“JOSEPH STURGE.”

To soften the impression which I fear the preceding detail will give, I may remark, that I am convinced, from extensive private communication with Friends in New England, that there is yet among them much genuine anti-slavery feeling, especially where the deadening commercial intercourse with the South does not operate; and though, at present, with some bright individual exceptions, this is a talent for the most part hidden or unemployed, I trust that many faithful laborers in this great cause will yet be found among them.

During our stay in Rhode Island, we twice visited Dr. Channing, at his summer residence, a few miles from Newport.  The delicacy which ought ever to protect unreserved social intercourse, forbids me to enrich my narrative with any detail of his enlightened and comprehensive sentiments; yet I cannot but add, that, widely differing from him as I do, on many important points, I was both deeply interested and instructed by his modest candor and sincerity, and by the spirit of charity with which he appeared habitually to regard those of opposite opinions.  Our conversation embraced various topics.  I may be allowed to mention, that he highly approved of Judge Jay’s suggestion for the promotion of permanent international peace.  He also made a practical suggestion on the anti-slavery movement, which I trust will be acted on—­That petitions should be sent to Congress, praying that the free States should be relieved from all direct or indirect support of slavery.  As the South has loudly complained of Northern interference, this will be taking the planters on their own ground.

Sixth Month, (June) 19th.—­We went on to New Bedford, where, the next day, we called on a number of persons friendly to abolition, and met a large party of them the same evening, at the house of a Friend.  A public meeting for worship was appointed during our stay, at the request of a minister of the Society of Friends from Indiana, which we attended.  I had the pleasure of witnessing the colored part of the audience, placed on a level, and sitting promiscuously with the white, the only opportunity I had of making such an observation in the United States; as, on ordinary occasions, the colored people rarely attend Friends’ meetings.  One of the waiters at our hotel told me he had escaped from slavery some years before.  The idea of running away had been first suggested to his mind, by reflecting on his hard lot, being over-worked, and kept without a sufficiency of food, and cruelly beaten, while his owner was living in luxury and idleness, on the fruits of his labor.  He had been flogged for merely speaking to one of his master’s visitors, in reply to a question, because it was suspected he had divulged matter that his master did not wish the stranger to know.