Part 4

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.--The following letter, from an accomplished and intelligent gentleman in North Carolina to a distinguished gentleman in the city of Boston, is contained in the Columbian Centinel. It exhibits a specimen of the sentiments which generally, if not universally, prevail on this subject throughout the southern states, and may enable some of our infatuated agitators to perceive the folly and madness of their course:--

SALISBURY, ROWAN COUNTY, N. C., MAY 29th, 1833.

Dear Sir,--I shall offer no other apology for troubling you with a letter at this time, than the importance of its subject matter. I have chosen to address you as being a distinguished philanthropist; and on more than one occasion, a great sufferer in the cause of real humanity; and, from the past history of your life, I feel confident that I was not so deceived in the high estimate I formed of your character during our too short acquaintance, that I need fear you have turned a visionary.

It is frequently asserted in many of our southern newspapers, that there exists in the northern and eastern sections of our country, a disposition to interfere with slavery. This I have confidently denied on the strength of conversations I had with distinguished gentlemen when in your section; and on the authority of Mr. Webster’s gratifying assertion, that there prevails at the north such a feeling on this subject as the south would wish. More than two years since, in New England, I heard Garrison, whom I looked upon as a misguided enthusiast, and literally, a monomaniac, on the condition of the negroes in America; and I was happy to find that he was discountenanced by the sober and really benevolent portion of the community. I begin, however, to doubt, if I have not been somewhat in error. Something, I know not well by what class, nor as yet to what extent, surely is agitated among you. I am not a miscellaneous reader of newspapers, and I receive none from New England, so that my information is limited to extracts occasionally made into more southern journals. Among these, I was greatly struck by the following paragraph taken from the Boston Commercial Gazette: “At the last quarterly meeting of the New England Anti-Slavery Society, the following resolution was adopted unanimously. Among the gentlemen who advocated the adoption was Mr. Amasa Walker, the candidate of the Anti-Masons for Congress.

‘Resolved, That the principles and measures of the New England Anti-Slavery Society, are consistent with every duty which we owe to our country, and that benevolence to the masters not less than to the slaves, requires us to advocate the doctrine of IMMEDIATE ABOLITION.’”

Here is the germ, I fear, (and I tremble while I think on it,) of what will work the dissolution of our glorious Union. For the moment that interference with the condition of our slaves is seriously attempted by any considerable party in the non-slave-holding states, that moment this Union is at an end. A determination not to suffer the free states to intermeddle in any manner, with the condition of the slaves, unites in the most perfect unanimity every political party, every religious sect, every class of society in the slave-holding states. And I pledge myself for the accuracy of the opinion, that not even an _attempt_ to settle the question growing out of the agitation of slavery, would be made on the _floor of Congress_.

I love the Union with an unsurpassable affection; language cannot express the strength of it. I derive my being from the early pilgrims of New England, and I shrink from the idea of that ever becoming to me a foreign country. You know that I have regarded my rank of an AMERICAN CITIZEN as a prouder birthright than that of the haughtiest noble of Europe, whose lineage is lost in the darkness of antiquity. But sooner than suffer the Abolitionists to carry into execution their plans, I too would go for a dissolution of this Union. I believe before God! that justice and humanity to _slave_, as well as to master, would require of me to do so. This is not a fitting occasion--neither is it necessary in addressing you, my friend, to dwell on the dangers to be apprehended from meddlesome ignorance in so delicate a relation as that of master and slave; nor to expatiate on the unwarrantable interference with the rights of others, nor on the violation of faith solemnly pledged even in the constitution of our liberties, as is purposed by the Abolitionists. In portraying the dreadful consequences to master, and still more to the slave, with the vices, crimes, bloodshed and horrors, that would follow immediate abolition, who would fail to be eloquent? But immediate abolition, is an event quite out of the question; and one of the certain consequences of any movement, either on the part of the slaves or of the Abolitionists, is the riveting with tenfold severity of the chains of the former. This any one may easily perceive, by examining the enactments on this subject, made since the distribution of Walker’s pamphlet, and the Virginia insurrection.

Do not conclude from my earnestness, that I believe the Abolitionists as yet, form either a numerous or powerful party--but the contrary.--Still, I wish, as much as lies in my humble self, to warn the good and intelligent to repress in its birth, by their strong reprobation, a visionary spirit, which, unchecked, will menace the Union of these United States, while it consigns to a severer bondage the unfortunate objects of their crusading folly. Especially do not conclude that I am hostile to emancipation in every form, and ready to give over the African race to perpetual, hopeless bondage. No. But in this matter the South must take the lead; there exists among us on this point, a jealousy--shall I not add, well grounded? _The Colonization Society is operating a great change in public opinion here--it is gaining the confidence of the whole South._

I rejoice that the Abolitionists are running tilt against it; and if not discredited by the mad zeal of misguided philanthropists, it will lead, I am sure, to the adoption of judicious measures on a much larger scale to rescue from servitude and degradation the unfortunate Africans amongst us.

I greatly desire to learn from you the extent of any disposition that may exist in your section to attempt directly the abolition of slavery in the south, and whatever else of interest, you may have to communicate on this subject. Could you furnish me any information calculated to remove the suspicions and quiet the apprehensions of the South, (for I hope and still believe that right feelings concerning slavery prevail at the North,) its publication in our newspapers here, I feel confident would be productive of great good.

Hoping to hear from you at your earliest leisure, I am, very truly, your friend and humble servant.

---- ----

[Transcriber’s Note:

Page 10, “Mr. Rusworm” changed to read “Mr. Russwurm”.

Page 11, “In New York 1 out of 2191” changed to read “In Pennsylvania 1 out of 2191.”

Page 14, “The name of Lot Carey” changed to read “The name of Lott Carey”.

Page 16, “Montserado be made again” changed to read “Montserrado be made again”.

Obvious printer errors corrected silently.

Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.]