For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

AUBURN, Feb 20th, 1855.
FRIEND DOUGLASS;— There were certain principles taught me in early life, not the least important was the one that assumed the position, that truth was truth; that it did not depend upon the circumstance whether you or I believed thus and so. The principles of sound philosophy were based on a foundation that neither time nor sophistry could change. Such was our confidence in this presumption, that we were often led to doubt the facts as stated of miracles having been performed— not having been an eye witness ourselves, and not having to record in our experience any circumstance to which we could apply that cognomen—yet never distrusting the power of Omnipotence, we are willing to accept the record of the past without questioning its authority, as the result would be a belief or disbelief, with no evidence at hand but the record itself, its
weight being in the ratio of the confidence we might have in its truthfulness. Philosophy
teaches us to calculate results from causes. If a theory laid down as such overlooks the operating power, and draws conclusion independent thereof, such a theory, to say the least, has need of being revised. I find in the Daily Standard of Jan. 20th, 1855, printed at Syracuse, a letter on Colonization, signed by Henry Baldwin, in which he seems to feel an assurance that a plan he there suggests would be to "dispose at once and forever of this most troublesome question, (slavery,) wipe away the national stain" etc. It is not necessary to follow him through all his sophistry; we will only quote one paragraph. After devoting the avails of public lands to the purchase of slaves to send to Liberia, (with their consent,) he says, "That three commissioners be appointed in each of the slave-breeding States, whose duty it shall be to appraise the value of such slaves as their owners may wish to manumit." Now, is the motive power that holds these persons in bondage is self-interest, what would be the quality of those they would wish to manumit? Would it be the young, the strong, the healthy, the worthy? You may safely answer, no ! It would be the old and infirm, the worthless— and not even these, if they were to have their choice to stay where they were brought up, or leave for a foreign land. He says these are outlines of his plan, the details will be supplied as the work progresses. I do entreat Mr. Baldwin to examine the motive power more closely, and he will find that through it may serve as a theory to tickle the fancy of the friends of Colonization, its operation would be to rid the South of a burthen, and secure to them unlimited security in the enjoyment of that despotic power that now grinds humanity to the dust. It does seem to me something that I cannot comprehend to be consistent, that the Orthodox world are so solicitous to establish implicit belief in the written word, so severly censorous upon those who occupy a greater liberality in their sentiments; and yet the most strenuous advocates seem to forget or entirely overlook the soundest principle of justice there—in laid down, viz: "Do unto others as thou would they should do unto thee." Acting on this would save much time, much equivocation, and save Mr. Baldwin the labor of extending his works any further.
A FRIEND TO HUMANITY