Transcribe Fenn, Robert. Letter to Ward, Henry A. (1855-11)

been dethroned to make way for Mamon who ruleth in our high places and whose gospel is preached unto our people. The text on which we practice if we do not preach is no longer, love thy neighbor as thyself but every one for himself and the devil take the hindmost. Slavery in this country notwithstanding all its friends and advocates may say to the contrary is the prime minister of Mammon. From him it receives its position and power and is in duty bound it ever obeys im- plicitily its bidding no matter how heartless or cruel are his enactments slavery executes them to the last letter. The peculiar institution follows the dictates of interest as the cart the horse . Make the people of the Northern slave states really believe that the existence of slavery is prejudicial to their temporal interest and the days of this institution are numbered. At the bidding of interest the shackles would drop from the galled limbs of every slave as from those of Peter at the word of the angel. Those formidable difficulties which have for so long barricaded every avenue to abolition. The artillery of interest which had before defended being now turned against them they would be forever swept away. The South has so often threatened us with dissolving the Union if we would not comply with their unreasonable demands that it seems to me we have but little reason to regard the present threatening aspect of affairs as any thing more serious than another exhibition of Southern bravado. We have so often been frightened into a disgraceful peace by this terrible bug bear that I think it is about time for us to open our eyes to the fact that after all it is nothing but a painted lantern with which the South Chinese like have endeavored to prevent our attacking the defences of the peculiar institution. Experience, which as a German writer observes keeps an excellent school, but charges an exorbitant tuition, should have taught us by this time that no commission on our part however extensive or dis honorable can for any length of time satisfy the insatiable maw of Slavery gives give to us its everlasting cry and the terrible threat with which it has ever accompanied its demand has been. "If you don't we'll dissolve the Union. There is little danger