host he may attach himself, ever bear in mind that the cause is
of too tremendous and pressing a nature to admit of his wasting
his time in censuring and impeding the progress of those who may
array themselves under a somewhat different standard from his
own; and that any energies thus wasted, which belong to the one
great object, so far as human instrumentality is concerned, is
not only deferring the day of freedom to two and a half millions
of his countrymen, but inasmuch as the fall of American slavery
must be the death-blow to the horrid system, wherever it exists,
the result of the struggle here involves the slavery or freedom
of millions in other parts of the world, as well as the
continuance or suppression of that slave-trade, to the foreign
branch of which alone more than _one thousand victims are daily
sacrificed_; and in reference to which it has justly been said,
'that all that has been borne to Africa of the boasted
improvements of civilized life, is a masterly skill in the
contrivance, and an unhesitating daring in the commission of
crimes, which the mind of the savage was too simple to devise,
and his heart too gentle to execute.' There are no doubtful
indications that it is the will of Him, who has the hearts of
all at His disposal, that, either in judgment or in mercy, this
dreadful system shall ere long cease. It is not for us to say
why, in His inscrutable wisdom, He has thus far permitted one
portion of His creatures so cruelly to oppress another; or by
what instrumentality He will at length redress the wrongs of the
poor, and the oppression of the needy; but should the worst
fears of one of your most distinguished citizens, who in view of
this subject, acknowledged that he 'trembled for his country,
when he remembered that God was just,' be finally realized, may
each one of you feel that no exertions on his part have been
wanting to avert the Divine displeasure, and preserve your land
from those calamities which, in all ages, have rebuked the
crimes of nations.

"Your sincere friend,

"JOSEPH STURGE.

"Boston, Seventh Month 31st, 1841."

My dear friend John G. Whittier, whose pleasant company and invaluable
aid I had enjoyed, as much as his health would permit, during my stay in
the United States, kindly accompanied me on board. Had he been less
close