Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-07-18
Vol. X....No 43

Of
1t, for the sake of some highly valued pripi-
1ege, which must else be forfeited, or for the
avoidance Of some dreaded eril, which must
else be endured. repeat-it-there is no
man living, who would not prefer freedom
to slavery, other things being equal.
AS third reason, you say that "experi
ence is against freeing slaves, and permit
ting them to remain in the United States"
Hhdt experience 2 Why, emancinated
slaves, to very great extent, are poor and
r1cious." But is it possible for freeman
to be poorer than slave,-poorer than one
who "can have nothing. nor acquire any
thing, but which must belong to his mas
ter?" Are the emancipated more ricious
than those who are still in bondage? And if
so, is ii freedom that makes them so? Or
is the fact to be ascribed to other causes2
Take care my brother: II freedom has this
tendency, in the case Of the blacks, it will
have the same tendency in the case of the
a0hites,-fo men are very much alike, If
slavery is wholesome & salutary restraint,
! in the one case, it will be in the other. And
if.ths be good and valid reason for keep
ing the blacks in bondage, il is equally good
and valid for the enslaving OF the achites,-
at least, so many of them as are poor and
ricious. Such are the reasons, by which,
in your judgment, oul brethren are justified
in holding their fellOw-men, as me'cho"-
dize goods and chauels. Such aye the Diff
fculties in the way Of emancipation, which,
| in your view, appear $50 formidable" Re-
ally, my brother, am s"rp'1sed,-l say 1t
with no harsh or unkind feelings,-but
cannot forbear TO express my surprise, that
such f1msv and miserable pretexts should
oe offered as reasons.
Taking it for granted that there must be
slaves, you ask, "May they not as we'll be
in pious families as in those in which there
is no piety?" With equal propriety it may
be asked, $50 long as' rum is sold "by the
laws of the States" may not the bushes as
we'll be in the hands Of pious deacons, as in
, the hands Of wicked men? The answer 10
f both questions is-kTo. Ii is not well for
Christians TO give the sanction OF their ex-
ample to any wrong. If evil mast be per-
petrated, let it be perpetrated by the evil
, The influence of good men should be thrown
] in the opposite scale.
You ask the Conventions where they
=, find authority in the New Testament for
their advice?" l Cor.:v. 1l-"l have writ
= ten unto you not to keep company, il any
man that is called brother bean eTtoT-
- TONER with such an one no not to eat,"-
Slave-holdng is the most fragrant species OF
+ extortion. Cor. vi. TO-" Nor thee CO.
o shall inherit the kingdom Of God" 1t was
shown IN the Circular, that holding
n was the highest kind Of theft. See also, |
u Tim. i. 10, where uten-stealers are ranked
r with criminals of the highest grade. Again.
l. l Tim. vi. /, Q. Yes, the authority is in
d that Scripture,"-"Let as many servants
;, &c.-Even this furnishes proof that slave
lr holding was not tolerated in the primitive
ir churches. Fl distinguishes such servants as
e. were umler the yoke, from those who had
ir beliering mdsiers,-thus obviously imply
y ing that the latter were not under the yoke.
o | forbear TO adduce additional authority, on
ly for the want of room. The New Tesla
ment abounds in it,
You speak Of "the odiun1 which is con-
stantly cast upon our slave-holding breth-
, rem, "--"the unmcrited reproach" with which
" they are loaded, &c. | am sure speak The
| fool Of ho
u they have no disposition to cast odium, or
q to utter reproach. They address their bretN-
J. rem ia the spirit Of kindness, but at the
<, same time, they feel that God requires them
J. to be faithful. The Circular was rot de-
'r signed, as you seem to imagine, as "a blow
l. and Southern Churches lit was rather an
E. effort to preserve and strengthen that union,
re by removing that which has already married.
or and which threatens to destroy it. Union IN
v, error and wrong, is undesirable. In order
ID to that uniol which is truly valuable, we
to must meet on the common ground of trH'N
- and right for the voice Of inspiration has
Of declared, that though hand join in haOo'
~ yet the wicked shall not go UNPUBLISHED
have studied 10 shorten what | had 10
- say, e have omitted 20 notice several things
80 inyour letter, which really seemed to reqa"'
- some notice, only because would not be I'd,
~ reasonably tedious. II, in any points, nav,
'e not done justice to your views, forgive H.
~ assure you, the wrong is unintentional' u
81 if any thing have written seems se'"s'