often throw it reproachfully in our teeth—­would forever prevent concert in any scheme that looked to instigating servile revolt.  If there be, in all our ranks, one, who—­personal danger out of the question—­would excite the slaves to insurrection and massacre, or who would not be swift to repeat the earliest attempt to concoct such an iniquity—­I say, on my obligations as a man, he is unknown to me.

Yet it ought not to be matter of surprise to abolitionists, that the South should consider them “fanatics,” “incendiaries,” “cut-throats,” and call them so too.  The South has had their character reported to them by the North, by those who are their neighbors, who, it was supposed, knew, and would speak the truth, and the truth only, concerning them.  It would, I apprehend, be unavailing for abolitionists now to enter on any formal vindication of their character from charges that can be so easily repeated after every refutation.  False and fraudulent as they knew them to be, they must be content to live under them till the consummation of the work of Freedom shall prove to the master that they have been his friends, as well as the friends of the slave.  The mischief of these charges has fallen on the South—­the malice is to be placed to the credit of the North.

“12. Do you propagate your doctrines by any other means than oral and written discussions—­for instance, by prints and pictures in manufactures—­say of pocket-handkerchiefs, calicoes, &c?  Pray, state the various modes?”

ANSWER.—­Two or three years ago, an abolitionist of this city procured to be manufactured, at his own charge, a small lot of children’s pocket-handkerchiefs, impressed with anti-slavery pictures and mottoes.  I have no recollection of having seen any of them but once.  None such, I believe, are now to be found, or I would send you a sample.  If any manufactures of the kinds mentioned, or others similar to theta, are in existence, they have been produced independently of the agency of this society.  It is thought that none such exist, unless the following should be supposed to fall within the terms of the inquiry.  Female abolitionists often unite in sewing societies.  They meet together, usually once a week or fortnight, and labor through the afternoon, with their own hands, to furnish means for advancing the cause of the slave.  One of the company reads passages from the Bible, or some religious book, whilst the others are engaged at their work.  The articles they prepare, especially if they be of the “fancy” kind, are often ornamented with handsomely executed emblems, underwritten with appropriate mottoes.  The picture of a slave kneeling (such as you will see impressed on one of the sheets of this letter) and supplicating in the words, “AM I NOT A MAN AND A BROTHER,” is an example.  The mottoes or sentences are, however, most generally selected from the Scriptures; either appealing to human sympathy in behalf of human suffering, or breathing forth God’s tender compassion for the oppressed, or proclaiming, in thunder tones, his avenging justice on the oppressor.  A few quotations will show their general character:—­