Communications: Hon. Wm. R. Shafter

The following letter from Mr. Shaftcr will be pertised with interest by our readers.- He is a refident or Townshend, Vermont, and s in oiir State on business, and to visit his riends. He has filled responsible stations of rust and favor in Vermont. He is a persono] nd intímate ffiend of ours. We have Leen a resident in his fumily for or.e year while n tiie east, and are inuch rejoiced that he lias 'cut loosc" from party and given himself o llie advocacy of the principies of liberfy. jong may he live t.o blcss the world and plead or down trodden humanily.Comstock, Mich. Dec. 12, 1342. Dear Brother Beckley - You will doubtlessly be somcwhat surprised to Iicar from your old friend, in these (apparpnlly) "ends of the carth," but so it is. I om hcrc for the present, honestly endeavoring to establish in the minds of thu doubting, a belief that the Dcclaration, "all men are created free and equal," embodics witiiin itself a soul - a meaning, further ihan is indicated by a mere "Rhetorical ílourish," and to some limited extent, I have rcason to hope my feeble endeavors have not been wholly in vain. I have just returned from a business excursión to Climax, where I was hospitably entertüined by thosc who do not fully "approve of onr measures,' nnd yet in a frce and full intcrchange of sentiments upon the general subject of eluvery, propose the substilution of no other- naturolly lenving us to nfer that they know of no bettcr ones to efloct our object than tbose used by abolitionbts, and whilst discussing the 6ulject wül lay down premisos as correct, from which the only legitímate conclusions that can he drawn, wonld inevitably lead them to the adoption of precisely the same mesures relied upon by us. The only instrument, or mensuro, I ask, as I onderstand the term s, Moral Ii.fluence, orif the expresssion be more ngreeuble, "Moral Suasion.'' - With this as a means propcrly used, 1 hope yet to sec men repossessed of tnose inalienable rights of which the slave has been divesled. by force or fraud - but in the appl. catión of this influenqe, I would no sooner neglect its use at the polls than in the closet, or in our social inlercourse. Indeed, I believe the elave holder, or hU northern apologiát, whether habiíed ín robes or jags, cares littie for urguments or prayers, if the subject be not permitted to mterfere with the sacredness of our politica! organizations .And wby should they tronbie thcmselves nbout our argumcirs or mcasures, or even our "ultraism,'1 all the weck duys in the yoar save one, and on thal will vote wiUi our scveral parties - and on Sabbaths bow witli submissive reverencc to the culd proslavcry prayers offered too frequently on such occasions. I have been inadvertcntly tiirown into the preceding train of reflections by ihe perusa] of the copious extracts laken from your Journal, ns published n thcSignal of the Oth, lenrning thercfrom tbathe good work is onward even in Michigan. I rtjoice also that our mutual friend, the Rev. Mr. Hal! seems to stand fast in the liberly wherewith lie has been made free, and thousands likc him and you, are now rcjoicing n their emancipation from tliat vvorst of all slavery- the elavery of party, which exercises over the whole man, a tyranny wiiich few liave yet found moral courage effectually to resist- and leaving thousandd of others, like the Icelund Bear, to hvg the Iiunt ers ppear still closer to its breasf, tlronjh such embrace pierce still deeppr its very vitáis. Knowinnr me as you do, I expect credit, when I say to you, I love my country - I love my kindred - t is the place of my birth- the lome of my fathers - ihe grave of my kinIred, and munt sojn be the cold resting place of this earthly tabnerucle. I rpjoice in its rosperity - I mourn for its ni'sfortuncs - T )ity its weakness, and abjure its crimes; and I can only expect, or even wish its prospcrity, as it is wise and virtuous. Is thero retribu ivo justice in lieavená' vast storehouse, what a fearful looking for of "wrath and fiery in lignation'' have we, Repubücan Ameiicans, to expecr, in view of our trearraent of the Aboigines - cf theoppressed African- of kidnapd citizens of the free States, and few or none vho do moro than to "pass by on the other ide" It is of sma!l consequence whicli poitical party is in the ascendant, so long as both equally repudíate the immutable principies of juslice, trutli and mercy - embracing also the love of ratiunal libnrty. Retam these and we may yet be prosperous and happy - thougb Tariff, and Anti-Tariff- thongh Fiscal AgentP, and Excculive Vet oes annihilate evcry dollar of our currency, whether simple or mixed.There has been some good goed sown. on and in the vicinity of Tolland Prairie, which is springing Up, and I tliink will bear good fruit. The attenlion of many is directed inquiringly to the great subject of humun rights and dutie?, wliich, as good leaven, will yet, I doubt not, infuse itself throughout the the whole mas?, and I beliove that no nne will deny the correctness of the assumplion, that so far as the freemen becorr.e imbued with a just abhorrenceof ihe humunclnttelizing principie, in jast the same proporlion is the defeat of Mr. Clay rendered certain. Ilia claim to the Presulency, growing out of lus duelings and gambling propensitie?, I for the present leave to be settled by thoso clergymen who pray for and odvocate lita election. The same miy also be said of Mr. Van Buren, of Calhoun, and a host of others. And now, in sober earncst, J ask you - I ask any I man, what we as estern or Nortlicrn men i can rationa lly expect from the ele vat ion of a i man to the Presidency - who in argument saysj (bat "the natural relation of the employed toj the employer, is that of Slavery, and that the j capitalist onght to own the laborer as a part of that capital,'1 bat that he would use the influence his elevation gave him, to perpetúate the inlerests of such a systcm, and to annihiate every obstacle which should impcde its rosperity. I ani well aware -that there is n. ïost of office seekers in every section of the country, whoso interests may bo somewhat diverse from the peop'e - wbicb fact renders ihcm unsafe advisers, ondstill moredangerous eaders.llow much Ionger the frocmen of the Uni ted States wl consent to be gulíed and fooled by them I know not. Of one I ani certain, Ilenry Clny caimot be cmr next Presdent. And were I;e my confidential öfènd, I would adviee him to withdmv f rom the .canvass and spend tlie remnunt of hiá days nrnitigating llie miseries of li ia hnmai) mttle. - First make them Tree. Next provide ihcm comforlable homes wltere lliey can enjoy tliat freedom. (It wil! not wrong him - he owcs it nll to them - they have enrned it.) Tlien relire to some vast desert - there fast, pray, and lie upon the cold groond - ycars and yearc; epent in supplicntion, uilj scarce obtiiin tliai pardon bc so. muel need?. FarewellP. S. Teil all nbolitioiiists to go aluad! It took me a great while lo get off llie shackles, but thank tljc Lost1, I am a f ree man.