Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-07-04

ABNER KNEELAND.

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of this individual is to be presented to
the Executive. signed by Rev. Dr.. Chan
ming and others, including a large num-
Der Of Clergymen Of different religious
denominations. The party convicted is
said to have requested his friends not. to
sign il. but as the petitioners do not claim
to be his friends, but move in the matter
only to Vindicate general principle, they
will not probably regard Mr., kneeIand'S
personal wishes. Persons desIrouS 10 ign
the petition, may find it at the Reading
Room in City Hall. l..
To His Ezeellenty, the GODernOr Of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts,:
The undersigned respectfully represent,
that they are informed that Abner Kn,el-
and, OF the city of Boston, has been found
guilty of The crime Of BlasPhemy, for hav-
ing published, in certain newspaper call
ed the Boston investigator, his disbelief in
the existence Of God, in the following
words:
"Universalists believe in a God which
I do not; but believe that their God, with
all his moral attributes, (aslde from nature
itsel0 is nothing more than chimerl OF
their own imagination"
Your petitioners have learned, by an ex,
animation of the record and documents in
1.-The case, mlde BY one of their number,
THAT the conviction OF said kneeland pro-
tceeded on the ground above stated For
though the indictment originally included
1.-TWO other publications, one OF 4 hi Ehlv
irrevereu', and the other of a grossly indie
Cent character, yet it appears by the report,
: that at the trial, the prosecuting officer re-
lied mainly on the sentence above quoted,
and that the Jud &c who tried the case con
fined his charge wholly to stating the le-
gal construction of its terms, and the law
applicable TO it.
In these circumstances, the undersigned
respectfully pray, that you: Excellency
will grant to the said Knpeland an uncon
dilional pardon, for the offence of which
he has been adjudged guilty. And they
ask this, not from any sympathy with lh'
yconvicted individual, who is personally un
known to most or all Of them; nor fl on
any appreciation Of the doctrines prof.Ssec
by him, which are believed by your peti
TONERS to be as pernicious and degrading
as they are false but
Because the punishment proposed to be in
fictcd is believed to be at variance will
the spirit Of our institutions and our age
and with the soundest expostions Of thoS,
civil and religious rights which are at one
founded in our nature, and guaranteed b
the Constitutions of the United States an
this Commonwealth
Because the freedom Of speech and tn
press is the chief instrument Of the pro
gress oftruth and Of social improvements
and is never to be restrained by Legislation
except when it invades the rights Of others
or instigates to specific crimes:
Because, if opinion is 10 DO subjected tt
penalties, it .s impossible to deternin
where punishment will stop; there beIn
few or no opinions, in which an advers
party may not see threatenings of ruin
the state:
Because truths essential to the eyiStenc
Of society must be so paIPabIe as 10 nee
no protection from the magistrate:
Because the assumption by governmer
of right to prescribe or repress opinion
has been the ground Of the grossest depr;
valions Of religion, and of the mos% grlnc
: ing despotisms:
Il Bee ruse religion needs no support frol
penal law, and is grossly dishonored b
!, Impositions for its defence, which impI
d that it cannot be trusted to its own strengt
T and 20 the weapons of reason and persu
t sion in the hands Of its friends
r Because, by Furnishing infdel opinion
J, we shake one OF the strongest foundation
d af faith, namely, the evidence which al
70 ses to religion from the fact, that 1t stan
y firm and gathers strength amidst the seve
o est and most unteuered Investigations
o its claims:
D Because error Of opinion is never
!, dangerous, as when goaded into tanatlcls
r. by persecu ion, or driven by Threatening
l. 10 the use o. secret arts:
n Because it is well known, that the L.
'p licenlious opinions have, by natural
j. action, sprung up in countries where
g laws have imposed severeSt restraint
cd thought and discussion
s. Because the influence Of hUrtfuI dc
IN trines is often propagated by the SYM
[ thy which legal seventies awaken toWaI
". their supporters:
=. f Because we are unwilling that m;
of whose unhappy course has drawn on b
Al. general disapprobation, should, by 81
= tence Of the law, be exalted into mart
ny or become identified with the sacred Cat
'iaS Of freedom: and lastly,
% Because we regard with fIial jeaIo'
FL the honor Of this Commonwealth, and
- unwilling that it should be exposed to
sr proac b, as clingng obstinateIy to 'll'be
~ principles, which the most enllghteE
40 % minds have exploded.
We He tABNER KNEELANDl appears