results from this humble effort, it will
administer to my happiness, which will be augmented by the
reflection, that it owes its origin to thy own emphatic summons
for aid, in a cause which demands the exercise of every generous
and patriotic feeling.

That indulgent Heaven may crown thy labors with success, is the
sincere desire of thy friend.

With great truth and respect,
ROBERTS VAUX.

To EDWARD COLES, ESQUIRE,
Governor of Illinois,
Edwardsville, Illinois.

P. S.--On my next visit to the city, I intend to communicate thy
message to our friend Nicholas Biddle.

R. V.

GOVERNOR COLES TO MR. BIDDLE

EDWARDSVILLE, Sept. 18, 1823.

_Dear Sir_:--I have been long anxious to return you my thanks for
your kind letter of May 20th and 26th, and also for the
acceptable service you rendered me in making me known to Mr.
Vaux, from whom I have had the pleasure of receiving two letters,
and a promise of his assistance in preventing our soil from being
polluted with the foul and disgraceful stain of slavery. The
disinterested and praiseworthy zeal he evinces is as honorable to
him, as it is gratifying to me, and is well calculated not only
to give me an exalted opinion of his character, but to awaken the
most lively feelings of regard and friendship for him. I wish,
when you see him, you would tender him my kind regards and thanks
for his letter of July 24, and say to him, I hope soon to receive
the packages promised. The propriety of calling a convention, or
more properly speaking, of making this a slave-holding State, is
still discussed with considerable warmth, and continues to engage
the undivided attention of the people, being the constant theme
of conversation in every circle, and every newspaper teems with
no other subject. Unfortunately for the friends of freedom, four
out of five of the newspapers printed in this State are opposed
to them; and the only press whose editor is in favor of freedom,
although a pretty smart editor, has rendered himself unpopular
with many by his foolish and passionate attacks upon many of the
prominent men on his side of the question. If, however, the
a