Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-08-29
From the Emancipator.
Letter of the Hon. w. sIade. NC.

of the West India Islands, which you sent g
me last spring, and which then found
time but cursoriIy to glance at have
Just read thro with deep and thrilling
interest. want 100 copies of it for circu-
lation among my constituents and others,
and request that you viii! send them to
me by the first safe conveyance. | will
paw for them when | pass through your
city in November.
The publication of this journal has
thrown an overwhelming flood OF light
on the subject of emanci patton. 1t exhib-
its beuevoIence "teaching by example" in
q way that cannot be misunders God, and
with force and power which 1t seems to |
me impossible successfully to resist
Wherever reason holds its seat, and phi
lanthropy is not ensIaved to passion or
prejudice, must this book, sooner or later,
carry conviction and rouse to effort. CD
The great difficulties which the doctrine
J of Immediate emamci patton has had to en-
counter have EN- practical difficulties. ~
! The wrong of reducing men from freedom
to slavery finds at this day few, if any ad-
vocates. utsIavery exists; and the duty
of Immediately putting an end to it has
been supposed not TO be as manifest, as the
wrong of its INCEPTION In the way Of
immediate and unqualified emancip patton,
there have been supposed 10 exist insur-
mountable obstacles arising from the par
I alyzing influence Of slavery on the mind
of the slave, and his consequent want Of
preparation for freedom, which have rem
dered many of the sincere and ardent
friends of abolition slow TO believe that It's
immediate cosummation would be either
. advantageous TO him, or safe for the com
munity. | was, for a time, among this
number; and though most firmly beIlev-
ed, as expressed in my speech in Deem
Der, 1886, that 1.-The right 10 hold men as
goods and chauefs, SUBJ ect to sale and
transfer at the will Of master, should
} cease and be discontinued, instantly and
forever" vet | thought that the master
should still retain "qu ill6ed contrOl' Tor
limited time, sub ect to tie restraints OF
law, for the purpose of preparing the
t save for perfect freedom. In this l was
r mistaken, as subsequent ref ction convinc-
ed me; (3) though still felt p"i fully op-
= pressed with the apprehension OF evils
, consequent upon imaedlate and comPete
emanc patton.
1t remained for the full development O.
l. the West India experiment, as exhibited
o by Thome and KInball. to relieve me
d wholly rom these apprthensions Tha
u experiment has dissipated, as by the touch
), of magic, all my doubts, and rolled from
my mind an oppressive load Of embarrass
y ment on this great question. Four year:
e ago, 10000 slaves were emancipated in {
IT single day in the Island of Antigua, where
b there was a population Of 4,5OO free
If blacks, and but $500 whi1es The resul
= has complete answered every objection
- against Immediate emancipation. Th'
peaceabIe and happy transition Of 10000
slaves, in a moment, from unmiugatet
J. slavery to perfect freedom, seems little les
y than miracle. But gratitude for the boo,
= of deIiverance from oppression brighten
! ed by lis prompt and generous bestowment
and the substitution OF the rewards of free
= dom for the whip of slavery, as an ncen
81 tive to seIf-control and useful industry
IL solve the whole mystery 1t is no mira
If Gle. We can now see, in the well authen
l. ticated details Of this experiment, that it
81 safe and happy results are but the working
&c of the ordinary laws Of the human mind
Freedom has a transforming power; on(
. under its influence the crushed slave rise
ar from the tomb, shakes off bis grave
h clothes, and walks forth, man. Their
at are 10000 living illustrations of this, il
le the Island of Antigua. Not that the
~ have been at once transformed from ignor
- ance 10 knowled &c, or that they have ex
~ pelienced an immediate and perfect recov
IN erv from he paraI ysis Of slavery. But the
Is are peaceabe and order!y-work chez,
fully for Wages-are temperate and prov
dent-disposed to seek instruction, to che
ish the institution of marriage, and t
provide for parents and children. /
is short, they seem ready 10 move torwarc
,r With a prompt and cheerful pace, i
the march Of intellectual, moral an
v soc al improvement am amazed q
m the fullness and comp leteness Of this ilIns
c. tration of the practicability of immediate
We emancipation. (4) should be inclined t
b. doubt the correctness of the aIledgcd fact
70 in the case and to lay much TO the accour
l. Of the strong desire of Messrs. Thome (
Kimhall to find evidence to sustain ia
~ u vorite theory, were | not presented, i
IN their Journal, with the direct and positiv
he testimony of planters and public author
| ties in Antigua to the truth of all that
h. alIedged. And this testimony comes fror
- men who. until the commencement of tn
~ experiment, were as violently opposed ,
>" abolition as are any, at this moment, in tn
In United States The experiment has bee
We made before their eyes, and they car
he not be deceived as to its operation. l, wa