The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-06-08
THE VOICE @D NIB1s1s1D@mto
Speeches at the Anniversary.
ANDREW HARRIS

tIeman OF color, was introduced bv the President
as graduate of the University of Vermont. He
spoke with much freedom and force, in support of
aresoutlon That the degradation and crime charg-
ed upon the free coored population of this coun-
Try, Is the result of the wrongs under which they
suffer-
1t is with no pleasant feelings, said he, that l
stand here to speak in relation TO the wrongs of a
portion of the inhabitants of this country, who, by
their complexion, are identified with myself. 1t is
with feelings of great responsibility that stand
here as their representative.
Who of our pilgrim fathers, when they entered
ship and committed themselves to the waves
when the breeze carried back the echo of their
songs, ever thought the day would come, when an
assembly like this would meet on the island of
Manhattan, for such an object? Who would then
have supposed, that the oppression and wrongs OF
millions in this country, would have been so great
as to call together an audience like this If an in
habitant of another world should enter one of
these doors, and look abroad upon these thousands,
and ask For what are you assembled 2 and the
voice of the multitude should be heard in answer,
I'VE have come here to hear and converse about
the wrongs of our fellow men : would he esteem
it light or trihing thing, which has brought this
audience together
But from whence spring these wrongs? The
original source from which they spring, is the cor
ruption of the human heart The beginning of
its Development is Slavery. Shall | again point
to the South, and depict the suferings of the
slave If the groans and signs of the victims of
slavery could be collected and thrown out here in
one voley, these walls would trembe, these pillars
would be removed from their foundations, and we
should find ourselves buried in the ruins of the
edifce. If the blood of the innocent, which has
been shed by slavery, could be poured out here,
&c nd orb fhauc
not swim they would be drowned. If the tears
that slavery has caused to be She'd were poured
out here there mig be sea which to ply
the oar in exercise of sport and diversion. But
this is not all-the anguish produced by the sepa-
ration of husband and wife, children and parents.
and the scourges of the defenceless and unoffcnd-
ing slave, are fathomless sea, and an ocean
without shore.
But slavery does not stop here. 1t presses
down upon the free people of color. Its deadly
poison is disseminated from the torrd regions of
the South to the sfrigid North. We feel it here
Yet, with all this if the coored man is vicious,
if he is not elevated is set down to his natural
stupidity and depravity, and the argument is rails
ed that he belongs to inferior race. The col
ored people are also charged with want of desire
for education and improvement; yet, if a colored
comes to the door of our institutions of lear
ming, with desire ever so srong the lords of these
institutions rise up and shut the door and then
you say we have not the desire nor the ability to
acquire education. Thus, while the white youth
enjoy all these advantages we are excluded and
shut out, and must remain ignorant. 1t is natu-
raj to suppose, then, that there should be more
crime among u.s. But is this crime properly charge
able to the colored man, as evidence of the vicious
propensities of his race?
Again, in the social relations of life, wrongs are
Inflicted upon us that are grievous and heavy toI
be borne, and we must fold our arms and bear it.
But even this is thrown out a taunt against us,
that we do not speak of our wrongs, as evidence
that we are too stupid and degraded to feel them
WHILE if we rise to defend ourselves, and to plead
our cause, the torch and the brick-bat are poured
out as arguments on the other side. AS speci-
men, will mention what | experienced in my
passage to this city, from the city of broherly
love- so called but as to the claim it has upon
that title, leave the ruins of Pennsylvania Hall
to answer. On the way, they refused to give the
colored man a seat, but put him up in boxes, as
they would monkeys or wild geese. And why
was this was it because he had no money? No
Was it because he was not decently clad No.
Was it because he was an idiot and they feared
he would annoy the company with his fooshness?I
Not is because he has the complexion which
God has gipe7s him. The bible says the love of
money is the root of all evil; and if the love of
money is predominant passion anywhere, it is
in this land. Yet without dsputing the correct
ness of the declaration, il seems to me that slave
ry has developed passion in the human heart
that is stronger than the love of money; for they
refuse to crafty this disposition which the bible
says is the root of all evil, through the influence
of that still deeper root of evil, prejudice,
Again the colored man is deprived of the OPP
portlnity of obtaining those situations in society
which his enemies say he ought to hold, Incapable.
II he wishes to be useful as professional man,
merchant or mechanic, he is prevented by the
color of his skin, and driven to those mental en-
ployments which tend to bring us more and more
into disrepute.
The church itself was not free from parcipa-
ton in the general guilt of depressing the black
man. He feared that some of her pastors would
in the great day. have the Judge say to them, tho
we have cast out devils in my name, yet this dew
il of prejudice you have not cast out of your own
hearts--and though you may have done many
wonderful works, one great work, that of enanci-
pating the slave we have left undone.
Time would fail me, said he, to depict all these
wrongs Yet, with all the oppression and odium
that is heaped upon US here for one, would ra-