Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-01-10

which are in advance of public sentiment and
practice, and which are consequently at war
with the habits, prcjudices and immediate in
: forests OF largo classes Of the community. OF
consequence, The multitude, If once allowed 10
= dictate, or prescribe subjects Of discussion,
would strike society with spiritual blindness
and death. The world Is TO be carried for.
ward by truth, which at first offends, which
, wins It's way by degrees, which the many hate
and would rejoice 10 crush. The right of free
discussion is, therefore, 10 be guarded by the
iricnds OF mankind with peculiar jealousy. 1t
is at once the most sacred, and the most en-
dangcred of all our rights. lie who would
rob his neighbor of it, should have mark set
on him as enemy of freedom.
: do not know that our hh tory contains
page more disgraceiul TO us as ireemen, than
that which records the violence against the alb
ollonists. As people, we arc charecabc
with other, and worse misdeeds, but none so
hagrantly opposed 10 the spirit Of liberty, the
very spirit of our institutions, and of which
we make our chief boast. Who, let me ask,
are the men whose offences are so aggravated
that they must be denied the protection of The
laws, and be gwen TO the worst passions OF the
multitude Are they proAgate in principle
and life, teachers Of impious or scrvile doc.
trlnes, the enemies OF God and their racer |
speak not from vague rumor, but from better
means OF knowledge when say, that body
OF men and women more blameess than the
abolltlonlsts in their various relations, or r,ore
disposed to adopt q rigid construction of the
Christian precerts, cannot be found among Us
VI their righteousness and wisdom, | do not
speak but believe they yield to no party in
moral worth. Their great crime and one
winch IN this land Of liberty is 10 be punished
above all crimes, is this, that they carry the
doctrine OF human equality TO its full extent.
mat tneJ plead vehemently for the oppressed,
that they assail wrong-doing, however .action
, cd by opinion, or enlrcnchcd behind wealth
and power, that their zeal for human RIGHTS is
/ without measure, that they associate them
selves lervently with the Christians and NH
| Ianlhroplsts oil other countries against the
worst reIicks of barbarian times. Such is the
offence against which mobs are arrayed. and
| which IS counted so fragrant that a summary
justice, zoo indignant TO wait for the iardy pro-
gross oil tribunals, must take the punishment
mo its own hands.
How strange, in free country, that the
men from whom the liberty of speech ( TO he
torn, are those who use it in peadinq for free
dom, who devote themselves to the vindication
oil human rights What a spectacle is pre !
scented 10 the world by republic, in which
sentence OF prescription is passed on citizens. I
who labor by addressing mems consciences 70
OF wrongs Through the civilized world The
best and greatest men are bearing joint witness
against slavery. Christians of ali denominn-
lions and conditions, rich and poor. learned
and Ignorant are bound il holy LEAGUE n.
galnst this most degrading form of oppression.
but IN Tree A netlca the language which des-
pots tolerate must not be heard One would
think that lreemen might be pardoncd, if the
view OF Fellow creatures, stripped of all hu-
RIGHTS sboulI al.
speech. But whilst on all other subjects the
deeply stirred feelings may overflow in earn.
est rcmonstrance, on slavery the free.
man must speak in whispers, or pay the PENAL
~ OF persecution for the natural utterancc Of
strong emotions.
am aware that the outrhres IN oboltonis.s ,ro
gusiIhed or pail ated by various considerations nor
rs THIS surPrlsng for when did violence ever want
excuse 1t is said that abolltionism tends to stir
up instruction at The South, and to dissolve the
Unlon OF all pretences for resorting to lawless
iorc"i The most dangerous is the TENDENcY of mea-
sures or opinions. Almos, all men see rtlinous ter
denotes, in whatever opposes their particular inter
ee.s or views All The political parties which have
convulsed our country have seen tendencies TO ma
uonai destruction in the principles of their oppo
nents. So infinite the connections and conse 7
quences OF human affairs that nothing can be done
~ "hch some dangerous tendency may not be de-
tecied. There is tendency in arguments AGA nst
any old establishments unseic ali ihs,itutions he
cause all hang together. There is a tendency in
the laying bare of deep-rooted abuses to throw a
community INTO storm. Liberty tends to lcentf-
ousness-government TO despotism Exclude all
enterprises which may have evil results. and I'M.
man lre Will stagnate. Wise men are not easily
oeteHedi by difficulties and pers, from a course Of
,, winch promises great good. Especially
when justice and humanity cry aloud for he rn,no
val Of an enormous social evil, it is unworthy Of men
and Christians, to let the Imagination run riot am
ong possible dangers, instead Of rouisng every en-
ersy OF The mind to study how the evil NAV be ia
ken away, and the perilS which accomnanv bnno6
ciai changes may be escaped. II
AS 10 inc charge brought lainst the abolitionsts
Of surrng up eciIon al The South-I have ne.
yer met The shadow Of proof that this nofarious
ma neuI'aed Oy single member Of their =
pouy. Inc accusation is repealed by their charac-
ters and principles, as well as BY facts: nor can
easily conceive OF sane man giving it belief AS |
TO the Tendency" Of their measures TO Tins resut il
20 sue ohiy as we nave seen to belong 10 all human
1uu anu suGh as may easily be guarded against
ne ruin IS, that any exposition Of slavery no mai
lcr nom whom II may come, MAJ chance 10 favor re- "
von' IL may chance to fall into the hands Of a fan
~ WHO may mink himself summoned by Heaven :
W W .."o'o 'ioSntiy Tins great wrong; or it NAV :
happen to reach the hut Of some inrlliocn, d,r;n
slave, VINO may think himself called to be The aveno
ger oil ms race. All things are possible a casu- !;
.n,e ,eunafk IN conversation, may put wild :,
PcJeI'S h'o 'he unbalanced, or ds0rdered mind of
some nearer. Must we then live in nernc,I,aI ~ o
renee 10 such chances make il our duty TO shut 7
our ups on The subject Of an enormous wrong, and t,
70 send from the press Reproduction rf the ey. Ii
II? The truth is that the great DANCER ,o tb, ~
s'ave-hoder comes from slavery itself Gom the ST.
ent Innovations Of time, from political conflicts and ~
Ionvuisons, and not from the writings Of strangers u
grant mat the tbolltioniss in consequence II
=, ,'n number and their systematic and public eff n
are more likely to be heard of by the slave, fl
5 1an SOLITARY individual who espouses bis cause nj
Iul wlen consider how steadily they have con- :,
u resort to force ON the part of the OPP p,
''essed when consider what power the master %