Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-02-28
Vol. X....No. 90.

century. 1t struck its blows at once at the
monarchies, the aristocracies, :he feudal
systems Of the old world, and tyranny ia
the new; and the faith Of this nation is
pledged to carry it out. Although some
may look upon that instrument as being a
mere rhetorical flourish" our speaker took
it as fundamental Anti-Slaverv doom
ment, and, standing upon it. he waged
eternal war with all slavery, and demanded
the inalienable right Of liberty for aalI
men," W.
"Bus," says one, Siam an Anti-Slauery
man, as much as you are" How do you
manifest it2 Do you belong to an Anti
Slavery Society? emo" Have you con-
tributed OF your money for the diffusion Of
Anti-Slavery principles "No." Have you
signed any petitions or remonstrances to
the powers that be7 emo" Your Anti
Slavery, then, probably consists in hostility
to abolitionists, and in letting slavery alone.
Have you joined in measures to suppress
the discussion Of the subject? "Yes,-I
have attended meetings and signed dis
Chalmers against the introduction of the
matter into our Westinghouse, or our neigh
borhood. I think the agitation Of the sub
ject can do no good, and had better be let
alone. But am no enemy to free discuss
ion, you will understand; and I am as
much an Anti-Slavery man as you are, but"-
/ But you will divide and distract the
church. And what is the strength, or eff
cheney, or worth OF that church, whose
members have eyes too weak to read the
ten commandments, and ears too deaf to
hear them read? What is the object and
legitimate work of the church? Is it merely
to collect numbers for the support OF the
ministry, that we may get along as easily
and as comfortably as possible-to avoid
any and every onset upon Satan's kingdom
that may test the courage and fortitude Of
some of our numbers, and thus leopard the
union of the body? Our speaker had sup
posed the work of the church to be, to pro-
mote moral and religious reformation in the
world-to preach the 'Ohole Gospel-to obey
God, whatever be the commandments or
: caprices of men.
But goa aoiH dissolre the union Of our
= country. What, pray, is this union SO much
r talked Of? In regard to large portion Of
our llow-countrymen, it has virtually been
dissolved for years. What is the virtue or
value Of this union to Amos Dresser
pointing to this brother,l or to any other
American citizen who has been out-lawed
in violation of the Constitution of the coun-
try, which provides that the citizens of
each of the States shall enjoy the privileges
of citizenship in all the States2 Contem-
plate the late horrible-horible declaration
Of Mr.. Preston of South Carolina, made
in the United States Senate-that an abo-
5 litionist, entering the State Of South Caro-
lima, and known 10 be such, need not expect
to escape with his life The most law
1 loving and law-abiding citizen of the North
; who holds that all men are created equal
, that slavery is sin, and that it ought to be
abolished-if it be known that he belongs
!, with Society that advocates these senti-
ments, puts his life in peril by stepping his
= foot into slaVeholding Stale. And what
, is the union to ali such? IT'S virtually a
1 nullity-a nonentity.
: Still, the speaker would not lightly esteem
= the union, although the violent men of the
| South had already laid violent hands upor
? it. He had been asked whether he though
d it would be safe for Congress to abolish
4 slavery tomorrow He~answered, yes
! He did not believe that, slavery abolished
: the violent men of the South would il they
. could, or could if they would, sever thu
: union of the States. The colored men o.
the South would preserve it.
k But slavery will dissolve the union, o.
!. destroy the nation, unless it be Immediately
:, abolished. In support of this opinion he
t appealed to the history of the world. That
d history is rich with instruction on this point
r Wade through the Libraries that this house
= could not hole, and what will they tell
you Of the fate of Unions formed for the
promotion of injustice, and murder, and al.
$ imaginable crime7 The Almighty and Jus,
; has scattered them all to the winds; ant
e nothing but speedy repentance and reforma
q ton can save this government from tn,
b same fate. What is the strength or perma
y nency Of a union, built up of murder ant
n crime, and cemented with tears and blood
= Such union is that on which the govern