Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-12-04
ANT1-sLAvERY CONVENTION.
TowNsHENp. VT. Nov Ok ,aa.

TowNsHEND, VT Nov. 25, 1889.
10 the Editor o the Vermont Telegraph:
Sir:-l send you for publication IN
your paper, the doings OF the Quarterly
Meeting of the Vermont Anti-slavery So.
cie:v, holden in Townshend, Nov. 20,
1889. H. N. GRAVES, Sec of Con-
The Convention organized by choosing
the Hon. w. r. SKATER, Moderator,
and Rev, H. N. GRAVES, Secretaru-
The Hon. w. R. Ranney, Hon. C.
Phelps, Rev. J. Parsons, Rev. Mr.. Bur-
roughs OF Manchester, and MIR. [. Nc
Shafter, were appointed Committee to
prepare business for the Convention.
The following Preamble with the ac-
companying Resolutions were reported,
and unanimously adopted:
1t is the intention of all philanhropic
governments to secure, next 10 their own
perpetuity, the happiness and prosperity
Of their own citizens, and of the world
and while all wish to endure, it is Free,
or Democratic Committees alone, that
would do so through the intelligence and
morality of their constituent members
Yet great as are the inducements to
knowledge and virtue, it is not to be con-
cealed that, in republics, where Offices are
elective, and all have share in the ac-
tive concerns of Government, that the ex
citement of party politics and local inter.
ests tend to obscure and degrade those
great first principles that are the only
safe guards OF Popular Liberty. 1t is be-
lieved that we can secure to ourselves
safety at home, or respect abroad, only by
a strict and constant reference to our
first great republican principle, THAT all
men are created free and equal, entitled TO
the enjoyment Of life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness While sue should
De the rule in order to gain for our protes.
taiIons of attachment to liberty much
credit; it is not to be denied that the Am
erican Republic now occupies towards the
rest OF the nations peculiar, and before
unheaFd of position. 1t contains in its
origin and constitution denial of Baron
ial privileges, and of the Divine Right of
Kings; and yet it.retains and fosters in its
midst, an institution which holds and treats
man as property, by a tenure more strict
than that of ancient Usllanage, and which
is without parallel in the civilized world.
We consider that the institution of slave
ry as it exists with US, tends 20 DESTROY, s.
does materially lessen the influence Of our
great experiment Of self-government, up
on the progress Of liberty and the ac.ss-
nowledgemen. of the right of Man, thro'-
out the despotic world. Nor do we forget
that. peculiar as is the position of the Re-
public in regard TO other nations, its policy
as connected with slavery is no less sim
galar m regard to the citizens of our
own. The slave, as between the master
ana himself, Is regarded merely as prop
erty, while his personality, as between the
master and the rest of the community.
forms the basis of representation-thus
making his humanity, in the only place
wherelit is recognized, "a reason and a means
Of the more deeply lnjuring and Cypress
ing him. Anti-Republican as was this
coalition at lis outset, its peculiar work.
ings have osly the more fully developed
its pernicious tendency. and have shown
that the spirit Of slavery as il - the an
tagonist principle of liberty, 80 il is all
grasping, and never will be quieted until
it has reduced the Iaborer Of all colors to