The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-09-05

y
dress deIiycre. a, Mlddletown on the 4lh
ofJuly by President Fisk, before the
CoIonizatioa Society has recently been
published. The opinions Of such man
: as President Fisk must have great weigh,
with the community, particularly with
that denomination OF CHRISTIANS Of which
he holds SO conspicuous station. We
give below two extracts from the Address.
TIE following is'ihe language used in
relation TO George Thempssn's mis
10 this country. e
A foreign interference, on this ques-
ton, will CRATE sery ha'shIy on American
feeling. The "reminiscences Of this aunt
versary teach as, that, however much we
love and hvnor England iu her place, We
should be extremely jealous of any inter
ference from that quarter, in matters af-
Sectiag our constitution and laws. Nor
de believe that high minded English
nan oi intclligeacs aud moral principle,
having an h.serable staRciag and an
honorable can.ag in his owu country,
would voIslNeer tv come to America on
such an crrand. What then are we to
think, If such a feneign agent should nt
4lnly como but should also prosecute his
mission, IN tho most offensive Jaanuer,
arraigning our institutions, denoancing
our greatest and best men as connisine az
"lraud" and "oatrage," supporting una
urging forward measures, calculated 10
divide our churches, produced insubmNi-
nation In our rtheol,gical and literary IN
.stitutons, and prostrate our political
unicn.? Why, sir, we must suspect the
souudness either Of his head or his heart.
And what il such foreign agent
should either procure Or suffer himself to
DE announced, as reverend clergyman !;
and under such character, should ac-
-cept Of invitations to otIiciate in the sa-
cred desk as a minister OF the gospel, al
f'ahough he never had The hand Of bishop
sor Presby,er on his head, nor heI.! a
ministerial license in bis hand 10 such
a case, sir, we must lose all confidence
IN his sense OF propriety and integrity
AndH 10 this we're added communica-
sions from his own country, and | speak
tlbt uuduNteCdlJ, Atdt odCu dECut as
bankrupt en- purse and an character at
home, this would be only confrmary OF
suspicious naturally excited by his con-
duct here. Desperate fortunes aad rcpu-
cations require desperate means TO repair
chem. If / were II foreigner and had no
honorable calling, or safe public standing
at home, and wished to 60 abroad, undcr
a competent SALARY, 10 get a morseI Of
bread, and gain q transient reputation,
especially IL had some power at decia-
nation, 10 attract the attenfiou and excite
ihe wonder Of the multitude, know Of
no place more tempting than this country,
and no theme more promising for this
purpose. than that Of slavery"
In criiicising and exposing ihe sophis-
try Of the anti-s!avery forum and press,
DR.. Fisk introduces the following very
apt comment and illustration -
"Many have been caught, by the spe-
cious 4boYgh sophistical manner Of rea-
saaing, on this subject. That the sys-
tern of s|GKery is morally wrong, almost
all are ready 10 acknowledge. Aaving
gained assent to ibis proposition, then the
sophistical lecturer immediately gives the
proposition distribmye and an indi-
.idual application, and says "since you
acknowledge that slavery is sio, and must
also acknowledge that cvery sinner should
stop SHINING Immediately, irrespective of
coaseq equences, therefore it is the duty OF
every slave holder Immediately, aud lrre-
spective OF circumstances and consequen-
ces, to emancipate his slaves" 1his is
crooked logic The best cay perhaps to
straighten it is to give an Illustration.
The eccentric Lorenzo Dow, lately
decease, had, by building mildam across
a stream flooded his neighbors' grounds
above the dara. They commenced a suit
against him, and obtained verdict, in
tneir favor on the principle that he was
invading their rights. This verdict con
vinced Lorenzo, that every moment he
kept the water in its present position, he
was guilty Of a legal siu and on the
srouad that every Inaa should quit siani,.g
mediatety, he at once bccaa,e converl
to immediate aboi,tion. He accordingly
went To work and forthwith abolished or
domolished) his mill dam. The immedi-.
ate consequence of lettiog out SO large a.
quantity Of water at once, was the delu-
Eing OF the country below aud great
destruction u property. And Lorenzo
~as taught, bya second prosecution and
assessment OF damages, that his immediate |
r5oiiiion had led him Into greater sin,
than he was guilty Of before. lmmcd,-