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

God. in his providence, so say all my
brethren, and so | think, has devolved
upon me the responsibility of maintaining
my ground here, and, Mr.. Chairman, |
am determined to do it. A voice comes
to me from Maine, from Massachusetts,
from Connecticut, from New FORK, from
Pennsy lvania; yea, from Kentucky, from
Mississippi, from Missouri, calling upon
me in the name Of all that is dear to Heav-
en- or earth, to stand fast; and by the help
of God, 1 WILL STAND. l know l an
but one and you are many. My strength
would avail but little against you all; you
can crush me if you will, but shall die
at my post, for lean not & will not forsake
it. Why should fee from Alton! Is
not this a free State2 When assailed by
a mob at st. Louis, came here as to the
home Of freedom and Of the laws. The
mob have pursued me here, and why
should l retreat again2 Where can be
safe if not here? Have not right to
claim the protection Of the laws? and
what more can have in any other place?
Sir, the very act of retreating will embol-
den the mob to follow me. wherever l 90.
No, Sir, there is no way to escape the
mob. but to abandon the path of duty, and
that God helping me, never will do.
1t has been said here that my hand is
against every man, and every mans hand
against me. The las, part Of the declar-
alton is too painfully true. do indeed
find almost every hard lifted against me,
but against whom in this place has my
hand been raised? | appeal to everv
individual present; whom of you have [
injured2 whose character have l traduced?
whose family have molested! whose
business have meddIed with! If any,
let him rise here and testify against ME.
NO one answers.
And do not your resolutions say that
you find nothing against my private or
personal character2 And does any one
believe that if there were anything TO be
found, it would not be found and brought
torth2 If in anything l have offended
against the law, ! am not so popular in
this community as that it would be diff
cult to convict me- You have courts, and
judges. and juries; they find nothing
against me, and now you have come to-
gether for the purpose Of driving out a
confessedly innocent man, for no cause
but that he dares to think and speak as
his conscience and as his God dictate
Will conduct like this stand the scrutiny
Of posterity, above all, Of the Judgment
Day? For remember, the Judge of that
day is no respecter of persons.
Pause, beseech you, and reflect. The
present excitement will soon be over; the
voice of conscience will at last be heard
and in some season Of honest thought,
even in this world, as you review the
scenes Of this hour. you will be compelled
to say, "he was right-he was ri ght."
| But YOU have been exhorted to be len
lent and compassionate, and iii driving me
away to uffix no unnecessary disgrace
upon me. Sir, l reject all such com
passion. You cannot disgrace me- Scan
dal, falsehood and caIumny have already
done their worst. My shoulders have
borne the burden till it sits easy upor
them. You may hang me up as the mol
hung up the individuals at Vicksburg
you may burn me at the stake as they die
Nc Intosh at St. Louis; you may tar ant
feather me, or throw me into the Missis
sippi, as you have often threatened 20 do
but you cannot disgrace me. |, and
alone, can disgrace myself, and the deep
est of all disgrace would be, at a tim
like this, to derry my Master by forsakin
} his cause. He died for me, and | wer
most unworthy to Lear his name, shoul
! l refuse, if need be, to die for him.
Again, you have been told that bav
. family who are dependent on me, an
this has been given as a reason why
should be driven off as gently as possible
, II is true, Mr.. Chairman, | am husoan
and father, and this it is that adds to tn
bitterest ingredient of the cup of sorro'
!, 1 am called to drink am made to fe'
3 the wisdom of the Apostles advice, g
J; is better not to marry" know, Sir, th'
: in this contest stake not my life onI,
e but that Of others also. do not expe
my wife will ever recover from the shoe
1 received at the awful scenes thro' whlc
h she was called to pass at St. Charles
And how was it the other night on m
9 return to my home! ] found her drive
q into the garnet through fear Of the mot
It who were prowling round my house.
y And scarcely had l entered the house el
q my windows were broken by the brIcI
o bats of the mob, and she so alarmed as
x render it impossible for her TO sleep
q rest that night. l am hunted as pa
r fridge on the mountain. lam pursued
a a felon through your streets 10 u
p guardian power of the law look in va
: for that protection against violence whlc
Is even the vilest criminal may enjoy: I
's think not that am unhappy. Think n
IN that regret the choice that have mad
Lo 1Hhilo ali a....-l -. - .-;nlanca and I