The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-06-29
NUMs BEER GO.

were all drawn from elementary right" 81 adj
here to the ethics of the Revolution self-ev-
dent truths ofthe Declaration of Independence are
still sefevident truths" &c. A" Hold The opinion
that ONE HUMAN BEING CANNOT BE
MADE THE PROPERTY OF ANOTHER,
That persons and things are, by the laws of
nature and natures GOD, so distinct that NO
HUMAN LAWS can transform either into the
other" Here we have the substance and the sum
of the creed of ABOLITIONISTS. And now
will not this great statesman apply these founda-
ton principles of the morals of politics in every
case to which they are obviously applicable? We
did hope he would. We did hope that,
when he should come in contact with any" HUI
man Laws" which were enacted for the express
purpose Of transforming ssperSonS" to "MingS" ac-
tually making one human being the properly of
another" as literally so as the article caught on
the hook of the fisherman is made property" by
sale, he would declare the absurdity and wicked
ness of such law, and in the name of Nature
and Natures God" demand its repeal, whether
enacted by single despot or Republic of des,
pots.
For what purpose did Mr. Adams declare his ad,
hesion to the SelfepideM ethics of the Rerolltion
Was it to show their impracticability Not in
the case of " the revolution" which was accom-
pished by Them, surely, And, if that great event
proved their practicabihty, why despair of
their potency in any other case? In astounding
contradiction of himself, however, we find him
making their mpractcablty" his principle ar-
gument against attempting their application to
the abolition of the American human chael sys.
tenn
IT cannot be dome. Why? Because "four
ffths" of the people are unwilling to do it.-But
has Mr.. Adams all at once lost sight of the pow
er of persuasion, the power of truth on the human
mind? lfso where does he ground the hope he
expresses, that Slavery may yet SOnast'aae cease
If four tfths are not willing to abolish the near.
Gus system, why did not Mr., Adams address
" those self-evident truths" to the Judgment and
conscience Of the erring and SHINING multitude to
change aid revolutionize their sentiments Why
tell them that because they oiU not, therefore, they
can not do right, This doctrine, if heard from the
pulpit, would be secuted as arrant G'stiaoaaiagiSm,
nay as a cloak for sin. 1t is saying, we can't do
right and therefore we need not attempt it because
we 'front.'. In this way, the reader Of Mr. Ad-
ans Letter WHICH we are now publishing, will
see that great and and most acute logcian reasons,
in dissuading the citizens of this Republic from
petllioning Congress to repeal their own Slave
laws &c. &c. True he talks of the injustice Of
Congress abolishng slavery in the District of Cos
lumba, so long majority of the inhabitants of
that District opposed to snch measure. But
who compels those citizens to reside in that Dis
trict ? and under whose +" exclusive Legislation"
has the Constitution of the land placed that Dis
trict and why has the Congress been Consttu-
tionay empowered to legisate for the District, if
is not to exercise that power, except at the dic-
tation of the jewellers there? If Congress may
never rightfully legislae for the District, but as
the majority ofthe citizens orders them, why not
leave the population of the District to legslae for
itself, since it would always enact laws by ma.
ority, if left to itself There are undoubtedly
good reasons for giving to Congress exclusive jus
risdiction over the District, inasmuch as it is the
common ground ofthe whole nation to be appro-
priated and used as the will of the nation may be,
and those who choose to reside there under these
conditions do SO, and others are at liberty to
stay away or depart.
According to Mr. Adams reasoning on this
topic, the nation is to be governed by the District
and not the District by the nation,
Notwithstanding these obvious errors Of the Let.
ter, we rejoice in its publication, In the main,
1t is worthy of the highest commentator,
If we had room here, we could say word
about the true meaning of" immediate emancipa.
tion," which, wonderful as it may seem, Mr., A,
seems not to have apprehended. We can now
only say, however, that many things are immedi-
ate duties, which, we have to fear, will not
be done these many days. lfnohng is to be ur=
ged as as duty to be done Immediately, but that
which all men are disposed to do Immediately, we
may we'll despair of reforming the world for, in
all such cases, there is the same impractcabity"
of which Mr.. Adams speaks. But this species
of impractcabity can be overcome by convincing
those in error that they are wrong and inducing
them to do right. Here is the worlds hope