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Communications: For The Signal Of Liberty: Letter From Mr. P...

Communications: For The Signal Of Liberty: Letter From Mr. P... image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
March
Year
1844
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Lyons, March 10, 1844. Editors op the Signal: - As I am about toleavethe field, it is due to you and to the anti-slavcry friends generally, that I sliould give an account of my labors. I do so, hoping thereby to afford sorae little encourngement to friends, by spreading out, so far as I am able, the condition of the cause in the places I have visited. My labors have been confined to the couaties of Wayne, Monroe, Washtenaw, Oakland, Genessee and Jackson. I have spent the greatest portion of my time in neighborhoods that have not very generally been favored with anti-slavery labor. I have done sobecause,in these places the people are more willing and anxious to hear, and are less trammelled by party and political demagogues, and consequently are the more likely to yield to truths. Again, these are the persons of all others most affected by slave-holding dictation and management. The enormous suras drawn by southern men from northern pockets, come ultimately from the farmers and mechanics. It is a well known fact that men in mercantile business always calcúlate to cover losses arising fromtheir non-paying customers by extra charges upon the paying ones. In this way the "ree laborers of the north are intimately nterested in and influenced by the pau)er institutions of the south. This I have endeavored to show to the farmers and aboring men. I have found them wiling almost universally to give credit 0 facts and argument. In Wayne (the jarts I visited) I found that very little ïad been said or done. The people, however, were ready to turn out; and generally gave me full houses. From this county I went to Monroe. The stormy weather and bad roads prevented my accomplishing very much here. I lectured a few times to small audiences, and hope some good was done by excitingto thought and investigation on the topics discussed. After the meeting of the State Society, 1 visited Oakland. In some places in this county the friends are awake and active - in others there is great indiiference, and a want of the feeling of -personal responsibility. In the language of a friend Quaker, "They come out to hear the lecture,andsa3r, "thatit is very good," "very important, &c," but said he, "we need a lecture every week. to stir them up." - From Oakland I went to Genessee - was met with a warm reception from the friends here. I lectured several times tofull and attentive audiences. A lecturer could find employment in this county for almost any length of time. I received pressing invitations to visit different towns and neighborhoods which I "was enable to comply with. After leaving this county, I went to Jackson, but owing to the bad roads, did not accomplish much - lectured a few times to good and attentive audiences. This3 together with a few efforts in Washtenaw county, has been the extent of my labors since entering the service of the Society. It has been on the whole an interesting expedition, although another of the same kind would necessitate me to take the benefit of the bankrupt law. From what I have been able to learn, the cause is advancing. and only needs efficiënt and continued effort to secure a full and complete triumph. - The friends must awake however, or it will not be accomplished, they need not expect to dream and talk slavery down. - They must act individually.unitedly, continuously, and above all consistently. I have beentrealed with the utmost respect, by both friends, and opponents, not however for my ownsakel hope,but out o regard to the cause. There have been very few exceptions to this, and in these cases, the disrespect shown I considerec a greater honor than their respect coulc have been, for there are some persons whose friendship is less to be desired than their hatred. I have been greatly pleased fo find the thinking and reflecting part of community so ready to hear the facts on this queslion. If this class have contro verted any positions maintained, it has been done with the utmost good feeling and kindness, and with an entire absence of that bar-room slang we have formerly met. The opposition I have met has been, for the most pari, on the question of political action. Some few, with a zeal more benefitting a better cause, oppose the movement lest the union should be marred, and the peace destroyed of slave-trading and slave-keeping ministers,es and apologists. These are the main points that have been contested, and these, not with sound arguments and facts, but rather with gratuitous and unwarranted statements. The standing and all-convincing argument with a certain class lias been, "He is aloco," "He is playing second fiddle to the locos" - "that is locofoco slang" &c. The other evening a Claywhig-abolition deacon pounced upon me for shndering Mr. Cloy, and after whining awhile about the sinfulness of pointing to a raan's boyish (?) improprieties and condemning him therefor, closed by quoting the following passage of scripture, "speak evil of no man," in a very significant manner, doubtless pitying the rashness of a youth who dared to assail the people'sgod. To such a one we may well say "The Lord rebuke thee," for pretending to love the slave and desire his release, andyet giving your influence to the great high priest of this system.- I learned afterwards that this gentleman had once been a nominee of the Whig party for legislatura. This accounts for his tender consciencc on the subject of Mr. Clay's character. I am heartilysick of the mock Christianity and sham benevolence of those who say they desire and pray for the emaneipation of the slave, and yet vote the shackles on, and rivet them fast to the quivering flesh of the crushed bondmen. Away with such blasphemy towards God, such treachery to man, the image of God. There surely can be no employment more befitting an honest man than to unmask these pretenders, and exposé their treachery and hypocrisy to an indignant and outraged community. There were some places I had intended to visit before leaving, but shall not be able to do so. 1 leave the field in hope that some one of better talents and warmer heart may take hold and carry forward the work. Yours in behalf the slave, bleached and unbleached,

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News