Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-06-09

should live, move and have ms OeInS sole
ly and entirely for the pleasure ana Pront
of another. He would otaffirm that this
was what 4 humane Shareholder actually
Ala In, Il was what slavery authorized
him ~ do. and what many ruthless slave
holders actually did. This was that do
inr ius.lyr which slavery dictated. 1t
not only declared that slave could nel-
Their acquire nor possess any property
whatever, but it protected the licentious
master in picking from his female slave
the only remaining Jewel Of her sex glo-
~. And did she but liit her hand to re-
pei the robber, she might be legally con-
signed TO death And as TO rights OF con-
science, slavery allowed the master 10
shut out from the mental vision of his
slave the broad light Of heaven, and to
make and 10 keep his soul q perfect moral
blank. Nay, it compelled him, whether
he would or not TO withhold from bis be-
nighted victim that golden lamp Of heav-
emily truth which alone could show him
the path to heaven, And as to social life
and the pursuit Of happiness, it was not
for himto say whether the wife OF his TO-
som should continue for another day to be
the solace of his earthly cares; whether
his beloved babe should continue TO hang
onthe maternal embrace, pdshould grow
up, under the eye Of its parents, their
pride aud hope. No; for slavery came
In with its laundering voice and crushing
arm, and in a moment shattered ali the IA
brio OF his little hopes and plans into at
oms. Was this the justice that the Bible
required man should do to his fellow
mani
And,as to the second rule, OF slowing
mercy" he would only ask whether slave
ry.as q system, knew Of any mcrcy2 No
doubt there were many s!ave-masters who
were solicitous 10 restrain its utmost rig
ors; but had the Split and genius Of the
system, as such, any acquaintance with
mercy2 1t was said to be mcrciful, be-
cause it took the guidance Of those who
were incompetent to guide and govern
themselves. But it its mercy was indeed
from heaven, why not dispense it equally,
and spread it universally! Why not ar
rest every improvident white man, set
him upon the block, and deliver him to
the highest bidder that he might have
heavens mercy dealt GU. to him in the
guidance and government Of his affairs :
Why not dispense this mercy to some Of
the sons ofslave-holders themselves, whose
conduct seemed to proclaim that they had
as much spare room in their upper story
as any black man on their fathers estate !
Why not consign these young men TO the
mercies Of slavery, turn them out on the
plantation and let them enjoy the bland
light of the sun, and the sacred and re-
freshing dews Of heaven, and let their food
be dealt out 10 them by measure and BY
.timel The rule of God required mer
not merely TO do mercy, but to love it from
the heart TO show mercy, as the Savior
did. when he left his glory and came down
and groanei and died upon the cross -
not such mercy as shareholders dispense
to their slaves!
The third requirement Of heaven woS
that men should walk humble with rhei,
God" But was it humility to reply t,
the 6at Of Jehovah which said to the slave
Thou art living SOUL" 1t is a mis-
take :. he is but chattel, a thing oftraffic
God had said, "All sous are mine -
Was il humble 10 reply: There is er
TOR here that slave is mine7" Cod ha
expressly required US to love our neigh
Dor as ourselves. This was the broa,
fundamental principle Of every dispense
ton he had given TO men. 1t had bee
adopted into the New Testament cod,
and carried even farther than before. b.
was il loving our neighbor to destroy a
his rights, to compel him to toll for on
benefit, TO cast burning embers into h
bosom, to float his eye with anguish,
sunder all the tenderest ties Of his hear
nay, to shut out the very light of heavc
from the dark moral prison house Of b
soul, to withhold from him the means
expanding his deathless powers,-powc
created to range through eternity!
doom his offspring to hopeless bondag
and to bid him bow down his body in
the dust that we might trample upon it
will. Oh, surely, the spirit OF slaverv a.
the spirit of the gospel were utter all
podes in the moral world.
y Again: Did not the gospel enjoin t
sacredness Of the marriage tie, and h
not God prohibited all interference wi
those rights Was it not the langua
Of inspiration, What God hath joined
gether let no man put aspnderl A
was il compliance with this requiremr
10 set up a mans wife to sale before
eyes,to send her away where he sho'
never behold her again, leaving her b.
band to weep and howl in his solitary
haunted by the visions of his de
long-losed, but departed companion !
God required parents to bring up h
children in the nurture and admonition
the Lord. But slavery in,erdicted 1
maudate ofhigh heaven. 1Ittook ma
child away from him, and Consigned il
~. viii and control of another. WI.