The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-11-20

Says III. Armstrong ESQ. ,-"Thore is no possible
danger of personal violence from the emancipated
Slaves Should foreign power invade island
have no doubt that the negroes would, 10 a man,
! fight for the planters"
could multiply testimonies were it necessary
but will give only single additional extract,
| showing the overwhelming gratitude with which
they received freedom. 1t is from the Journal of
Thome Il Kimball =
" The Weseyans kept 'watchnight, in all the
ChaPels on the night of the 3lst fully Qhe even
ings preceding the day of emancipation) The
spacious chapel in st Johns was filled with candi-
dates for Liberty. All animation and eagerness
a mighty chorus Of voices swelled the song of ex-
pectation and joy as they united in prayer, the
| voice of the leader was drowned in the universal
acclamations of thanksgiving, and praise and bles-
sing, and honor, and glory to God, who had come
down for their delverance. In such exercises the
evening spent until the hour Of twelve APP
preached. The missionary then proposed, that
when the clock in the cathedral should begin to
strike, the whole congregation should fall upon
their knees, and receive the boon of freedom in
silence Accordingly, as the loud bell tolled its
first note, the immense assembly fell PROSTATE up
on their knees. All was silence, save the culver
ing, self sed breath OF the spirit: The slow notes
of the clock fell upon the of the multitude =
peel peel, peel on peel, called over the PROSTATE
throng, in tones of angels voices, thrilling among
the desolated chords and weary heart strings -
Scarce had the clock sounded its last note, when
the lightning flashed WILDLY around ,sand loud
peel of thunder roared along the sky-God's pillar
of fire, and trump of jubilee moment of pro-
broke forth in prayer they shouted, they sung,
GLORY, 'allelujo' they capped their hands, leap
ed up, fell down, clasped each other in their
free arms, cried, laughed, and went to and fro,
tossing upward their unettered hands; but, high
and above the whole, there a mighty sound, which
and anon sweed up-it was the offerings in
broken negro dialect, of gratitude to God. After |
this gush of excitement had spent itself, and the
congregation became calm, the religious exercises
resumed, and the remainder of the night was
occupied in singing and prayer, in reading the BIZ
BILE, and in addresses from the missionaries explain
ing the nature of the freedom Just received, and
exhortng the freed people to be industrious, steady
obedient TO the laws, and to show themselves in all
things worthy of the high boon which God had
conferred upon them"
How natural the conduct here described how
devout the spirit, how exquisite the sensiby, how
overwhe lining the gratitude of these condemned
ones" How unlike the scenes predicted by mer-
cenary aud cruel task masters. How invaluable
the testimony in behalf of universal ennnclpalion
Here the Abolitionist has living demonstration
Of the correctness of his principles, When he
s told that his principles carried would spread
devastation and death through The land he has on
y TO point to British emanc patton. But will not
weaken the force Of this testimony. | leave it
with all its power unbroken. May the day soon
every Amercan-and when American oppressors
shall lilly respond to the calls Of Inspiration,
thus seconded by Divine Providence. "Let my '
people go, that they may serve me''-when they
shall "break every yoke"-when they shall, 'loose {
the hands of wckedness, undo the heavy bulden
and let the oppressed 60 free Then shall their
9 light break forth the morning, and their health
shall spring forth speedily, and the glory of ihe
L ord shall be their ward