for a preparatory change in the habits of a whole Will Dr. P. explain what other than 'moral' influence has been made use of by the friends of Emancipation? Ay but a 'wise' moral influence is necessarv not that of Abolition 'fanatics' and The silent influence, probably, of the Dr.

himself while at the South. But is it then vmcise to rebuke iniquity and testify in behalf of truth Unwise to apply the Gospel remedy to one sin as well as another In the language of Jonathan Edwards, 'If these things be enthusiasm, and the fruits of a distempered brain, let my brain be evermore possessed of that happy distemper! It this be distraction, I. pray God that the world of mankind may be all seized with this benign, meek, beneficent, glorious distraction As for prospective and the 'change of habits spoken of, I would ask how these are to be carried into effect, unless the consciences of the people are awakened to the sin, and their understandings convinced of the danger and impolicy of slavery Are people usually reformed by apologizing for, and excusing, and upholding, that which needs the reformation Doctor Porter next proceeds to answer the question, respecting 'The influence on the South, of efforts in this quarter, by means of anti-slavery societies, puolications, tfcn to promote the abolition of slavery, particularly the effect of these efforts on the slave Intelligent men at the the Dr. very gravely assures us, do not deny to the people of the non-slaveholding States the right to thins for themselves on this Magnanimous concession The only right which man cannot be robbed of, by his fellow man the last spark of liberty burning in the bosom of the slave, is generously ceded to us by our iutelligent brethren of the South! In consideration that we are constitutionally involved in the guilt of slavery, we are permitted to think of it. 'They continues Dr.

create Slavery. It came to us We did not as a colonial inheritance from the mother country and the cupidity of slave dealers in the North, contributed to fasten it upon us. Here it is, an incubus as you and as many of us think, on the energies and enterprize of our people but the system is so interwoven with all our habits, that immediate abolition would tear up the foundations of Here then is an apology for Slavery. says Dr. in behalf of the intelligent slave-ndiaersr.

oranacu ueepiy on me ioreneau or inis assertion. They have created slavery they do create it now. But it came to them by colo nial inheritance. What then I lhe generation of slaves then entailed upon them, has departed. They have gone, where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest, where they hear not the voice of the oppressor, and the servant is free from his master.

With them died the entailed system of slavery. ho created it anew 1 hey who stole the children ot that generation, and who. at this hour, are stealing their chudren schil dren. Why then continue to throw the whole blame of slavery upon the dead, when the shame and guilt of the living are too manifest It is like the punishment of the Persian nobles whipping their cloaks instead of their bodits It is a pitiful, miserable hypocrisy to set up Slaverii the abstract, and pour upon its un substantial head the live thunder of scorch ing, unmitigated crimination, while Slavery in practice laughs over our harmless assault upon its shadowy representative to acknowledge that to be, a crime in mere speculative opinion which we apologize for in its open commission to loathe the shadow and embrace the sub stance to hold our faith and knowledge in common with the spirits of the Fallen the one not manifested in works, nor the other in obedience. But the system is mo interwoven with all our habits, that immediate abolition (i.

e. re pentance) would tear up the foundations society. Does Doctor Pcrter consider this a valid, Christian argument? The miserable drunkard reeling over his poison has the same. 'The practice of rum he will tell you, is so interwoven with all my constitution al habits that immediate and total abstinence would be attended with rrreat danger. let me alone I shall stfmetime or other, it may be, gradually abstain from Dr.

Porter continues If men in Pennsylvania or Vermont choose to form an anti-slavery Society, let them proceed according to elevated Christian principles. All rash denunciation, all acrimonious epithets, all disposition to distort single acts of cruelty into a general imputation on holders of slaves, are unjust Like the caricatures of English travellers in this country, they provoke resentment without doing any imaginable good. If such Societies choose to advocate their own principles through the press, let thera keep strictly within the limits of truth and sober argument, and send their publications, not to servants, but in the most honora ble and open manner, to their masters. All inflammatory statements, addressed to the former, or tending to excite them to rapine and bloodshed, if they do not subject their authors to indictment at common law for misdemeanor, certainly deserve the reprobation of an enlightened To this exhortation, apart from its association, every abolitionist will say amen. But taken in connexion with its context, and the ciucstion which the writer is answfrinfr Congress and the State Governments, just veys an insinuation, which, though full of in-s if the friends of Emancipation intended by justice, is by no means new to the friends of some desperate effort some inexplicable Guy i immediate repentance.

It is a polite modifi-Fawkcs explosion, to overturn the slave eye- cation of the terms THE LIBERATOR. etc. which have been bo fully showered upon us. For one, I meet that insinuation with a direct denial that it has any foundation in-truth- Here, now, every where, and at all times, I cast it back upon its originators as a baseless slander, unsupported by a solitary fact. The friends of emancipation have never pursued any other than an erevated, christian course in referenc to Slavery for step by step, as they have advanced, the light of Divine Truth has gone before them.

