State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-07-05
VOL. v. NO. 81.


From Birney's Philanthropst.
SPEECH OF GERRiT SMITH, ESQ
The following manly and eloquent efIor
Will he read with delight by every friend o
free Institutions, and of republican liberty
1t was delivered under these circumstances
The Oneida Manual labor Institute, hat
been established ut Whitesborough for the
education of Young Men who were unable
10 deiray the expenses Of attending liter
AIRY institution, without at the same time
laboring with their hands. In common
with other institutions erected for the ad
Management of learning. it had received
some assistance from the State. For the
time it had been in operation, it had sen
ont more young mcii of rare intellectual
endowments, of independent thought, and
Of untiring zeal for human goo,!, than any
other in our land. in obedience to South
ern dictation-of which the Governor be-
came the supple and willing instrument
the Legislature Of New Yoik was called
on to aid in sustaining the "domestic In.
stltutions of slavery ut the South" at the
expense of the Institutions of Liberty al
the North. The first assault was made hy
the Senate-and this too, on the institution
at Whitesborough -peculiarly the insttli.
ton Of the poorly attempting to with
draw from it the aid it had been accustom-
ed TO receive from the State. In this state
of things, the friends of the Institution in
the county of Oneida, met at Utica on the
9th of April last, for the purpose of adopt
ing such measures rs would he proper for
It's support. The sum of nearly five thou
sand dollars was subscribed by those pres
emf.
The conduct Of the New York Senate,
adds another proof TO the many, already
existing, that scrvlity in performing its
loathsomc offices, ever delights in assailing
the weak. Before an antagonist that has
strength, that wields power, it has always
shown ITSELF contemplate and quailng
rccreant.
If, at any time, the liberties of our coun-
try he entirely lost, this event will be pre-
coded by the ignorance and degradation of
the poor. The means of education will not
be supplied-or, if they have been, they
will he taken away by those who wish to
be their masters. The minds of the poor
will he suffered to remain dark and COM
fortress and unenlightened-tha they may
have neither the intelligence to know, nor
the spirit to maintain their rights. When
the master ola thousand crouching heather
shall be enabled TO say, with truth, what
lie now says falsely-that his chained
slaves are happier and more respectable
than the honest yeomanry of the free states,
however poor-then, indeed not only shall
the slavery ofthe South be perpetual, but
the slavery Of the North shall make anoth-
er "comer stone of this Republican edi-
fee"
But there is ground of hope--enough to
cheer every friend of liberty, and urge him
on to mightier effort. Gods blessing is
still with those who are contending in his
fear, for the inalienahe rights ofther fellow
inen-every day bears witness to fresh iri-
umphs of the truth, and to the rapid reani-
nation of the spirit of freedom.
The following resolutions among others
were considered at the meeting:
Resolred, That the recent attempt in our
Legislature to diminish the pccuniary re-
sources, and to tarnish the character of
Oneida Institute, on the ground that its Of
ficels and students vote rs they please, and
embrace religion which pronounces
slavery to be sin, is not only dangerous
Infringement of our political compact, but
n daring and wicked invasion ofGod's NOR
al government.
proof that the press is under the baneful in
nuence of Slavery, aud its twin brother ar
Stocracy, IN the fact ofits profound silence
respecting the attack in our Legislature on
Oneida Institute, Il school which was estab.
lished especially for youth in humble life
and which has the honesty and courage to
set itself against the denominations OF slave,
ry.
Resolued, That ii requires no effort tc
prove that had Oneida Institute favored the
aristocrat's darling institution of slavery
or had it been school for the sons o
the wealthy and fashionable, instead Of the
coarse clad and hard handed sons of homes
poverty, it would not have fallen under thu
vengeance of our Legislature.
GERRIT SMITH, ESQ. said, the Ro
man Censor's mind was so big with sense
Qc the importance of the destruction o
Garbage TO his country's welfare as tc
cause hin, to introduce into all his speeches
on whateye, occasion, on whatever subject
made, Ws 'aG!ous CGthngn delenda est
then u as nps .SSnnge that the abolilionist'
shonid exclhHns both in season and out o
season, 3Siavefy must he destroyed. -
Whateyer the interests Of the country or
which this Roman was called to speak, thin
wnrmest and uppermost lhought-the ne
cessary destruction of Carlhage-must have
vent. And somewhat so it is coming to be
with MS. Are we called to contemplate the
precious political aud religious institutions
of our beloved nation, and the happy bear
ing ftheir example on the other nations o
the earth, if we but remain an undivided
people, and illustrate the excellence of those
institutions in our good conduct and pros
perity is our attention called 30 roilroad
and canals and schools; to the various de
velopements of our enterprise and resour
ces; to our commerce., veXing every SET
and searching ont every people; TO thu
abundant rewards of laborious, honest til