Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-03-31
MR.. BIRNEY'S LETTER.
Read at the late meeting Of tie Vernon
Anti-SLarery Society,"

ceived a few days since, whilst | was at
New Richmond, the place to which 1t was .
directed. lament, that, the almost con i
slant employment fmy time, in defending
myself, and the cause in which | am en-
gagged, against the attacks OF pro-sIavery
assaiants here, must necessarily make my
answers to your several inquiries shorter
than under other circumstances they
would be. If the PhilanthrOpist is per-
mi,ted to reach you, it will show, what
fierce resistance the aroused spirit slave
rv in this city is already making against
the assaults of its adversary.
Your first interrOgatory would
the immediate emancipation Of the slaves
of the South be attended with danger tothc
safety of the white population either IN
their persons or property 2" AnsWer-
At present, the property of slave holders
is very much deprecated upon by their
savts-and in the planting South the
proprittors now live, and doubt not, (In-
dependcntIy Of the Anti-S!avcry opera
tons, from the rapidly increasing num-
Der and growing intelligence OF the slaves
will continue to live, as Tong as slavery
subsiss. in great apprehension for the
safety of themselves and their 0ac~ taml-
lies. | know of nothing that would so et-
ttctualIv arrest private and nocturnal dep
relations on property By sIaves-or re-
move all apprehensions Of personal Secu-
ritv. as imme4iutc emancipation. Enan-
citation of any kind, however gradual,
would be preferable to continued slavery,
in reference to the two objects embraced
in the inquiry but the nearer it could be
made to approach to lmmeI10tc, the more
fully would they be attained. | would
not be understood, by any means, as saying,
that no Inconvenience would be teIt, II
the slaves should. all, be manumitted to-
morrow But they would not be the le-
climate consequences Of em0nc1pGtton.-
They would arise from the spirit of DOM
ination remaining in the masters. lnron-
venient consequences are now showing
themselves in such Of the British West
India islands as embraced the apprentice
ship-svstem This remark would not ap-
ply, Of cours e, to immediate cmanciratio
brought about from principles Of duty on
the part of -holdcrs--for, then, the
same spirit which led to the act Of justice
would follow the manumitted with acts of
} kindness and auxiliary efforts to improve
their condition in every respect. | feel
we'll assured, that no other mode Of eman-
cipation can ever be effectual, but that
which is immpdidte. None other has
ever been so, in reference to the c0l0red
ELSEWHERE they have constituted the
| great mass of the lQborerS in every coun-
try. The gradual schemes in some Ofthe
middle and eastern States do not affect the
; position,-inasmuch as the SlareS in them
, made but very small part of the laboring
f classes In the south, grn}ual cmancipa-
ton would leave the parties 1nlmical-be-
cause it would have the appearance of be-
ing 1rrong from the slave holder: imme-
s diatr, would leave the parties, friends, be-
t cause it would be roluntarn | should
apprehend no danger to the personal secu-
, rity of the whites from Immediate emanci-
patton, except what might arise from the
: naughty and domineering temper of the
latter after they have parted with the pow
err ofcoeTcion. Nor would suppose that
property would be by any means so inse-
4 cure as it is now.
e g. "Would the blacks, when emancipat-
ed be likely to become an INDECENT, disor-
derly and vagabOnd population z" have
= no idea, that they wouId-provided the
t conduct of the whites should be Just and
Z kind to them aferward If the laws
S should be partial and unjust-made to
e crush them and to keep them crushed,
e your interrogatory might we'll be answer
/ ed in the affirmative. | have no doubt,
e they would in this case become as a body,
e indolent, diSorderly, and vagabond But.
It | hesitate not TO believe, that the stimula-
t ton Of wages honestly paid, and, if not,
r certainly coliectable by law, would quick
S en- the emancipated blacks, as it does eve
e ry other people. There is, i believe, no
t instance of an indo|ent laboring class.
where tn" laws assure to them rewards of
their industry. Some of our most intelli
gent friends suppose peculiar system or
e code of laws would be required for the
e slaves if they should be emancipated. |
must differ with them. ltwould not onlv
a keep alive the pride of the white man but
continue sense of degradation on the part
I: OF the black. Let the laws be made for
the offence whether committed by white or
black, and not for the color. Should lust
e and impartial system of Legislation pre-
vail, vast numbers ofthe blacks and CO or
ed people would start in the race, of i'm
provement. Their success wouldAattach
,, them to the friends Of law and good order
among the whites by a lien much strong
er, than their color would to the idle, the
ignorant and the vicious. Thev would
mus add TO the security of the whites
against the influence of such Of their own
color as could not be stimulated to indus
; try and good conduct. They would, as a
class in the community, be what other
classes are under a ,,;Sn a.. = -