They have not sent their publications to They have NOT addressed 'inflammatory statements to the slaves tending to excite them to rapine and bloodshed They have addressed themselves honorably and openly to the Let Dr. Porter and his friends deny this if they can. The onus of proof is resting upon them. Too long have charges and insinuations of this nature, been industriously propagated against us. here are the jacis to sustain them Prove them upon us at once, or dismiss them from henceforth forever.

A due regard to public opinion induces us to make this demand, although our peace of mind in this matter is established upon the everlasting rock of innocence. continues Dr. P. as I deplore the existence slavery in my native country, I cannot hope to see its extinction, till the measures requisite for such a result shall be taken by the masters So far as the States are concerned, this view of the subject is unquestionably correct. It is one of those self-evident propositions which the opponents of emancipation very gladly adduce, as if we had in reality ever affirmed contrary.

It'however does not apply to the District of Columbia. But what would Dr. Porter have us do W.nh the consciousness of acting as unfaith ful servants heavy upon our souls, must we look toon our slaveholdinsr brother at ease in his sin. without so much "as warninsr him of hisdanjrer? Asrainst the strong convictions of conscience, must we apologize for sin until the sinner has repented of it rxcuse, pal liate and sanction drunkenness, licentiousness, and every moral abomination, until the measures for their extinction are taken' by their abandoned votaries? Rather is not oar duty plain before us, to proclaim aloud the necessity of immediate repentance? until the measures reouisite for such a result shall be adopted' by sinners of every name men stealers as well as others The eulogy upon the American Colonization Society with which Dr. Porter concludes his letter, I pass over as the necessary result of sentiments like those above quoted, with the single remark, that the sincerity of that Society's professed abhorrence of Slavery is about to be tested by a ereneral movement a- mong the friends of suffering humanity, in fa vor of abolishing the criminal system in the District of Columbia.

Will tho Society come promptly up to this great and good work, or go on apologizing for evil when the awful warning of the Most High God is thundering in the midst of us 'Thus saith the Lord Ye have not hearkered cnto me in proclaiming liberTY VERY to HIS NF.IGIIBOR, AND EVERT ONE To Hia BROTHER. liEHOLD 1 PBOCUini WBCftT'yoU xi lAjmrj' Tty tint SWORD, TO THE PESTILENCE AND TO THE FAMINE. AN ABOLITIONIST. SLAVERY REC OR From the Journal of Commerce. CASE OF A RUNAWAY SLAVE.

Mrs. Mary Martin, who at present resides in this city, but who lived in New Orleans in tho year 1830, purchased in the spring of that year, a slave named Jack, for whom she gave 53) to a negro dealer named Wool folk. Theslave remained with her only a few weeks, whet he ran away. About the time that Mrs. Martn purchased the slave, a Spanish Gentleman tame to board with her, who had a servanda free man of color, named Antonio Delettia.

The morning that Jack ran away, this Antonio Delestia and his master sailed for Campeachy, and Mrs. Martin believed that her ilave had accompanied them. She accordingly caused every possible search to be made at Campeachy, but in vain. She never was able to obtain any tidings of her slave from that lime until the beginning of the present -mont a period of nearly three years when she accidentally met him in this city. Mrs.

Martie obtained a warrant against him, brouglt him before the Recorder, and deposed to the facts we have narrated, which were corroborated by her daughter, Miss Agnes Lindsay. Mrs. Martin deposed that she knew her slave from the time that he was a small boy, and could not possibly be mistaken as to his indentity. Jack was then examined, and swore that he teas Delestia; that he was born in the West Indies that his fath er was a Spaniard, and that he himself spoke nothing but Spanish until he was twenty vears of age. He further deposed that he had been on beard a Mexican Man of War in the year 1 826, and that on leaving her, he got a passport irom tne L-ieutenant.

lie siatea that since the year 1823 he had lived nine months with private families in Philadelphia, and afterwards kept an oyster cellar under the Walnut street Iheatre. Mr. m. 11. Wilder, who acted as attorney for Mrs Martin, cross examined Jack, and after asking a few questions desired him to answer a gentleman who now came forward and spoke in Spanish.

Jack could not under stand one word the gentleman said, neither could he understand Miss Lindsay, who ad dressed him in Spanish. He was now desired to produce the passport which he said he got wnen quitting the Mexican Man ot War. He immediately produced the document, and when Miss Lindsay saw it. she swore that she had been handed the same document in the year 1830 by the real Antonio Delestia, who could not read himself, and requested her to read it in order that some other negroes might see that he was a freeman. Miss Lindsay was cross examined and postively swore that the present document was the same which she had read in New-Orleans in the year 1S30 she said she was able to indentify it by some stains she pointed out in the paper.

