Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-01-07
PROSPECTUS
THE LIBERAToR, VOLUME Y,

cause. rive years ago, with but Slncle
ally, 1.-THE Genius of Universal Emancjns.
ton, It commenced the warfare aqainx
American Slavery, and in favor ofthe i'm.
mediate emancipation of more than two
millions of our fellow-countrymen. IN.
justly held IN 1abject -servitude. At tia.
period, the conflict seemed to have refer.
ence exclusively to the freedom of our
cotored population; but it has recently as.
Sumed new and more alarming aspect
affecting the safety, happiness and liber.y
OF the entire white population. The
south demands of the north, the passage
of laws, making it REASONABLE act for
any OF our citizens to speak or print any
sentiments in opposition to her vast system
of oppression, robbery and soul-murder,
and she declares that nothing else will sat.
isty her If the Struggle, therefore, was
ever strictly partial and local one, it has
ceased to be so any longer; it is now :
Struggle between Right and Wrong-IjR
erty and Slavery-Christianity and A.he.
j ism-Northern Freemcn and Souber,
Task-masters. The great question to h.
settled is not whether 100000 slaves in
our land shall be either immediately o.
gradually emanci pated-or whether ihey
shall be colonized abroad or retained in
our midst-for that is now a subordinate
point; but whether freedom is with US
THE PEOPLE OF THE THE
UNITED STATES-a reality or
mockery; whether the liberty of speech
and of the press, purchased with the tolls
and suferings and precious blood Of GU.
/ fathers, is still to be enjoyed, unquestioned
and complete-or whether padlocks are
TO be put upon our lips, ga gs into our
mouths and shackles upon that great pal
ladium ofhuman rights, the press; wheth.
er the descendants Of the pilgrim fathers,
the sons Of those who fell upon Bunker
Hill and upon the plains of Lexington and
| Concord, are to fashion their thoughts and
opinions, and to speak or be dumb, and 70
walk freel " or with a chain upon their
spirit, and to stand upright or to crock
the knee, and to obey Jehovah or worship
Mammon, at the bidding of southern slave.
drivers and opprcssors whether the Co...
stltUtlon is to hold the broad banner Of j.
protection over the head of the humbleS,
citizen, or whether it is piece ofvortb.
less parchment, mere counterfeit note q
the Bank Of Liberty; whether the truths
ofthe declaration OF Independence are still
to be acknowledged as 'selfevident,' and
valuable beyond all price, or whether thcv
are to be regarded as ingenious fctior>
and mere rhetorical fourishes; > vht,h.
er Equity, and Law, and Public Order az
! va pntOr1pH s
rehglous oplnlons-or whether Jacob;n.
ism, anarchy and confusion are to reign in
our midst, to the prostration of all the.
makes life blessing and society deSira-
bic; whether citizens, guiltless Of crime
are to walk without molestation, and to r.
pose without danger, and 10 assemble to.
gethcr without hindrance-or whether
they are to be seized with impunitv b.
lawless ruffians, dragged ignominious'y
through the streets, thrust into prison, AMI
forced to fly from the endearments Il
home, for self preservation; whether, in
short, we have country--a free country
in deed and in truth-or whether We
are living under despotism more into!!-
cradle than Greece or Poland ever fyN.
and as blood y and atheistical as was that
OF Robesplerre. Il is a question Of lie
and death to this natior-of christian fee.
dom and AFFECT bondage-that we have
now to decide, We rejoice and thank
God that it assumes such shape, and is
presented at such crisis. The pcop.t-
blinded and mislead for a t;mc-wilI in
the end see and decide Alright Wo, ,hcr.
to their deCeivers A tide Of indigna>:cn
shall sweep them from the high pieces Of
power, and sink them into the l,wc>:
depths of infamy, with Pharaoh au1 h>
hosts
| 1t is Conceded poin', on the In;
the southern shareholders, that slarerr
and the freedom Of the press cannot I rs;
together. One or the other must be Civ.
en- upland that, too, speedily! tn
TRUTH that we utter is impaIpabIe, v:
| real; it cannot be thrust down by hru:r
force, nor pierced with dagger, nor trij
ed with gold nor overcome BY the app...
cation Of a coat oftar and feathers. The
CAUSE that we espouse is the cause Of hui
man liberty, formidable to tvran:s, ard
dear to the oppressed, throughout Il"
world-containing the elements of immor-
! tally sublime as heaven, and tar-rcachinc
as eternity-embracing every interest tina.
appertains to the welfare Of bodies and
souls ofmen, and sustained BY the omnip-
otence of the Lord Almighty. The rRIN-
| cIPLEs that we inculcate are those OF cQI!
ty, mercy and love, as Set forth in the so
rious gospel of the blessed God-vjthou'
partially and without hypocrisy, and fp1
Of good fruits. We can neither suff,
ourselves to be enslayed, nor can we see
millions of our own .ceuntrymen pining IN
r1rnrSo Ii az, Z