Pawtucket, Feb. 8th, ’48.

Mr. F. Douglass:—Sir—I have received your very important and valuable paper, "The North Star," up to this date, with the exception of the No. 1, which would be glad if you could forward, if convenient.

Though I have not as yet interested myself, or but little, against the abominable system of slavery, yet I ever felt a sympathy towards such outraged victims of humanity. I was therefore happy to hear you announce in this town, your intention of letting the world see that talent and good principles are not to be estimated by the color of the skin; that you would "turn Editor," and superintend another powerful battery against the strongholds of the slaveholder, under the shelter of the National Constitution, State Rights, &c., which will contribute, so it cannot fail to do, much towards the emancipation of your race, even as much so as the operation of an Exmouth, and a Decatur, before Algiers, that compelled the piratical despot, the Dey, to deliver up his captive Christian white slaves.

I am much pleased with your various selections for reprint—such as the very interesting speech of the Hon. G. Thompson, upon "Free Trade," and the Rev. Theodore Parker upon Slavery, and the very important articles and speeches in relation to our brigandish outrage upon Mexico; likewise with your exposures of the professors of Christianity, of the various sects of Christians, whose ministers and congregations still hold fellowship with their slaveholding churches and pastors of the South. Thus are they piously carrying the cross with one arm, and linking with the devil, arm in arm, with the other.

In the No. 184 of Littell’s "Living Age," there is an extract from the "Charleston Mercury," which represents the Island of Jamaica as in a ruined condition since its emancipation from slavery. Instead of over 200,000 hogsheads of sugar exported as formerly, it has diminished to 30,000. The negroes are denounced as indolent, because they do not work as when under the lash of the slavedriver; yet it is acknowledged that they are enabled "to maintain themselves with little work, and that sufficient labor cannot be had;" and that "all the white inhabitants able to leave the island, have gone away." The difference of export is proof enough of the means used and inflicted upon the poor slave extort the greatest amount of unjust labor; whilst the abolishment of this, gives the amount of over-taxed labor to the industrious free laborer—transfers it from the tyrannical, avaricious slave-driver, to the free workingman; and if Jamaica, or any other island, or nation, or United States, cannot thrive without slave labor, then they ought not to thrive, and the sooner they go down the better for humanity, morality and justice. If the free laborer is able to maintain himself with little work there, it is what he cannot do here; and if the white laborer there is not satisfied with being able to maintain himself with but little work, then let him leave, to where he will have to do so much more work for his support. Thus we see the very arguments brought forward, which are never founded upon a better basis than interest and extortion,—humanity, truth and justice being of the question; are shown to disprove that which they would endeavor to establish—that slavery would be ruinous to abolish.

Yours, most respectfully,

JOSEPH LAWTON.