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Show FIRST DAY-MORNING SESSION. have a common interest, my unfeigned sympathies; and that God Almighty may be with you and bless you, shall ever be the prayer of Your sincere friend, FJtEDERICK w. GRAVES. Samuel \Vchh, J. M. Trumnn, \Vm. McKee, Fclct• \Vright,-Commiltcc. NF.w YoRK, January 3d, 1838. .Messt·s. S. \Vehb And \Vm. H. Soott: My Dear Friends,-I thank you for your kind letter inviting me, in the name of the Managers of the Pennaylva~ia Hall Associati~n, to .deliver an address at the opening of the Pennsylvania Hall for Free D1scuss10n. . . It is now a year and a half since I have been yr~vented from speakmg 11\ public, by an affection of the throat, and there 1s lutle p~ospe~t tl~at I s~1all be able to do so for months or years, or perhaps ever agatn, wllh 1mpun1ty. Under theee circumstances, it is due to the committee and to the cause, respectfully to decline your appointment. . I exult in the erection of your" Temple of Freedom" and the more, as Jt is the first and only one in a republic of fifteen millions! consecrated to Free Discussion and Equal Rights. For years they have been banished from our halls of legislation and of justice, from our churches, and our pulpits.-lt is befitting, that the city of Benezet and Franklin should be the first to open an asylum, where the hunted exiles may find a home. God grant that your Pennsylvania Hall may be free indeed. The empty name is every where,-f,.ee government, free men, free speech,free people,free schools, and free chur~hcs. Hollow c~unterfeit~, all! FREE! .It is the climax of irony, and its million echoes are lusses and Jeere, even from the earth's ends. FREE ! Blot it out. 'Vords are the signs of things. The substance has gone! Let fools and madmen clutch at shadows. The husk must rustle the more when the kernel and the ear are go)le! Rome's loudest shout for liberty was when she murdered it, and drowned its death-shrieks in her hoarse hussas. She never raised her hands so high to swear allegiance to freedom, as when she gave the death-stab, and madly leaped upon its corpse! and her most delirious dance was among the clod.s her hands had cast upon its coffin ! FREE ! The word and sound are ommpresent Jllasks, and mockers! An impious lie! unless they stand for free Lynch Law, and free murde1·; for they are free. \Vhere are the murderers of Lovejoy? "Free ;"-going at large with law for a volunteer escort, holding up their bloody hands along the streets of Alton, and telling how they killed him-their lives virtually insured by the official endorsement of the highest legal officer in the state. But, I'll hold-the times demand brief speech, but mighty deeds. On, my brethren! uprear your temple! Your brother in the Sacted strife for all, THEODORE D. \VELD. BEDFORD, West Chester County, (N.Y.,) January 3d, 1838. Gentlemen :-Il was not till this evening that I had the pleasure of receivitlg your letter of the 18th ultimo, and the accompanying Enquire.r, containing the speeches that were made at the raising of the "Pennsylvama Hall." Please to present to the Managers my respectful acknowledgments for the compliment they have paid me, in asking me to deliver an addree.s beiore the Association, at the opening of the building next May, a con~phment the more grateful, from the abundant proof afforded by the Enqutrer, l.l.;'l'TEitS Jt,i,;AD. that the Association contains within itself, fearless, eloquent, and true-hearted champions of the rights of man. \Vith such men l would esteem it both a pleasure and an honor to co-operate. 'Vhe ther my engagements in the spring will permit me to comply with the wishes of the Managers, is now too uncertain to justify me in positively accepting their invitation; should I, as is most likely, not be present, I am confident no difficulty will be experienced in filling the place so kindly assigned to me, in the proceedings of the day . VVere any proof wanted of the portentous influence of slavery at the North, it would be furnished by the astounding fact, that in the city of Penn, and in the shadow of the venerable pile, whence our fathers issued their glorious DEcLARATION, it is now found necessary to erect an edifice" in whir.h the rights of man may be discussed, and the freedom of speech and the press advocated." The abolitionists, as a body, have probably never been surpassed, by any extensive association, in rectitude of intention, disinterestedness of motive, and purity of life. Yet, are they hunted as felons at the South, and at the North are abandoned to the mercy of mobs, and, as we are taught by the civil authorities at Alton, may be murdered with impunity. The present warfare against the freedom of speech, and of the press, against the right of petition, and the constitutional powers of our representatives in Congress, is waged by the competitors of Southern trade, and Southern votes. H these men triumph, our country will be converted into one wide field of crut:llty, oppression, and anarchy! The annexation of Texas will subject the whole confederacy to the arrogant dominion of the slaveholders. Lynch clubs will usurp the seat of justice, and the pistol and Bowie knife be substituted for the statute book. \Vhether they will triumph or not, depends, under Providence, on the abolitionists themselves. If they consult expediency instead of duty-if they fear man rather than God-if they permit sectarian jealousies and political preferences to interrupt their harmonious action, their folly and wickedness will probably be punished by the extension of slavery, and the loss of their own freedom. But if they shall continue to be actuated by the spirit manifested at your meeting of the 25th of November-if with unshrinking firmness they shall maintain and exercise their rights, the liberty of the republic will be preserved. The abolitionists are already, in some of the free states, suOiciently numerous to control the elections, and probably in all to influence the selection of candidates. Let it once be understood, that whatever may be their individual political sentiments, they will not vote for any candidate of any party who is ready to ·sell their rights to the slaveholders, and ear.h party will take care to present candidates who are in this respect unexceptionable. The position now occupied by abolitionist8, is one of momentous importance and responsibility. If we succeed, the freedom and happiness of unborn millions will crown our struggle. ]t is true, we have mur.h to endure, and may be called to endure much more. Bu~ we have the sympathy of the whole Christian world, with the exception of a portion of our own countrymen. 'Ve have the sanction of our laws, our constitutions, our bills of rights, and onr Declaration of Independence; we ha\·e the approbation of our consciences, and the favor of our God. Let us, then, be steadfast and unmoveable, and, amid perils and outrages, let us not avenge ourselves, but commit our cause to 1-hM who judgeth righteously. Accept, gentlemen, the respects of Mossrs. \\' ebb and Scott,- Committee. 2 Your obedient servant, WILLIAM JAv. |