Excerpt from Two Letters to the Reverend Moses Stuart: On the Subject of Religious Liberty

In the Recorder of the next week, the Editor assumes a. Very different tone. He cools down most wonderfully. He pub lishes a clear, definite, deliberate statement, which I wish the public to notice and remember. These are the words: Sup pose it can be satisfactorily proved that Mr. Whitman's Letters are made up of misstatements, misrepresentations, and distortions of the truth, will our unitarian friends then say that we have spoken of the Letters or their Author with too much severity or contempt? If this cannot be proved, we engage to plead guilty, and relinquish the orthodox men and measures assailed by Mr. Whitman. Here then I take my stand. I wish the Christian public to act the part of an impartial jury. They will remember the proposition to be proved. It is not, whether there may be some inaccuracies and mistakes in my multitude of statements, for I have always allowed this to be possible and even probable, and expressed much anxiety to have such imperfections mentioned. The plain unvarnished truth is enough in all conscience. No the orthodox are to prove, that my letters are made or of misstatements, misrepresentations, and distortions of the truth.' I wish to assure this Editor, that I shall engage in no Indian war fare. I have given my name to the public, and am ready to give the names and certificates of my witnesses, when necessary for my defence. I shall expect the author of the thorough review to do the same for anonymous declarations will not satisfy our jury.

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