The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-09-28

salage that he would fling off forever, he needed
no labored and long wnded argument to convince
him that the fugitive had right to himself and a
claim upon the sympathy of his fellow-men, and
from the mere impulse of humanty he was prompt
ed to aid him onward to a land where the clank of
the fe,ter and the crack OF the whip should no lon
ger vex his ear. find much Of this natural fee
ling in the community, and have seen enough to
convince me thatt is steadily and rapidly on the
increase. The human heart unless grossly per
verted from its natural impulses, by interest or by
prejudice revolts with horror from the proposition
to return the fugitive back to his bondage or to
render any facilities to the pursuer, who follows
like bloodhound on the track of his painting prey;
This feeling of sympathy for the wronged' ana
disposition to assist him in his escape, IS by no
means confined to those who are proiessedly aoo-
litionists. Tell such men we have IN Pittsburgh
an editor who will advertise for the man-hunter,
and civil officers who will prostitute themselves
md their station to the Infamous purposes OF the
kidnapper, and they will look into your face with
the utmost evident incredulity, and seem restrain
ed ONLY bv courtesy from accusing you of SANDER
ing the officia! dignitaries ofour city Alas how
blind to all the teachings of humanity, or how
dead to every finer impulse OF the human heart,
must he be who can lend himsefto the man-hun-
ter and for paltry pittance become an accessory
before the fact to the horrible crime of man-seal
ing
Though our fellow-raveer would not hesitate
to aid the fugitive slave in his escape, he could
by no means entertain the idea of immediate e.
Emancipation He was asked why he objected,
Oh said he with much apparent sincerity as if
history and common sense had not uniformly
taught the contrary, " it would be dangerous-re-
volt and bloodshed, anarchy and desoation
would ensue." He was requested to give his
reasons for entertaining such an opinion, but
though evidently intelligent other subjects, he
could give no reason for his belief except that sit
must be evident to every one that such must be
the results of emancipation. He was pointed to
the British West lndies-to Antigua, where
emancipation was instantaneous to other islands
which had rejected the apprenticeship system af-
ter the trial of four years-to Mr.. Scoble'S I'M
questionable testimony of their present prosperity
and steady advancement in intelligence, morality
and wealth-and he was dumb He could not
deny the facts, yet they proved position SO to-
tally opposed 10 the one he had assumed as nds-
putable, that he evidently knew not what to say,
and therefore, like wise man, said nothing.
was happy to find that one of our travelling
companions was an intelligent and apparently
warm-hearted abolitionist. He had recently re-
turned from tour of four years in Europe and
had much of the ease and gentleness of manner
which extensive intercourse with the world, added
10 naturally kind feelings, will give one He
had once been shocked at what he considered the
principles of the abotionsts, but an investigation
of them had resulted in the conviction of their
propriety and their consequent adoption. He des-
crlbed graphically the feelings of an American in
Europe, when an alluson was made to this mon
ster-sin of our country" There" said he, =" our
local attachments are merged in our affection for
our country a whole. We regard it as a unit,
and feel for its reputation accordingly. We are
not Pennsy lvanians, nor Newly orkers nor New
Englanders-we are not northern men nor south
ern men, but americans, feeling Jealous for our
national reputation, and alive to her honor in the
estimation of the world. "Oh." said he, "with
our professions and our institutions, Slarery IS q
great lie, and is looked upon by other nations
withou. excuse or palliation In England the
subject cannot be avoided. 1t meets one at every
turn 1t is all pervadng as the air you breathe.
The moral sentiment of thenaton is alive with it.
and they are determined 10 give slavery no quarter
while it remains this side Of its own appropriate
sphere-tbe bottonaless pitt In France. too, the
great deep of public sentiment is broken up
Inquiry is ecited-investigltion is going for
ward-and the mind Of the nation is rapidly rip
ening for colonial ncipation. How idle it is
Tor our Southern states to expect to cling to this
unnatural institution? The public sentiment of
the civilized world is fast concentrating against
it. 1t cannot survive the onsent. We do not
live in an isolated country, walled about by feu-
dalism and kept aloof from the moral influences
which are abroad in the earth upon their mission
Of good.-The sentiments of others must affect
our own In little while slavery will exist in
no civilized country except the United States
Then, its doom in our own land will be sealed,
1t must soon be abolished, and the sooner it is
done, the easier will it be for the masters, and
the better for all parties who are now involved in
it..
Such was The substance of our tourists re-
marks interspersed with interesting and frequent
ly amusing anecdotes; and when on the after
noon of the first day we parted company for d.
vergent routes, we all felt that we had lost an in
teliIgent and agreeable travelling companion.
The journey over rough road and through
the mud and wet during the ensuing night was
sufficiently wearisome and trying to the patience
OF the sleepy passengers. Among our number
was lady with an infant child. How assidu.
ously she provided COR its comfort at the sacrifice
OF her own She watched over it through the
long and weary night with sleepess care, hold
ing it in such position that the ionp Of the
coach should not injure it while awake nor dis.