J. to Frederick Douglass, October 21, 1856

FOR FREDERICK DOUGLASS' PAPER.

HARRISBURG, Penn, Oct. 21, 1856.

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, ESQ.: DEAR SIR:—

In the 34th chapter of Jeremiah we read of the terrible woes denounced against the Jews for having bought in Slavery amongst them again, after that the slaves were released by the command of God. How much more guilty, then, is Christian America in holding 3 1/2 millions of their fellow creatures in cruel slavery. Those who argue from the Bible, that Slavery is right, and agreeable to the word of God, forget that this argument proves too much.

The Jewish slaves were white!—consequently to be consistent they must defend white as well as black slavery, and this they are beginning to do in the Slave States. But their false and abominable doctrines cannot for one moment stand the light of God's holy word: a day is coming when it will be seen that they have wrested the scriptures to their own destruction.

It is easy to see why the laws in the slave States forbid the teaching of slaves to read or write. They cannot afford it. Educate a slave and he will be a slave no longer. He will scatter his chains and oppressors to the winds. There is much sympathy here for the oppressed of other nations, Irish, Hungarians, Italians, &c., &c. Public meetings are called and tyrants denounced. But what is the worst, European tyranny compared to American Slavery? It is a light and easy yoke scarcely worth the name. There is not a spot on the whole earth at this present moment which presents such a glaring inconsistency of principles with practice, and such revolting contrasts of vaunted liberty and basest servitude, as this Christian republic, which proclaims to all the world that all men are born free and equal with inalienable rights to the pursuit of life, liberty, happiness,—holding at the same moment 3 1/2 millions of innocent men, women, and children, in worse than Egyptian bondage. Shall not the Lord be avenged on such a nation as this?

J.