Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-07-18
To ELI BALL,
Pastor Of the Baptist Churches,

at BruIngton and RehO5oh, Va
DEAR Brother: The Richmond Religious
Herald Of May IL, containing your letter 70
the Vermont Baptist invention, in reply to
the Remonstrance sent by that body to the
Southern Churches, has fallen lately into my
hands. AS the copy designed for the Editor
Of the Vermont Telegraph appears not to
have reached him, shall Immediately send
him the one in my possession, taking the
liberty TO accompany it with such brief stric-
lures on your article as have sine to pre-
pare. Were to do this without any explain
alton Of my reasons, you might perhaps think
it assuming; but am sure you will absolve
me from the charge of intermeddling Off
ciously with what does not concern me,
when frankly avow myself the writer of the
Circular, which the Convention was pleas
ed to adopt as its own. You will not under
stand me, however, in what am about to
say, as pretending to speak in behalf of the
Convention, or as wishing to forestal the &C
ton of that body, should it think proper to
act upon your letter.
You speak of the Circular, or Remon-
STRANGE, as Scaling upon the Baptist Church
es in the slave-holding States, to exclude
from their fellowship those members who
hold slaves" Now, will not say that this
is a Misrepresentation but you will your
self perceive, my brother, that it fails fully
and fairly to represent the character Of the
document in question. Strict courtesy to
fhe Convention, think, demanded that the
Circular, no less than your reply to it, should
be copied into the Herald, aud allowed tc
speak for itself. At least, it should have
been distinctly stated, that the Circular sug
gests the duty of the Churches kindly and
faithfully to ddnponish the slave-holding
members of their wrong, and only calls fo1
the exclusion Of those who, after such admo
milton, are found incorrigble. 1t shoulc
have been stated, too, that this course wa:
recommended, on the ground, Established
or supposed to be established, in the Circu
), lar,) that slave-holding, under all circum
stances, is sinfuI-a violation oil the right
Of humanity, and of the laws of God.
You tell the members of the Convention
, that chad they known half as much abou
r the subject of the Circular as you are com
E PEELED to know, they would not have giver
the advice they have" If soft degre
OF knowledge on this subject which you ar
so competent to impart, would have this sal
4 utary effect,-why not let US hare it2 VIII
not speak out? After this positive state
5 ment, it would seem highly desirable tia
we, at the north, should receive the bette
Information you can so easily communicate
;. But what have you told US, that was not a.
o ready familiar TO us2 In what new and SUI
l prising light have you exhibited the matter
g Upon careful, and believe candid e.
o animation Of your letter, am unable to di.
cover any thing Of the kind, with the exceY
ton Of an assumption, which seems to me Ell
n tirely Unauthorized, that the relation
lie which our southern brethren stand to the
n slaves is that of an INVOLUNTARY GUARDIAN
y Do not take it unkindly, my brother, if fe,
: myself compelled to dissent from the pos
!, ton you have thus taken, ant to demand tt
: proof. The assertion is made without. =
re ssriciion, and without any qualification. II
" either true, or untrue. If true, then Il
4 slave-helders themselves are, in some sens
Y sidUes That is, they are the subjects Of
= tyranny which ought not for a moment 10 !
S iolerateds-a tyranny over the conseiene
h which requires them to ACT in direct siolatiy
~.t -.- p