Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-05-24

words in YOUR heart and in your SOUL
and bind them for a sign upon your hano'
that they may be as fTontless between e your
eyes. And ye shall teach them to your
children, speaking of them when thou
sittest in thy house, and when thou walk
est bv the way, when thou lyest down,
and when thou risest up. And thou shalt
write them upon the door posts of thy
house, and upon thy gates" See, them
tho w;ok edness of those laws which 60
contrary to the law of God, and say to
the slave. "You shall not read these scrip
tnres- nor understand them, nor teach
them to your children, nor obey them"
Is it not morally right, and politically saie'
10 abolish such a system!
saw. then, that immediate abolition is
both morally right and politically safe
Is it not rig ht and safe to let men 60 tree'
who are proved capable Of being govern
ed bv the laws of Code If all the moral
worth and influence that has been lost to
the world through American slavery,
could be condensed into real matter, and
placed in the scale, with the Atlas noun
tains in the opposite, the mountain scale
would kick the beam, as though it were a
feathers weight Such is the whitening
influence of American slavery on the man
of color.
And now, Sir, considering the proscrlp-
ton we labor under, would 1t be won
der if we were all debased set of wretch
es, involved in the greatest vice and mis-
cry that can be expressed? We ought to
be better than we are. That is clear
But would it be wonder if we were
Thousand times Worse2
Seeing, then, that under all our dlsad-
vantages and provocatlons, we have gwen
evidence of benevolent and peaceful dis
position, that we have never been turbulent
citizens, that there has been no simutane-
Gus movements for insurrection, and that
we have given the clearest proofs of our
loyalty, is it not morally right that we
should enjoy the same privileges with
other citizens? Is it not politically safe
that the people of color should be free!
This speech, which was delivered
throughout with the most manly dignity,
F as well as the utmost simplicity, was lis
tened to by the vast assemblage with the
! lIIt6uSCSL lCCIIuSs duu ldNC Nol' ICO
conviction to hundreds of minds, such as
they never felt BEFORE Of the unutterable
wrong that we have been guilty of, to-
wards our colored brethren, in the humili
, alton and neglect to which they have beer
, subjected. This feeble sketch will give
but poor idea of the power of one of the
, most mastery specimens of native clio
f quence we have ever listened TO-
, Rev. ORANGE ScoTT, of the Metho
dist Episcopal church, Lowell, Mass.
offered two resolutions, which he said
f were so excellent as to require but few
=, words in their support:
!, Resolved, That the doctrines and pre-
: cepts of our holy religion abundantIy
s sustain our national declaration, THAT al
q men are created equal, that they are en-
It lowed with certain inaIienable rights
e among which are life, liberty, and thu
J. pursuit of happiness" and therefore TIL
+ c0"demm0tion of American slarery i
v equally demanded by our professions a
= republicans and as Christians.
J. Resolved. That slavery, as it exists il
y this country, is violation of that section
Il OF the United States Constitution, whic
Il provides that - No person shall be depriv
ed of life, liberty, or property, withou
l. due process Of law and hence that sys
J. tenn ought 10 cease and be discontinued
n Instantly and torerer.
1t In support Of this resolution, MIR. S
a went into very ingenious and satisfacto
1t ry argument, to show that the Declaration
T. of Independence spoke the true sentiment
n of the country; and that the constitution
e OF the United States, so far from guaran
v teelng slavery, is and was designed to b
n wholly incompatible with its perpetuitv.-
Q Are all men, said he, born equal, and er
r. doWed by their Creator with certain ina
A. lenabIe rights, which cannot be constitr
l. tionally taken from them but by due prc
m cess of law? And are fifty or sixt
a. thousand persons born every wear O
in American soil, under this constitution
lg ensIaved as soon as they are born, by tn
| laws of the several states? Can sue
IS laws be constitutional? Suppose Messs
s, chusetts or New York, should pass law
~ giving to the strong the right to take ava
a from the weak the rights Of property, thei
m purse or their person. at pleasure, woul
ed that be process of law! Such law
as unconstitutional at the south, as at tn
at north. The constitution says nothn
n about color, but that no man shall be d.
he prived.
n 1t is said by some that slaves are ne
he persons, but things, live grant that fc
D. a moment, then ask again, where in III
he constitution will you find the guarante
ct, for slavery The constitution says notI
,e- ing about slaves or slavery and if its mr.,
"a visions refer at all to slavery, it is unde
h. the term persons.
'ut c. G. BuRLE1eH, an agent of IL
es American Anti-slavery Society, offered
-o,o1,,tiop