The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-05-25

tegataneate results. Honest men no longer sat-
lshed to acknowledge in theory the truth of a
great moral principle, or self-evident proposition
and in practice to give it fiat denial. The whole
strength of our warfare against SlaUery lies in the
simple proposition that all men are morally bound
TO CARRY OUT IN PRACTICE tile truth fMe Declara-
taon Of Independence, that " all men are created
eqmal," and the plain and positive requirements Of
the GOSPEL-and lore orr meighbor as our
Set0eS, and to do to others as ocou5d that they
should do to as. When men and women have
been trained in such a school as that which the
Ant-Slavery enterprise has furnished, and have
fully realized the power and efficacy of the prn-
ciples which it has taught when they have stood
up, and in the face of those to whom they had
been accustomed to look as their superors and
guides have advocated the correctness and dem
onstrated the truth of those principes-when they
have seen the folly and the error of depending up
on others for instruction, without exercising their
own powers of mind in short when they have
accustomed themselves to refer all their actions to
the test of examination and the scrutiny of con-
science, and to yield willing obedience to its die
tates, it is in vain to attempt to restrain them in
the exercise of their moral and intellectual facul
ties, or to dictate to them any code of morals or
any course of action, which will not bear the test
of their own Investigations, and meet the appro-
baton of conscience.
The unparalleled success which has attended
the efforts Of the modern abolitonists, must be at
tributed in great measure, to the fact that, at the
COMMENCEMENT of the enterprise, their principles
embraced tie WHOLE GROUND necessary to be occu-
pied in order to accomplish the object they had IN
oae1c.
The doctrines of IMMEDIATE EMANCIPATION, first
asserted by VIM LLOYD Garrison, and subse-
quently set forth by the American Anti-Savery
Convention, simple and self-evident as they are,
comprehend the entire ground of controversy,
which has since been SO vigorously maintained
between their advocates and the defenders of sla-
very.
Indeed they constitute the elements of all ra-
tonal liberty. Unlike the apostles of some other
great moral enterprises, aboltionsts have never
had to spend their energies in the arduous and I'M
profitable work of recovering their brethren, or
of raising their standard above the position which
it at first occupied. But fixed and immovable as
are principles the measures, which are the re-
suit of those principles, have with propriety been
varied according as change of circumstances has
indicated the utility of assigning to one or anoth
er greater or less degree of prominency. Hence
the removing of obstacles thrown in our way by
the Colonization Society; the unlocking of meet
ing-house doors, closed against us by timid or
mercenary hireings, or bigoted sectarians /; the
of the right of free discussion, and a
free press, in the face of lawess and brutal mobs
the right to an equal privilege of the United States
mall the right of petition; church action, and
political action,-these and many other measures,
have, each in their turn, demanded and obtained
different degrees of attention, at different times,
and in different sections, as the interests OF the
cause seemed to require. 1t is not surprising that
in an association like that of the American Anti
Slavery Society and its auxiliares, embracing men
and women of almost all compilations, creeds and
parties, extending over wide spread territory,
and requiring but one test of communion, there
should be great diversity of sentiment on many
collateral questions, and on the degree of impor-
ance which should be attached to different meas
lres in order to accomplish the result-the over.
throw of slavery.
Whilst one, believing that the system of south
ern slavery is mainly upheld by the support of
northern churches, and therefore, that church ac-
lion is the all important weapon to be welded
against it, may be zealously engaged In trying to
close all the northern pulpits against the slave
holding minister, and to exclude the slaveholdlng
professor from the northern communion tables, an
other equally confident that the ballot box is the
most effectual instrument for its adjustment, may
be as actively employed in enforcing the duty of
all consistent abotionists, who 60 to the polls, to
there the bond-men as bound with them
In these diversities of views and corresponding
action, there need be no contention among breth-
there will be none, so long as we all
keep in view the original conditions of our asso-
citation. and are content that each should work in
his own way to discharge his duty to the slave
so long as he does not by act nullify his other
abors in his behalf-and so long as all strive to
maintain that spirit of charity without which all
our professions are but as sounding brass or
linking symbal.
Let us then strive to walk together in love. To
labor vet little longer with the full assurance
hat if we faint not we shall reap an abundant re-
ward.
ROWLAND T. ROBINSON, Sec'y.
AT the Annual Meeting the A. S. S. of Fer
risburgh and vicinity, held 18th Sd month, 1889,
Voted, unanimously, that the Annual Report,
ust read by the late Secretary, be adopted and Of
cred for publication in the Voice of Freedom, Vt.
Telegraph, Vergennes Vermonter, and lions
Watchman.
NICHOLAS GUINDoN, President. |
HENRY MILES, Secretary
- ,
CONSCIENCE SPEAKING oUT.-A learned man in !
his country who has written a Bible argument |
,bcb ,oon,, of his readers consider as an attennt