Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-06-20

and shall hear again But if, while Fl
should be discoursing, a native citizen of
Philadelphia should rise, and say, What
right have you, sir, to come here, and
dogmatize with US upon the rights of free
dom, and the duties of freemen2 Is not
this the city of William Penn, and do
you come here to lecture US upon freedom
Of conscience Is not this the city whence
issued the Declaration of Independence ?
And do you come to teach US the doc
trine of inalienable rights2 Have we so
far degenerated from the virtues of our
fathers, that we must 60 to Plymouth for
our political creed2 Have We no native
sons of our own city, capable of explain
ing to US the principles of human liberty,
as well as you!
My true-hearted friends l should have
no answer, satisfactory to myself, to give
to such inquiries.
rejoice that in the city of Philadel-
phia, the friends of free discussion have
erected hall for its unrestrained exer-
else. know that the people of Phia-
delphia need voice as of one from the
wilderness, to rally them to the standard
Of human rights, but that voice must come
from among themselves. If there is not
one native, say not out of Pennsylvania,
but of the city of Philadelphia, who dares
to tell you the truth in tones that shall
reach to the sepulchres of the dead, lock
up your Hall on the same day that you
shall open it, and wait for the appointed
time: 1t will surely come.
must apologize to you even for
writing to you with so much feed
ON. hope it may be without Of
fence, for to avoid that is precisely
my reason for declining to deliver the ad-
dress which you invite. Nothing could
delight me more than 10 address the in
habltants of Philadelphia upon the open
ing In their city Of & hall devoted to free
discussion, could | speak. to them my
whole mind, without giving to many of
them great offence. This would be i'm
possible.
IT would have been perhaps more dis
Greet to answer that, independent of all
other considerations, my detention here
in the discharge of indispensable duties,
would, in all probability, preclude the pos
I sibillty of my engaging TO visit Philadel-
phia at the indicated time shall there
fore request you TO accept that as my an
sWer and to consider the remnant of this
letter only as a testimonial of my respect
full seusi5iity 10 your invitation, and o.
my fervent wishes that the PENNSYLVANIA
Hail may fulfil its destination, by demon.
strative proof that freedom of speech in
the city of Penn, shall no longer be AN
ABSTRACTION. | ain faithfully your
friend, JOHN Quincy ADAMS.
"It may be, Continues the American,
as MIR. Adams says in this letter, that the
"appointed time has not come," and tina
the wavering, the timid, the lovers of tn.
exPedient, will seek TO find paIIiaton fo1
The enormous crime by which this Hal
has been destroyed They will talk O
lntermingIing colors, and the outrs gine
public sentiment by ostentatious displays
of white men and black women, and black
men and white women, promenading the
streets at noon day, and thus, by appeal
ing TO strong prejudice seek 10 throw
a shade of paIliatlon over the acts of rob
bers and incendiaries But zoe mistak
the spirit that erected this Hall, aud ar
should deSpise 1t, toO If 1T do not at ono
! proceed to reAeao the edifece, and Mer
again proclaim, at ersry hazard, the grea
doctrines Of freedom Of discussion, O.
opiniOn, and of the press; and condemn il
fitting language the objectionable remiss
; ness Of the magistracy of Philadelphia il
not preventing mob violence, and not pun
ishing tn. Y. American