h slavery beyond the
boundaries of our own State, in States where it now exists by the laws
of the land. I might go on indefinitely, and specify what we should not
do; but this does not meet the case;--what shall we do? It would be
arrogance in me to attempt a full answer to a question that has engaged
the attention of many abler heads and better hearts than mine, but there
are some things which have already been said by others, that cannot be
too frequently repeated.

In the first place, we can commit this whole matter to God in humble,
earnest prayer. Here is something which we can all do, North and South,
and in which we shall all be agreed. However much we may differ in
regard to the safety and expediency of other measures to moderate the
condition of the slave and bring about his ultimate emancipation, we are
of one mind in regard to the safety and efficacy of prayer. One effect
of this will be to unite our own hearts more closely in sympathy and
love. There will be no danger of calling each other hard names, bandying
unchristian epithets, and biting and devouring one another, if we are in
the habit of meeting daily at the throne of grace to pray for a cause in
which we take a mutual interest.

By prayer we may hope to be enlightened more fully in regard to our
duty. "If any man lack wisdom," and surely we all do on this subject,
"let him ask of God."

In answer to prayer, we have reason to hope that God will open the eyes
to teach the hearts of all slaveholders, and lead them to "do justly and
love mercy," and also that he will, in his holy and wise Providence,
redress the wrongs of his oppressed children, and prepare the way for
their ultimate emancipation.

Prayer is the Christian's first and last resort. Let us, then, my dear
brother, pray over this subject continuously, and with an earnestness
commensurate with its importance, and then, I doubt not, we shall
ourselves be more enlightened than we now are as to our future course.

A second duty, hardly less obvious than prayer, is to use all the
influence we possess to prevent the extension of the domain of slavery.
To this end, we should utter our voices long and loud in remonstrance
against any such measure. If we and our legislators may not politically
interfere with slavery in States where it now exists, we may interfere
to prevent it from exerting its baleful influence over territory now
free. We should do many things for the sake of peace and concilia