Notwithstanding the positive testimony of Mrs Martin and Mis Lindsay, Jack, still persisted in asserting himself to be Antonio Deles tia, and his counsel moved that the cause should be put off from the 8th to the 23d wA in order enable Jack to bnng witnesses from Philadelphia to prove his identity. 1 he Recorder consented to the motion, and the case stood over until Friday, when he was aain brought forward. Neither counsel nor witnesses appeared on the part of Jack, and the Recorder gave judgement, that Mrs. Martin had proved him to be her slave, and that he should be delivered up to her. Jack is at present in prison until.

his mistress can remove him from this State which the habeas corpus she has received enjoins her to do with as little delay as possible. Runaway Slave- Some days since we published an account of a Runaway slave (Jack,) who was ordered by the Recorder to be restored to his mistress, Mrs. Martin. The latter accordingly got a habeas corpus to remove him out of this State. But before it could be acted on, a writ de homine replegxando was obtained by Robert Sedgwick, Esq.

under which the slave is retained in Prison until the case can be finally settled by the Superior Court, to hich an appeal has been made on behalf of the slave. Jour, of Com. 30th tdt. EFFECTS OF SLAVERY. The following remarks, extracted from one of the letters of the editor of the Portland Daily Advertiser, dated Columbus, Georgia, April 8, possess a fund of truth, and an abundance of food for the contemplation of slaveholders, and their apologists, every where During this and other days I have passed by many negro traders, who were crossing to Alabama.

These negro traders, in order to save expense, usually carry their own provisions, and encamp out at night. Passing many of these encampments early in the morning, when they were just pitching tents, I have observed groups of negroes hand-cuffed, probably to prevent them from running away. The driver told us, that a thousand negroes had gone on his road to Alabama, the present spring. Perhaps some of the persons whom I suspected to be negro traders, were individuals emigrating, with their negroes to Alabama, where large numbers of persons from South Carolina and Western Georgia are going. The emigration from South Carolina of both parties, I.

am credibly informed, has been very large. The reason of this emigration, to say nothing of the political troubles in South Carolina, is to be accounted for, not by the presumption that there is want of even land, for both South Carolina and Georgia have millions of acres, unfilled and uncleared, but by the fact, that new land is easier for a people to cultivate who know little or nothing, or who if they do know, practise nothing of the science of agriculture. Agriculture, as left here chiefly to negroes and uninterested overseers, must indeed be in a deplorable state. The farmers have too much land and in attempting to cultivate too many acres, they neglect even what they attempt to cultivate. No wonder then they grow poor, without looking to the Tarriff or any other cause, than mere inattention and negligence of a proper cultivation of the soil.

If the time spent in horse-ra- cinsr was spent in the formation of agricultu ral BOCIC which we leave to the jockeys, but Which i lit- i spectaule people here engage in heart and soul even then the country would look differ ent and the American System would not be cursed as the Iruiltul mother ot all evils the cause whence originate the misfortunes of the horse racer, the negligent farmer, the holder of lazy slaves who eat and wear clothes, but who produce not so much as they consume. The South needs the practical lessons which contrast and necessity are teachin? her. If we of New-England, with our climate, lived ns the South in general lives in ten vears we should be the berrar3 of the Union New England would be depopulated the people, if there were any, would be the most wretched on earth and it is only the hue climate, and the cash-commanding staple of the South, that has saved, and is now but partially saving her from degradation. From the Emancipator. IMPORTANT LEGAL DECISION.

The following is an important document from a respectable source, and published at the request of several of the citizens of the city of Trenton, New-Jersey. A decision in the case of an individual named Jerry Hitchens, has settled an impor tant principle in this State, in relation to apprehending slaves. The facts that gave rise to this decision are as follows On Monday, the fifteenth of July, the de- tenaant was arrested, under the name ot Jerry Hitchens, by a Mr Kinny. as the runaway siave oi one jur koss who resides in the State of Delaware. The prisoner was taken into custody by Mr Kinny and Mr Benjamin T.

Howell, Deputy Ajrent of the Union Line in this city, and carried before Samuel Evans, Esq, one of the Aldermen of this city. Mr Kinny havmr made oath, according to the re quirements of the statute, the defendant was committed by the Magistrate to the cammnn jail of the city, to wait an investigation of the claim. 1 his. being the first instance of the kind that ever occurred in this Dlace. it excit ed a strong feeling of sympathy among us, in favor of the unfortunate prisoner.

Ascertaining that he was destitute of friends, we em ployed tnree attorneys to assist him in his triaL On the morninar of the ltith. Mr TCin left this place with the intention (as it is said tiiu- vj xwiawartf, 10 accompany the owner of the unfortunate prisoner to Trntnn However, he returned Oil tllfi 17th. within luc owner; dui applied to Evans. Esa 1 i one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of common fleas, to have the Dnsonpr hmnt before him for trial the. necessary aflidavit having been made.

