Normal to Frederick Douglass, April 27, 1857

FROM OUR PHILADELPHIA CORRESPONDENT

PHILADELPHIA, Penn.,

April 27th., 1857.

We think you must have been misinformed concerning the labors here of Remond, Purvis, & Co., or in one word McKim. So far from their making anything of a stir amongst us, we regard their strained efforts as an entire failure, at least in regard to effects. Defeated in their attempt to palm off upon us doctrines which we long ago dismissed as worthless, it quite natural that they should put on some of a front. All the rough handling publicly before the colored citizens of Philadelphia of yourself and your party, was had at the meeting in Israel Church, of which we gave you an account including as much of the innocent billingsgate and epithets of Purvis as was fit for publication. Remond's next step was to challenge Isaiah Wear to discuss the question, Is the United States Constitution pro-slavery? This was just the move we should have had set down on the programme could we have our choice. As we understood the matter, each party chose a judge, and the two so chosen were to select a third; accordingly Remond selected J. C. White, Sen., Wear D. B. Bowser,—and Robert Campbell was the choice of these two. You will see that this was as fair as fair could be.

The discussion was continued at the new Masonic Hall, thro' three evening, each disputant speaking twice—a half hour at a time—each evening. Of the arguments adduced we cannot speak having been present but one evening. What time we were there, Remond was chiefly occupied in reading the opinions of statesmen and politicians sustaining his view of the pro-slavery character of the Constitution, and in declaiming most splendidly and as only Charles Lenox Remond can declaim, against the action of the government, which he claimed was sanctioned by the Constitution. Wear replied that what Mr., so and so thought, was not relevant—authorities might be multiplied adinfinitum; but if they were to be allowed, he put in the Preamble as embodying the united opinions of the distinguished men North and South, who formed it. Women's tears and orphan's sorrows he did not conceive to have any special bearing upon the points at issue. He understood the question to be concerning the pro-slavery or anti-slavery character of the Constitution itself, and proceeded to show that there was nothing in that instrument that could by any tortu[r]e of words be made to sanction the wicked

and oppressive acts of the government. We thought things were moving on about right, and so did not care to attend further. The decision was given to Wear, and in favor of the true doctrine, that the Constitution is an Anti-slavery instrument, the judge chosen by Remond dissenting. We understand that Isaiah bore his honors meekly; but Charles and other disciples of Mr. Garrison, tho' affecting great unconcern and indifference, appear to have been taken aback. Isaiah's having proved himself a little more than a match for the ablest colored man in the Garrisonian Party, silenced their guns for quite a long time.—Indeed, we had well-nigh forgotten that they were about here at all, until last evening when we dropped into Seventh St. Church, (Rev. Wm. S. Catto, pastor,) and found Remond speaking to about 50 good, staunch Douglass men and women. (Rather a slim audience for a Sunday evening in Phila.) Charles declaimed most beautifully for over an hour to justify the loose and absurd doctrine set forth in The Liberator by Wm. Lloyd Garrison himself that the colored people cannot comprehend the Anti-Slavery movement!!

We protest against this miserable nonsense, and can only wonder at the presumption of the Garrisonians in their attempting to arrogate to themselves the sole proprietorship of a movement which is co-eval with truth itself. Their Anti-Slavery movement we understand but too well.—They seem to consider that they have a sort of ownership over every black man's opinions and a reserved right to denounce all persons of color who shall presume even respectfully to differ with them. But for Remond and Purvis, whom we never supposed to be much troubled with philosophy of any kind, to set themselves up over men of their own color, as our dictators, and tell us that we cannot comprehend some deep philosophy which they have reached concerning the Anti-Slavery movement, savors quite strongly of the ridiculous, and serves to show the true position of these pretended friends and lords of our colored citizens.

The suit for damages for false imprisonment bro't by Passamore Williamson against the Hon. Judge Kane, recently came up before Judge Haines, of Delaware county. Judge Haines has not yet given his full opinion, but has simply notified the parties that he will order all the special pleas put in by the defendant to be stricken off, leaving the entry of the order and the delivery of his full opinion until the ensuing May term.—This will strip the case of legal mystifications, and technicalities, and place it in a position in which the defendant will have every advantage, so far as questions of law are concerned, that he could have had by special pleading while it will enable the plaintiff to have all facts in the case brought before a jury.

NORMAL.