The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-02-02
N UNs BEER ..

more than all the horrots which belonged TO this
bloody commerce on the African shore.
The bloody slave coasts of the Gambia, and
Senegal OF Africa, were transferred to the Poto-
mac, the James, the Pedee, Cooper and Ashley
and the Savannah rivers. Washington, GEORGE.
town. Alexandria, Richmond, Charleston and Sas
vannah We're the marts of blood, where those hu-
man being contracts were made, where wives and
husbands, parents and children we're torn asunder
and uttered the frighdul shrek and farewell of
despair. Yes, these towns have been the grand
slaughter house of the hottest of the human ties.
| When inquest shall be made for BLOOD we'll might
these Chorazins, these Sodoms and Gomorrahs
cry for the Alleghanies to fall on them, and hide
them from the accusing ghosts Of ruihed and thrice
murdered families! This trade in slaves on the
high SEAS or on the coast of Africa, American law
and American humanity has pronounced the
crime which man can commit against man, and
has declared its horrd perpetrators, pirates, and
punishable with DEATH Oh horrible lnconsis-
tency! That which is piracy 5000 miles off, by
our laws becomes, by the same lawgivers and
part of the same code when transacted at home
in our own sight, so far from being the highest of
human offences, it becomes respectable business,
not inconsistent with the duties of private citi-
zens; Judge, President of the United States a
member Of any Of the Christian churches, yea,
a minister in those churches; such mighty
change takes place in the criminal code of the Uni
ted States by sailing through some 40 degrees of
longitude, from the coast of Africa to the capital
of the United States at Washington.
Georgia and South Carolina threatened theft
sister states that they would not come into the
Union, unless the Constitution of the United
States guaranteed the continuance of the old Af
rican sldvetrade twenty years after the adoption
of the Constitution, BECAUSE they alledged they
could purchase slaves direct from Africa or catch
them in Africa for half the sum they would have
to pay the old states of Virginia and Maryland
for slaves and these states further urged that they
would not come into the Union, unless the free
states would consent to become lldnappers and
catch the fugitives slaves for them when they ran
into the free states. For as they had run the
slaves down in Africa, and conferred SO great a
blessing on the country by bringing them over,
therefore, to encourage the South in its laudable
the South insisted that the North,
or free states were to act the part of shepherds
dogs to scare, catch and return their wandering
aocks when they came into the northern parts of
the land. So these chvalrous states insisted on
three points as "sne qua mons" lst The Afri-
can slave trade should be extended twenty years
I'd. That the free states should deliver up fugi-
tive slaves: and Sd. That they should count for
the basis of congressional representation, five of
their slaves the same as three of our citizens
Before the adoption of the Constitutions con-
slant system Of threatening was kept up, that un-
less all the humanity in the world was violated,
they would not come into the confederacy; and
now the cry is that unless We permit these same
states to be considered honorable pirates, they will
90 out of the Union. 1t has always been held
over our heads, in terrorem, first, that they would
not come in; and now that they are In, that they
would not stay in. And so, these chivarous
states have kept the North holding its BREATH oc-
;asionally having conn5ption fits, lest the chiva-
Gus human-fesh importers should become enrag-
I'd at our northern maxims, contained in the Dec
aration of independence, that they would run
'ut of the Union down some steep place, and get
,hoaked in the sea.
This nation will, in short time, be divided in
o two great parties which will swallow all others
Up, to wit an anti-slavery one on one side, and
pro-savery one on the Other; the first holding
hat all men are created equal; and, that labor is
honorable in all; and liberty the fight Of all;
while the latter or pro-slavery party holds that
me portion of the country is born to be slaves to
he other; and that labor is dishcnorable, and
,adge of meanness, and kindred principle with
lavery.
The lberty-loving, labor-honoring party the
lave-holding, bor-despsing party--to this COM
lexion the people of this country must come at
asst. This will be the grand division between
he political parties of this country,
Ye men and women of Vermont, | know
iced not ply you with arguments, to show which
ide of this important alternative you should es-
ouse.
You have always been on the side of humanity
nd justice in this great question of slavery. Ev-
ry thing here teaches you liberty; these rocks
nd hills, these memorable winters,-all command
ou as from above, be industrious, laborious, fru-
al, and Just. Your position and soil are perpet-
al guarantees that you will be industrious, that
abor must be considered honorable; where these
1ings exist men will love liberty and hate slavery
r history is liar and experience without instruc.
on.
EXPEDENCY.
Our fathers have left us one of the most in
ructive lessons ever given to mankind, showing
ne folly of expediency; and, its wickedness
hen adopted by nation, in opposition to the
lain command of God, and the dictates of hui
lanity, and the sober counsels of exact justice.
may not be Improbable to glance at some Of
lese governmental gales of eXpediency, into
hich our fathers and the present generation of
ublic men have been betrayed under the notion
OF ,,rosstt ovpod;ancy rennired ms aS n oatio,,