This Droeeedinrr carried on almost under cover of secrecy, and it was by accident alone that investigation which was about to take place. The claimant not being ready for trial in the morning, it was adjourned until the afternoon. Immediately after which, the sel obtained a writ of Habeas caused the prisoner to be brought before his honor Judsre Drake. Thev charge of the prisoner from confinement, upon the ground that the magistrate had no right to commit him to the city jail, unless he violated some law of this State. The pri was discharged by his honor just at the W.

appointed for his trial. In anticipation of event we procured a conveyance to takt k. immediately off, before his second arresteotf be made by the officer who then had a rant for bis apprehension We conveyed immediately beyond the reach ofhispursaQ, and supplied him with the necessary Droceed to a place of safety. Every free generous heart rejoiced at the escape of prisoner irom nis oiooa-mirBiy pursuers. Ti proceedings in this case met "with the apjt bation of every intelligent roan in the citj: Trenton, and showed their abhorrence of 4 very in its most alluring form.

N. B. They say for them to aid tie ts fickers in human flesh, or even to lend i bk ing hand to such as are pursuing their. b1. over this soil, which is uncontaminated the existence of slavery, would be to iokj thnsp.

nrincinles of action which oar faiW bequeathed to us and our own conscience! un.m Tlif conduct of thrxa mi' I were actively engaged in behalf of the cokt ed man, is entitled to highest commendatiatp Trenton, JN. J. leoo. Negro Insurrection. Captain Bocst at New York, from Matanzas, in twelve din inform, that an express arrived at that plait from Havana, on the day of his sailing, wit the information that an insurrection had bid- out at Havana among the negroes, and the from 4 to GOO of thera had been shot Trast script.

COMMUNICATIONS. For the Liberator. MRS. CHILD'S APPEAL. Mr.

Editor: I have recently given Sfn. Child's Appeal' a pretty attentive pcrusjl, and I wish to avail myself of an early opportunity to say to others, in her own languige, 'Read it: If I were to judge from my own I should presume to say that those who read this book, will feel well repaid for the time which they spend in so doing. If they do not think proper to adopt its sentiments, they wi2 be delighted with the clear and energetic style in which it is written they wtfl probt bly receive a valuable addition to their stock of information and above all, they will ad mire the disinterested benevolence, and the noble independence of a woman who could thus hazard her glorious reputation in an un popular but most righteous I have not taken my pen for the purpose of writing a review of this work. I leave that task to her abler friends, or more bitter enemies. I will only say that in my humble opinion it does honor to her head and heart, and she deserves unqualified praise for her effort of christian philanthropy.

She will, I doubt not. Jueiime receive a rich reward. Nay, she receives it, in the approbation of "all rood nee; and candid minds and she receives it in the gratitude of those injured people whose rights she so eloquently vindicates. I know not how the work is regarded by the generality of readers. I have heard but one sentiment in relation to it that of unqualified approbation.

Should it however encounter no opposition, it would be in tJae highest degree wonderful. It lays an axe at the root of the tree of Negro oppression. Notwithstanding this tree spreads its gloomy branches.and throws its blasting shade over almost the whole of our land, there are thousands who are assiduously engaged in its cultivation and they not suffer such a blow to be aimed at it without a fierce contest. Doubtless many' deep regrets will be expressed by the friends of Mrs. Child, for the unwise course she has taken.

The fallacy and absurdity of her notions will be very gravely pointed out. It is possible that this book will fall into the hands of some individuals, who have never given the subject of slavery and colonization a careful examination. Hence, those who are well informed will spare no pains to enlighten the minds of such individuals, and prevent any erroneous opinion, which, from first view, they might be in danger of forming. Should the attack however, upon the book, prove unsuccessful (as ia all probability it would,) they will next comDC upon the author. They will be very to insinuate, that a woman had mud better attend to her household than rf be stepping forward in this matter so very boldly-outstripping not only all of her own sex, but nearly all of the other.

They will impugn the motives of the writer. They will attribute her benevolent exertions to selfishness or perhaps the influence of connexionsfor be it known there is a class of people who do not believe in the existence of such a principle as disinterested' benevolence. They-are unable to comprehend how a person be actuated by any such principle, because they have no consciousness of any such in themselves. I trust, however, that Mrs. Child's 'Appeal1 will be read attentively, at least by all those-who have read and admired her fnrmor r.

ductions. Should this be the case, it rannol fail to afford incalculable aid to the cause ef universal emancipation. I hope it will be the-means of rousing those of her own sex to im proper attention to this subject With a few-noble exceptions, they have bten shamefiillr indifferent to the wrongs of our colored people But they must not remain so, we need their- co-operation. They are emphatically th betterhaIf'of our population: and nothing great and good can be accomplished in out.