Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-08-29
MONT TELEGRA PH.

the struggling spirit. The slow notes OF
the clock fell upon the ears of the multi
tude; peal on peal, peal on peal, rolled
over the PROSTATE throng, in tones of an
gels voices, thrilling among the desoIated
chord and weary heartstrings Scarce
had the clock sounded its last note, when
the lightning flashed wildly around, and
loud peal of thunder roared along the
sky-God's pillar of fire, and trump OF
jubilee! A moment of profound silence
passed-then came the burst-they broke
forth in prayer; they shouted, they sung,
glory 'aIleluia;' they clapped their
hands, leaped "p, fell down, clasped each
other in their free arms cried, laug ned,
and went to and fro, tossing upward their
untettered hands; but, high above the
whole, there was mighty sound, which
ever and anon sWeIIed up-it was the Ut
terings, in broken negro dialect, of graft
tude to God. After this gush of excite
ment had spent itself, and the congrega-
ton became calm, the religious exercises
were resumed, and the remainder OF the
night was occupied in singing and prayer,
in reading the Bible, and in addresses
from the missionaries, explaining the ma
ture of the freedom just received. and eX
horting the freed people to be industrious,
steady, obedent to the laws and to show
themselves in all things worthy Of the
high boon which God had conferred upon
(them.'
Nothing can surpass the sublimity Of the
scene, or add to the power of its descrlp
ton.
None but itself can be its parallel!
And yet, how natural the conduct, how
reverent the spirit, how exquisite the sens
ibility, how overwhelming the gratitude
of these condemned ones | say, h010 nat
ural THEN conduct! They had obtained
all they wished for-why should they
think of butchering those who had set them
free! The idea is preposterous. Yet it
is upon record, that several American yes
sells, which had lain for weeks III the har-
Dor Of ST. Johns weighed anchor on the
3lst July, and MADE their escape, through
actual fear that the island would be destroy
I'd on the following day.! = There is spe-
cimen Of republican reverence Tor liberty !
That IS the way we encourage tyranny
|
for a sIaveholding master, the captains of
: those vessels must have been! O the
cowardIY recreant unbelievers-thel iber-
ty-hatng, consistent members of conftd-
eracy of oppressors?
No Threats were cut in Antigua And
an equally astonishing fact is, the slaves
wanted to be free, and don't want to return
to bondage! And, perhaps, what will sur
) prise our opponents most Of all is,-the
, Governor of Antigua being Wlmess,-rhe
PLANTERS all concede that emancip
: ton has been a great blessing to the ISL
and: he does not know of a single indi.
> vidual who wishes to return to the old
system. He is well acquainted with the
country districts of England, and has also
travelled extensively in Europe; yet he
: has never found such peaceabIe order.
~, and lawabiding people as the eman
cipated slaves Of Antigua On being in
= terrogated as to the workings of the new
system, one Of the planters, dr. Daniel
y said The planters, by giving immedl
y ate freedom, had secured the attachmen
y of their people: it had removed all dang
e er of instruction, confagration and con
= spiracies' Another planter, (Mr HatIey
y said Formerly, it was 'chjp-ochip-
| achip-incessantIy, but now we are re
f lieveL from this disagreeable task An
s other, (Ilon. Samuel O. B1jel) >a1d-'
r can cultivate my estate al least one thirl
$ cheaper by free labor than by slave la
e bor.' Another, (Hon. N. Nugen,) sale
/ - there is not the slightest feeling Of in
e security-qulte the contrary. Properly
a Is more secure for all idea of instruction
J. is abolished forever. MY family 60 t.
: sleep every night with the doors unlock
e ed. and we fear neither violence nor rob
l. berry, Another said Now, the sccuri
l. ty OF property was so much greater II
= Antigua than it was in EngIan1, he tho
r 1t doubtful whether he should ever cen
e ture TO take his family thither, as be hat
n long contemplated doing Another (H
1t Armstrong, ESQ. )said-' There is no pos
/ slble danger Of personal violence from
2, the emancipated slaves Should a foreign
). power invade our island, have no doubt
5, that the negroes would, to a man, fgh
st for the planters' Another, Or. Fergu
5 sony said The credit of the island ha
y decidedly improved. lis internal prosper
!. ity is Advancing in an increased ratio
e More buildings have been erected sine,
1t emancipation, than for twenty years BE-
d FORE An estate which, previous to eman
e cipation, could not be sold for 5000 cur
e rent, lately brought $4,000. All per
n sons, Of all professions testify to the fact
It that marriages are rapidly increasing. In
): truth, there was scarcely such thing as
= marriage before the abolition of slavery
: The whole number of marriages, during
ten years previous to emancipation, was