South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-11-21

morning, by pledge Of 600 from
young man who is employed in {
neighboring county at salary Of $500
a year, and several Others indicating q
similar zeal.
The business of the meeting having
been thus happily completed, with
perfect harmony within, and perfect
tranquility without, the society ad-
journed, and the assembly united in an
appropiats prayer and thanksgiving
offered BY Rev. Beriah Green.
oERR1T SMITHS SPEECH.
In support of the Sd resolution re.
ported by the committee, Gerris Smith
Esq. spoke, 10 substance, as follows
Mr.. President-AIlow me 10 com.
mence few remarks by stating the
history Of this resolution. Ga return
ing homs from Utica last night, my
mind was so much excited with the
horrid scenes Of the day, 81 the fright
full entertainments made on the right
of free discussion, that ! could not
sleep, and at 8 o'clock | left my bed
and drafted the resolution as just read,
and also noted down a few heads Of
thought which may refer to OF NOT as
| proceed.
1t is known TO all here that I am
NOT member Of the Anti.Slavey So
ciety-nor am prepared to become
member. lrise under the courtesy Of
the vote by which | have been kindly
invited to sit with you and take part
in your deliberations. At the same
time, ! am admonished by passing e.
vents, that /, will soon be necessary
for every friend Of human rights or OF
the slave, and every man who is not
himself a slave, or willing to be one, to
act 10 concert with those over whose
heads the war is apparently to be car
ried on against the right OF free discus
sion. And probably the day is moi
distant, when, with all my objections
| shall become amsmber cfyour soci-
ely.
That have had objections TO the
course of.he Anti Slavery Society, ia
we'll known. What those objections
were, | need not state here. They are
spread out before the public, and il
would ha uHaeasonahls TO bring them
forward here.
This much however, I will say now.
Your great principles are my great
principles. | was born with them. l
am not conscious ,ha, | ever ia my
life opposed, for an hour, the gfea. q
glorious doctrine of immediate smanci-
patton. The odious doctrines that
you hold, l hold also. All the sensl-
ments that occasion you to be called
amalgamators ~ insurrectionisls, make
the supporters OF slavery Cali me an
aWalgamator aud an insnrreclionis..
| love to look at the Anti-Slavery So
cisty, and at myself, and to say,
Una spes, unaque salus, ambobus erit.+
When l see your reputation, and
property, and lives in peril, love 10
bring my reputation, and property,
and life into the same peril. Let ms
read the resolution:
Resolued, That the rights of free
discussion given TO US by our God,
and asserted and guarded by the laws
Of our country, is right so vital 10
mans freedom, and dignily, and use
fitness, that we can never be guilty of
lis surrender, without ccnseniiug to
exchange that freedom for slavery, &
that dignity and dssfulness, for debase.
ment and worlhlessness.
! love our free and happy govern-
ment, But not because ii e0RfsrS any
new rights upon US. Our rights spring
from nobler source than human con-
stitulions and governmenls-ffon the
favour OF Almighty God. Constitu-
tons and laws are modes of human
device for asserting and defining and
carrying out The great natural and in
herenl rights Of mao, which belong
to him as rational creature of God.
We do not learn our rights in the Book
of Constitutions. We learn them from
the Book Of Books, which is the great
charter Of human rights. Rights be-
long 10 human nature. Constitutions
al the most, do but recognise and pre-
serve what never was theirs 10 give.
The reason why hove a republican
form OF government, is not that this
form OF government clothes US with
rights withheld by other forms, but
that il makes fewer encroachments on
the rights which God gave us, fewer
restrictions upon the diyinely appoint
ed scope Of mans agency.
We are not indebted to the Consti-
......... ~ tbo III Ctataa - <c ,L.. o,..>