SUFFOLK COUNTY, L.I.,

Feb 27th, 1854.

BROTHER DOUGLASS:—I am thankful for
your remarks in a recent editorial, caution
ing abolitionists against making any conces
sions to the slave power, by any careless
mode of conducting the argument against
the nefarious Nebraska scheme.

No special issues about slavery extension
should turn our thoughts from the radical
truth, that slavery is every where abomina
ble, outrageous, mean; and that no enact
ments, which men call laws—no "compro
mises"—no human contrivances whatever,
can place one human being under the least
obligation to regard the claims of
slavery.—The Nebraska bill will pass the Senate, this
seems fully conceded; and Miss Griffiths
takes much courage from what Hon. Wm. H.
Seward says, that the other branch of our
national legislature will defeat the bill. But
let us think of this; if all but 14 in the Sen
ate vote for it, the majority of the House
may also be brought to sustain it. Our busi
ness is to do all we can to defeat
the plot—but if it should suceed, as it may, what then?
On this thought, horrible in itself, permit me
to add a few words.

Truth has always been advanced most by
those very events, which, at the time of their
transpiring, seemed most disasterous. In his
despondency good old Jacob said—"And these
are against me"—the very things necessary
to save him and his posterity from perishing
in a famine, and to sustain the tribe of Judah,
through which, according to the flesh, the
Redeemer must come. "I shall one day per
ish by the hand of Saul"—was the inference
of the persecuted David, deduced from those
events which Divine Providence adopted to
secure his ultimate triumph.

After his resurrection, Judas himself draw
near, and walked with the two heart-crushed
disciples who were going to the village of
Emmaus. One of the two, Cleopas, gave an
account "Concerning Jesus of Nazereth, who
was a prophet mighty in deed and word be
fore God, and all the people; and how the
Chief Priests and our rulers delivered him to
be condemed to death, and have crucified
him. But we trusted that it had been HE who
should have redeemed Israel." Redemption
from the Roman yoke was probably their
prominent impression at that moment—and
in that direction all looked dark. How great
the change when they made haste to pro
claim to others the joyful tidings—"The
LORD is risen indeed." And what REDEMP
TION wrought out; Israel and the nations re
deemed in a sense much higher, and far more
extended, that they had conceived. (See St.
Luke, ch 24th.)

Whoever shall be the historian to record
the "abolition of American Slavery"—will
note down the "Fugitive Slave Law" as one
among the mightly influences in accomplish
ing the great work; and in that "tremendous
book" which will be read and studied by the
world—a chapter in the "Nebraska Plot,"
whether it shall be defeated, or shall succeed,
may illustrate how the glorious crisis was
hastened. To exterminate slavery, we are to
teach and apply the old doctrine of the apos
tles—"We ought to obey GOD rather than
man." Apply it, I say; this, by God's bless
ing will do the work.

That "HIGHER LAW," the haughty Human fought,

And all his cruel counsels came to nought;

Fair Freedom's voice obtains its fullest scope,

When tyrants hang with their own chosen rope.

Yours, very truly,

J. R. J.Johnson, 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.