than union and slavery with his
frown. Let justice be done, and the heavens will not fall.

Whatever purposes God may conceal in the cloudy future, present duties
are ours. He seals them in his word. Notwithstanding all the heats and
perversions of parties and interests, we trust there will yet be a
single voice of our nation's good men. Citizens will speak the truth,
legislators will enact the truth, churches will hallow the truth, vital
to civilization and Christianity, that, by Jehovah's will, man is not
the property of man. Then, under the benediction of our Father in
heaven, all his children in mutual protection and benevolence will enjoy
their property, their homes, and their Sabbath; and he will more richly
bless the land of the free and the just.

FRIENDLY LETTERS

TO

A CHRISTIAN SLAVEHOLDER.

BY

REV. A. C. BALDWIN.

LETTER I.

INTRODUCTION.--SOUTHERN COURTESY AND HOSPITALITY.--CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE SOUTH AND NORTH.--NO ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE AT HEART.--THEY
SHOULD UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BETTER.--A FREE INTERCHANGE OF
SENTIMENT DESIRABLE.--SINCERE PATRIOTISM AND PIETY COMMON TO
BOTH.--THESE AN EFFECTUAL SAFEGUARD TO OUR UNION AND
GOOD-FELLOWSHIP.

MY DEAR CHRISTIAN BROTHER,--I embrace the first moment at my command
since leaving your pleasant home, to express the gratification afforded
me by my recent visit to the "Sunny South." The kind hospitality and
polite attentions shown me by yourself and other Christian friends,
during my recent interesting sojourn with you, will ever be gratefully
remembered. I had previously heard "by the hearing of the ear" of the
open, frank warm-heartedness and generous impulses of southern people,
but now I can fully appreciate them. The lessons taught us by
experience, whether they be pleasant or painful, are the most
profitable, and are most deeply engraven upon the memory. If there are
any persons who think or speak lightly of the reputed complaisance and
Christian courtesy of those who live south of "Mason and Dixon's line,"
I have only to say to them,--go and make the acquaintance of those
families which give the tone and character to society there, and enjoy
the hospitalities which they almost force upon you with so much
politeness and delicacy as to make you feel that by sharing them you are
conferring rather than receiving a favor, and your skepticism on this
point will be happily and effectually removed.

You will not understand me, my dear sir