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Letter From H. Hallock

Letter From H. Hallock image
Parent Issue
Day
18
Month
May
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
Letter to the Editor
OCR Text

Detroit, May I2lli, 1846.Mit, T. Fostkk.- Dear Sir: Sincc the nppcnrnncc of Mr Stcw-iris anido in lbo Sipnal of t!ie 2()ih of April, dcrlintng 10 act ns Chnirman ol the Ooimnhtcc nppiiintcr] at the last nnnnai meeting of the State Antislavery Society to prepnre nu address to iht Liberty Firty uppn 'ho subject ofodoptiug nddition.il [loliticnl principies, ns ihorj and iherc prosentrd, it luis bcon snggea'ed to me by sevcral iriendtf, that as a inotubur of tint Comiuittee, it was d:ie t tnysclf and the cause, to set fotlh my views upon tlio matter. This must bc my apol Ógy for troubling you nnd yoür rcadcra witli the present coinmunication, whlcti I will endeavnr to make as brief as the circu nis! unces of the case will ad mit. As you are nwnre, I took no part in ihe public discusion of thoee ni.iitcrs at the meeting of the S:ato Society - partly frorn the fact of my relations to that meeting, bul as I atn frec to adnut, nsurc particular! froni the fact that my miiid w.is whully unscttled upon the subject. - Wlicii Jïr.-t presen ted it struck me as impplitic ind dnngoroúá, and I was inclined to similar views éxpreúscd by our (rienda Gurney, Stcwart, and otiiers, bui a.'ier listening lo the discusoion ind wèighirig all that was s.iul, pro and con. I vvns rrrúch more favorably inc.lined to the couw ndicatcd by the report of the Exccutivc Comnffièé, lilUiough riot fully prepared toadopt it. - Witli the propoeitions, ns sucli, I have ño pur iculiir c n'iovcrsy, and ïf necdful for the more ripid inercaso of our numbers, could accede to nosl of tbem without hesiiation. Towaidssooic of theni I inight occupy a neutral position, while ó'.hera, I sliould njoicu to see advocated and adoped: for insiancc, the farthcr reduc'ion of the Post Ólüce tax, nnd ihc gradual reduciion of the Arniy and Nnvv witb n view to their ultímate extinction. 'J'hia last I regard ns of the dcepe.-t i:np ortaiico, and in its future bearing upon our National character and prosprrity econd only in 'mportancc to our vital principie, the Abolition ol Slavcry. Although in the present stato oí society, with all tho belligercnt feelings of nations rife for nn appeal to arms. the advocacy of sucíi a principie woulJ di;ubtle59 lead to great reproach, vet of its feasibility, ns well as its humanity, I c.:n scarce entertain a doubt. To any riothing of ils immense expenditure, (involvin as per fne's matcd in vour circular, sonie FinHandrcd MUlions of Dollars withih the past 5) yenrs,) tlie support of Arm y and Ñavy fys toin tciuU strictly 10 foster a1 proud, overbearing. aristocratie temperend &pirit, ulterly hostile to ilio feeling of equality which should clinracierize ihn citizens of every República) Government - and to swstain a fi-cling of casle. or specit-s of eerfdom, to say the least, nenrly ullied to the spirit which. Slavcry itselt engenders nniong u pcoplo. And as far ns the argument in favor tíí ihcir support drnwn from the necessity of their exmeñeé as a mentís of National defenco is concerncd, I rcgarO t os fjunded entircly upon an erroncjtis jiid'gmcnt of Human Nature. It hös been well remarked by eome onc upon ibis subject, ihat if n man wishes to be embroiled in repeatcd quarrcls, Iet him orm himeelf :cnp a pio," nnd eivc iortli tliat ho is propared to rceist every agcresssion, and ho will be Btire to meet tí:Ií adversarios of the same spirit, bul if, on the othcr hand he woutd pass quietiy and peacciuUy aloiiL' liis wny. without insult or resistance, lei him but obey :he Apostoüc injunction, "Scek pcace and pursuc it," and ho will bo far more secure from harm ihan il armed wivli bowieknives. pialólo, or bludgcons, wlien ann'd ihe men of violence and sinfe. Tliese remarks wo beüeve cq tal.'y npplicable to Naiions as individ ia!s, and tliat the Nulion prepnred for fVur, vi;h tlie spirit which, sucli preparation engenders, will have War, while the Nation that studies peace and senda forth no note of preparation for suchbloody Work, will seldom, ifever. liavc iis righis invadcd. or bodriven to an appeal to arm?. 1 could spcak more at large and in approvnl ol some of the oiher propositiona present C.l at tiiat incctinï and enibodicd in your circular 'suhse quonlly jiublished; b;it do not think it important to do so at the present moment, nnd wisli as far poseibi'c to ei'ikiy brevity. These being my views wil!) regard to the #'ncw propositi ju," it follows thnt the only question with me, would' be ns to policy of adopting or engrafting '.hem upon the Liberty creed. Would they tend to hnstcn our growth and more ccrtainly and spéedily givc ns politica] power to destroy thj monster? Or would tlioy tend to disiract oJr councils, retard our progressand prove a pitfall to ourpnrtj? Asintimatcd beforo, th'S last was my npprehension when the matter was first pr jposed,')ut upon faribet