"Miss Mary E. King,--
"Dear Friend:--
"You will not be offended that I should address you by this title,
though I never saw you, to my recollection, until last July at Mc.
Grawville; I then felt an interest in your welfare--an interest which
has been deepened by your recent insults and trials. I am not one of
those who can censure you for your attachment and engagement to
Professor Allen. He is a man--a noble man--a whole man; a man, in fine,
of whom no woman need be ashamed. I am aware, you are aware, that the
world will severely condemn you; so it did Luther, when he married a
nun; it was then thought to be as great an outrage on decency, for a
minister to marry a nun, as it now is for a white young lady to marry a
colored gentleman. You have this consolation, that God does not look
upon the countenance--the color of men; that in his eye, black and white
are the same; and consequently, to marry a colored person of
intelligence and worth is no immorality, and in his eye, no impropriety.
It is probably the design of Providence in this case, to call the
attention of the public to the fresh consideration of what is implied in
the great doctrine of human brotherhood. Is it true or not, that a
colored man has all the rights of a white man? Is this a question still
mooted among Abolitionists? If so, then we may as well settle it now as
at any other time, and though the controversy may be, and must be a very
painful one to your feelings, yet, the result will be a better
understanding of the great principles of our common nature and
brotherhood.
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