Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-11-23
DEFERRED ARTICLES.


We are permitted to copy the following
sentences from letter recently addressed
by James G. Birney, to Gerrit Smith
Ii arm not mistaken, the next wear
will witness the most rapid movements Of
anti-slavery principles. The crisis will
come when the South become convinced
we can not be put down; that discussion
will go on. Our success will be sure,
when the slave holders become convinced
that their system is on the wane, that
1t is not to be perpetual"
Mr.. Birney is an accurate observer of
the signs Of the times, and his long and
intimate acquaintance with the South, to-
gether with his present facilities for &C.
curing the best information, should give
his opinions great weight. According to
the calculations Of Mr.. Brney, "the
crisis " is yet to come. Many abolition
lists, perhaps, the greater body ofthem, are
inclined TO consider it as already past
Abolitionists in New York, in Boston, in
Uuca, and in many other places, have
witnessed the reaction that has followed
the violence Of mobs. They see the tide
turned in their favor; they Judge land we
trust rightly that such scenes could not
be Repeated again now. Abolitionists
may likewise look upon the abortive at
Temps in Congress, and in the Northern
legislatures, to pass laws against freedom
Of speech and of the press and in the re-
| view of these attempts, they may rejoice
in the belief that the day has gone by, for
| any further attempts of this kind. And
| from these circumstances, it comes to pass
that abolitionists generally consider the
great crisis Of their affairs as having al
ready taken place.
And yet we have little doubt that Mr..
Birney is correct, and that the time is not
far distant that will prove him so. Hith-
erto the South has been acting upon the
supposltion that abolitionists could very
easily be put down and siIenced-and
hat they 'oould be. 1t remains TO be seen
how they will act when they discover
their mistake, and it remains to be seen to
what length their northern confederates
(both In church and state) will 60, when
they have concentrated their strength for
the purpose, and buried their party quar-
rels and feuds. We have misread the lea
ders in several prominent religious sects if
there are any extremitieS recorded on the
pages ofchurch history to which they will
not 60, both IN civil "penalties and eccIe-
| slastical censures,' rather than not see
their " brethren Of the South" sustained
in their Christian right of slaveholding
Their own comments upon the scriptures,
IT honest, can not carry them much short
of it; and abolitionists ought to be on their
guard, expecting some new and unpre-
cedented crisis and prepared to meet it in
whatever shape it may come. From open
hostility we have less to fear than from
deceptive undertakings, some eccIesiasti.
cal convention, some lowering down of
the hol y standard oftruth and duty by men
who can assist in passing gag laws
against anti-slavery lectures one day, and
make speeches at anti-slavery meetings
the next These are the movements
which require 10 be watched with vigi
lance. as The crisis approaches, which Mr..
Blrney so nationally anticipates. The
Northern friends" Of the South, who
love the Southern STAKEHOLDER" have
already begun to discover that ave can
not be put down." that "discussion will
go on" Their only remaining hope is
to divide and conquer" If they can
contrive to pass for abolitionists and gain
the confidence of such-ifthey can inspire
a portion Of them with terror lest the
Union should be dissolved, and then in
slnuate in covert manner, the conscience
deadening doctrine of compensation ="
taking care to denounce as " partisans /"
all those who are so unchristian and de-
nunclatory as to question the soundness of
the doctrine, they will expect to gain their
end. If abolitionists will only beware of
such, we have little fear that thew will not
be prepared for the crisis that apparently
awaits them. 1t is just on this point If
we mistake not, that aboIitionists must ere
long, be tried. When the slave holder is
convinced that we can no longer he 81
fenced and put down. he will begin
to talk about the sacrifices, and Law in his
claim for compensation" 1t was so with
the West India planter, and we should
probably find it 20 with those of this
country. ..s.
Let abolhionists only be prepared for
The crisis and the remaining prediction Of