consideration. and especially from the evident un inimity with which our fricnd8 throughout tlie State scem to be prepared to adopt tiie propositions, I now incline to the opinión tliat thoso fears werc in a measure groundle88, and tbat the mass of Liberty men, throughout our State at leas, would unite upon r Politicnl creed milar to the one presented in your Circular with great urtanimity. Respccting o difiiculty which eome havo suggested, that tho ndoption of additionnl politica] principies in ono locnüty wouid tend to" distract ihc Liberty friends of other States wherc thcy tnay not be pnp'ired fully to advocate the same policy, I think it will prove harmless. íor I do not regard it of vital importance tliat :he Libertyjarty Bhould harmonizo pcrt'ccily upon tvcry )LIS3tiop of public policy so lonjas thoy aro rigln upon tho grent fundamental principie upon whicli ur whole polilic.il fubric re.vs - tho imniediatc Abolilion of Sl.ivery. We find that in thetvvo oiher lcading rftmíoá therö h n rousiant jar upon many qucsiionet of policy. For instaneo, the Whiga of New Rnglund vind ilic Wliigsof the Souti , whüc they nioy htirm.mize nnd nCI togeth or ns a gicni National pariy to'ca ry a Presiden I .i Kleciioti. or nny great ques'i'n of Na on il in icrcst. entertniu very different, nndèyén mitnt. uist cal viows upon sume qUesliouBOÏ pu'i lic policy. Abo ihft Domociat of Penns) vniiia. and tho l'eii.ocr.it of South Carolmn, wliilo tlicy woukl bc at sciioiia od Is upon the T.ni.lor Óiher q-icsüons, would lüirinunizc pcrfccily uon at)) gruat Nntion.-il qucsiion nilo)ti:d by tlicir party. And would il l)u more difijciilt lo unitc ihc Llb cny forces oí lííe dilTcrcnt Suites upon the groat lending fundamental principie of tlieir organiza lfon - ilie Abolitiofl of Slavcry - whiletlicy iniIit ■■ntertain and advócalo different views touchni'j minor points of State or National policy, tli.in ii id to l.nrmonize tho dibcoidant niajoriolsol Whiu' };ery or Ucmocracy? Is our gteat and guniiny principie loss adhesivo or cou3orvatt,ve in il pow er ihan {tic LègViïi of priuciplca by w!ii cli ilxy íroni lime to time, profesa tb le gövorned? I think not - and however diverse niight bo the ïpinions or aciion of t!ie Liberty pitty rclaiivc to othcr public inlcrc.-its, ] cannot cntcrlnin a doubt bui thm when called to et as a greut Natíorttíl )arty, thny would be Fourid moving forward in solid phalan.x tó porform the great workíor which they wero eápecmlly commissioned - dio Ab ili:i n of Slavciy. la coimnoii willi multitudes of our fiicnds I nave watched wiih docp interest tlie pasl 5 ycarp to seo what ncw devolpcrricnis would tak e pía c frotn eithcr of tlic oíd politíedl porties unrfcr ine pressure of thc alvance nf Librrty principies il r ' the land, and whilc here mid there broken fragmente of ihctn may have evidenced n desire to tnke advancéü ground upo the subject of Human Liberty, ye. as a great whole, thcy ha'vo frowned at every ottompt 10 do it. Thut thts is not tnerc assertion, hut trutli, wc have abundant focts at hand to tcstify; - and they provo tliai wliaievcr mny have been our hope or expeetntion frojji cither of those partios that they would stop forword tind di uur work, we can reasonnbly entertnin suelr hope no lóñgcj and it becoincs n matter ofduty to tay broad ond dcop ihe principlcs of tho Liberty Party na ono that vc believe is to bo permanent in its chnracior nnd contrull ing in i le nfluence upon tho futuro destines of our country. Tliis Iapprchepd we can only do eíli ciéntly, nnd in a mannor to tecuie r;ipid acces dioii to our nirnberB, by dcclnring what we bclieve sliould bo its goveming poli'jy upon inany important inicrests of tiie country. But in doiny this.. [ would advise to cautious movements. and in declaring vvhot ive believo elioitlti bo the future policy of thc party upon these qucsiionslo it after mature invosngaiion.conducicd, (s I am happy to sce nll oui discusión thiis fnr has been) with a spirit of mutunl confidencc nnd fraternal feeüng. By thie I doubt not vc sha'l o.rirve at conclusión? perfeetlv hurmoniousünd pntis'actory to thc grent body of Liberty men, and be m1Io to nd vise tbc n loption of sucha lineo!' pub'ic jioÜcy upon otlicr great National qucstions as will tenc: the more speedily to give ua pucccís. In con clusion then, let me eiy, T gr 71 w nnd fortcer. until its peculiar Iletiven bom vrorft a acconipliehed, fot the Liijkhtv Partv. I go for it vaiüi ur w'tthoi I an addition of Princijiles - providiiiy suth addilion, should it be made, involvcs notiiing that 1 regard as m itself morally wrong. J go lor it not oiily as the last hope of the suf ferinj; Slavk, but as thc only door of ddiverance for our puiliy land Ironi that Ilcaven daring oin of oppression, which, if permitted to ré'mnin. will as certainly consign us as a Nation to nn early nnd dishonored grave, nnd cause us tolx numhered with past Empircs which have crumbled under thc accurmtl'ited weight of their opprcssions, as thercisa Jusr God ik IIkavkn ! Trulv yours for the oppressed. '