The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-07-27

whilst 1t would devolve on it a further duty of e.
planning wherein those patrons are guilty of 0
l. tering robbery for sacrifice. The prophet Ma
S chi faithfully pointed out to him who gave decci
: fully and hypocrtically to the Lord, how he va
n guilty. The offender brought that which wa
S torn, and the lame, and the sicl' and whilst h
, vowed and sacrificed, unto the Lord a CORFU
e thing, he had in his flock a male Now,
Malachi explained in the case of deceitful ofie
ings, SO, if there be occasion, let your Board 70
low the safe and binding example of the prophet.
f and explain how it is, that portion of the cor
: trbutors to its treasury are guilty of offering roE
J berry for sacrifice. Let your Board but deal hon
estly with its .slaveholding contributors, (or the
are the robbers to whom we refer.) as the prophe
dealt with deceitful gvers, and an actual case, il
which they will be called on to decide whether
is proper for them to receive slavehold er's gift
will very seldom, and most probably never occur
Let your Board flash upon the eyeballs and hun
der in the ears of Shareholders Gods testimony
against those who offer robbery for sacrifice anC
let it moreover explain wherein they are robbers
and wherein their citations are the fruit of rob
berry and this fidelity will secure its treasury a.
gainst the gifts Of shareholders, eflectually as
did the flaming sword the garden of Eden against
intruders. Hitherto the board has pursued an
opposite course and hence have the gifts of slave
holders flowed abundanty into the treasury. Is it
not obvious, that, in pursuing this opposite course,
| the Board has gone counter to the Bible? Nay
more, is not this opposite course Inconsistent with
ards those of them, who needed, and whom it has
therefore visited with admonitions to be more free
and liberal with their gifts
The course of the Board hitherto has been
such, as to invite rather than repel the savehod-
ers gifts; for it has been such as to teach the
Shareholder that his expressions constitute but
light sin, if, indeed, any sin at all, in the eye IF
the Board. Slaves have been hired, and even
bought, on account of the Board, though believe
this practice has ceased and | cheerfully ad-
NIT was never pursued with motives of gain.
When the Board increases its number, the fact
that a candidate is a saveholer is no objection to
his election. And, who should succeed in becom-
ing its last appointed secretary but the Rev. VIM.
}. Armstrong, of Virgnia-that eminent hater OF
the cause OF abolition, who, in one of his commu-
nicatlons charges upon aboitionsts violent
reckless, and wicked spirit!' 1t may not have
been to soothe and please shareholders, much as
it looked like it, but it certainly was not 10 please
aboitionists, that Mr.. Armstrong was raised to his
present responsible and honorable office. That
your Board are not disposed to offend the slave
holder, may be inferred from the tone of the
pamphlet you have sent me. This pamphlet,
which, | presume, expresses the sense of the
Board, says that "a division in our religious and |
benevolent societies about slaveholding, is no more
proper than would be similar divisions founded on
different and conflicting views, which the friends
of these societies entertain on other great questions
of morals and politics. We have it, therefore,
on the authority of the American Board of Com
mssioners for Foreign Missions, that there is no
less reason for our going on harmoniously with
STAKEHOLDER, in a religious or benevolent society,
han with one, whose views about the tariff, or
he currency, differ from your own.
Your board is evidently at disagreement with
God. He tells robbers that he hates robbery for
sacrifice. Your Board, on the contrary, avoids
'ufing the selfcompl acency of the robbers, who
contribute to the treasury, and smoothes the way
or these gifts. The pamphlet under considera-
ion declares that your Board has nothing to do
with slavery and that does not feel obliged to
ook after and condemn it. But polite in the eye
Of worldly prudence, as is this Indifference to sla-
very, how unlike is it to that plain and frank deal
ing with corrupt contributors to the treasury and
The altar of the Lord, of which we have obligato-
ry examples in the Bible!
Butyour Board may say, & to be consistent with
some things they have said and done, they must
say that the Shareholder is not robber; and
therefore their duty towards him, can in no wise,
De inferred from Gods declarations respecting the
sacrifice ofrobbers. 1t must be admitted, that, in
,ase the Shareholder be a robber, your Board are,
N view of the scriptural reasons adduced for it,
pound to express their adherence of his sacrif-
,ial gifts. The question, whether the Board has
been right or wrong in refusing to express their
,bhorrence, turns clearly the further question,
whether the STAKEHOLDER be, or be not, robber.
Is not the American STAKEHOLDER robber? |
lslt not what he is in the public opinion. In that
he may be generous, chivalrous, and high-mind-
ID gentleman. / ask what he is in truth and in
act Public opinion is an unsafe guide in ascer-
aiming what is morally right or morally wrong.
MIR. Graves, whose hands are stained in the blood
If poor Cilley, justfes himself on the ground,
hat public opinion, which sanctions duelIing, is
he paramount law of the land A dozen years 5
lgo it was no crime, in public opinion, for man {
o get living and to roll up wealth, by destroy
no the bodies and souls of his nelghbors, with in
oxcating drinks. Now public opinion may be as
wrong on the subject of savehoding, as it ever |
las been on the subjects of duelling or rumsell-
ng. repeat the question is not the American
lavehoer, in truth, and in fact robber! For
bundant and unanswerable proof, that he is, re-
er you to the slave code, which he himself has {
Al 49,, &C Al hail l.