Letter to the Commonwealth (1854)

by Lysander Spooner (1808-1887)

BOSTON, Feb. 13, 1854.

To the Editor of the Commonwealth:

As your paper of this morning publishes my name among the ‘Free Democratic’ [Online editor’s note: In 1852 the anti-slavery Free Soil Party had changed its name to the Free Democratic Party. – RTL] delegates to the Convention to be held for the purpose of remonstrating against the passage of the Nebraska Bill, I trust you will allow me space to say, that I decline the appointment; that I have never been a member of the ‘Free Soil Party’; that I have never adopted its absurd and contradictory motto, ‘Freedom National, Slavery Sectional’; that I have no sympathy with the pusillanimous and criminal sentiment, ‘If Slavery will let us alone, we will let it alone’; that I am in favor of neither making nor keeping any compacts with slavery, in regard to boundaries; that I am glad to see that slavery intends neither to make not keep any such compacts with freedom; that I do not believe the Constitution authorises any such compromises; that I am glad that all excuses for the discussion of such compacts are likely soon to be swept away; that I hope the Nebraska bill will pass; and that I hope then to see freedom and slavery meet face to face, with no question between them, except which shall conquer, and which shall die.

Yours respectfully,

LYSANDER SPOONER.

The Liberator, February 24, 1854, p. 3

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