For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

ANOTHER SHAM FIGHT.
—
FRIEND DOUGLASS:—A printed Circular was sent to me by the "Republican Meeting" in Hartford, held Feb. 11th; they ask for a great rally at the same city, on March 12th.

We love to see flags of Liberty waving; we wish to judge as favorably as possible of them all; but it is sad to see what concessions to slavery this circular makes.

It says:—"That the States respectively have the inherent and reserved right which pertains to all sovereignties, of establishing and regulating, within their respective limits, their own social and domestic institutions; but that they have no authority to extend their local and peculiar laws beyond their respective limits," &c.

Here is a clear intimation that slavery is one of those "social and domestic institutions," whose "local and peculiar laws" some wish to extend. Does the inherent right pertain to all sovereignties to hold man for sale? Astonishing, that a band of Republicans organized in the city of Hartford, in 1856, for the express purpose of opposing slavery extension, should make such concession to the most radical demands of slavery!

That they mean all this, is made fully evident by what they place in the deliberate expression of a resolution:

"Resolved, That slavery is a local and State institution, and we deprecate all shall oppose every attempt on the part of the federal government to disturb or molest it within any State jurisdiction where it is authorized and established. on other hands," &c. Here they oppose the extension of slavery.

Our esteemed and talented friend, JOSEPH R. HAWLEY, Esq., of Hartford, Ct., (formerly of Cazenovia N.Y.,) is caught in this trap. His name appears on the circular as a member of the committee. This appears as surprising to
me, as it did to others, but the writer, by injudicious voting on a certain occasion, was so ensnared as to occupy a similar position.

He now wishes to obey the instruction of
Christ to impulsive and erring Peter—
"When thou art converted, strengthen thy
brethren." Yours truly,

J. R. JOHNSONJohnson, James Rawson

Probably the frequent correspondent of Frederick Douglass’ Paper, James Rawson Johnson, an African American abolitionist from Syracuse, New York. Johnson was a supporter of the Liberty party and the religious abolitionist cause, as well as hydropathy. FDP, 26 June, 11 September, 9 October 1851, 1 January, 12, 26 February, 25 March, 8 April, 20 May, 9 July, 15 October 1852; DouglassPapers, ser. 3, 1:582-84, 587-88, 590-92, 596, 599. .

PUTNAM, Conn., Feb. 20th, 1856.