The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-01-19
Letter from Maria w. Chapman.

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you on so interesting an OCCASION can be other
wise than present in spirit? May briefly all
Jude to few topics of deep interest to our cher
shed cause, and which, in the press of business Of
absolute necessity relating to It's visible aspects,
are less frequently dwelt upon, than their impor>
lance demands,
When we were feeble and few, and before we
had had opportunity in our associations to exer-
else the energy and activity which create bust
ness, we were drawn together chiefly by sympa-
THY and the desire to give and receive encourage
ment, to commence the attack on an evil so great,
that to have imagined its extinction, thought
la sufficient evidence of monomania. There was
then time for full discussion of principles and
thorough examination and comparison Of meas
ures. Now the case is different. Having put
many pieces Of machinery in motion, there will
naturally be tendency to expend on these moro
time and energy than they actually need, and the
discovery of other and even more powerful means
may thus be prevented. There may exist, with
some activity in the cause, an ignorance of its
great principles, with an absurd sensitiveness re-
garding matters of detail, Many of our measures
are settled; settled as our principles, of which,
indeed, they form part. Respecting other meas~
ures, on which there is not unanimity of opinion,
would that meetings expressly for their discuss
ion might be multiplied, so that want Of time might
be no pretext for their exclusion. Even under
our present arrangements better that an hour
should, in the judgment of many be wasted than
that one man should endure the suppression of his
thought, Why should we be guilty of deceit and
meanness, by crying out, as if to point of order
when the real uneasiness is, lest measures thas
are not our lavorte ones, should be adopted
The deep foundations of the Anti-Slavery caitae
are those on which the universe rests They ltlsf'
'-preserve the stars from wrong;
And the ancient heavens hro' these fresh
strong
But there is a shallower and more technical
ks
that il is bounded on every side by other moral
considerations, and that there are many with vi ch
it is inseparably mingled, as the web with the
wool. When | have seen aboltonists shrink
from the examination of any subject bearing col
literally on the cause, OF comprehended within
its imits-when I have heard them contend that
we should but acaSte time in defending freedom of
discussion or that question to the eligibility
of women, or of persons of color, to membership
and IFS rights and duties, in our associations, was
irrelevant: or that the admission of works of fic-
ton; or the use of the products Of slave labor
should never de debated or that the discussion Of
the practice of supporting our principles by fire
and sword, should be silenccd; or that any Of the
numerous points in jurisprudence, theology OF met"
aphyscs which touch our canse, should be avoid
ed have deemed witnessed as unfortunate
movement as his would be, Who in projecting a
railroad through the land, should make circuit
at every intervening obstacle. Not such should
be the habit of SOUL of those who would make
straight in the desert highway for our God"
The enlarged soul and enlightened intellect secs
in the policy which shrnks from boundary ques,
tons, and withdraws the spiritual vision from "Iook-
ing forward to the things which are BEFORE" no
greater evidence Of wisdom than, he exhibits who
sunderS the locomotive from the train
Cur principles owe their mighty power to this:
that they are infinite, eternal, and Interchangeable
the proper and only means of spiritual renewal
to that part of us which is immortal. May we be
so penetrated and enlightened by them, that we
shall shrink as from selfdestructiop, from the at
empts men call on us to make, to destroy their
essence, that they may have mammal existence
in narrow and selfish hearts. While we labor
diligently to occupy every inch of the temporal
territory of the cause, let us not forget that the
high spiritual ground, commands the low country,
Let us entrench on the hilltop, nearest Heaven.
We have talked much, and Justly, if not effect,
ually, in reprobaton of the disgraceful conduct of
clergymen, statesmen and legislators We have
told them what in our judgment, they ought tic
do. The time has now come to tell them what
we aDW d. If each member of your meeting
should become pledged TO-DAY, 10 rotc for No
MAN to fill any a6fce erho is not AN ABOL-
listen to NO PREACHER ap1o is
not AN ABOLITIONlST-to belong to NO
CHU RICH echich gires its sanction to sareAclding,
to pay the annual appropriations till no,c giren
in support Of a pro-slare1y church and ministry,
into the treasury ofhe God ofthc pocran9 cnSlac-
ed-to a0it4draa0 the childhood and youth Of tie
land, (as far as one person moy) Jrcao the cr com,
munjcotionS and teachings Of S'tch men GS DR.,
Wayand; if the spirits that compose Your meet
ing to-day should become quick and mighty, even
to the dividing asunder, would not the praise and
the dread of you shake the land. and tyranny melt
away from beneath your gaze, its ice from the
Fear not to lose even in numbers,
by the most elevated course. Not until we be
lifted up, shall we draw all men unto us.
In conclusion, pray God to crown your assem-
bly, with all spiritual benedicton (; to make YOU
quick to see and embrace the right to strengthen
YOU to resist every temptation to sacrifice any real
thing to the semblance Of union. IF a principle or
a measure pertain essentially to right, it may not