The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-10-08
From Me'yNe,0 York american.
THE CAPTIVES OF THE AMISTAD


From, heN.Nev York american.
THE CAPTIVES OF THE AMISTAD.
We cannot deny to ourselves the pleasure O
Furnishing the following communication, which
we find in the Post OF last evening We homo
the ReU. Mr.. Detoey, for that he had the boIdnes
to speak out when so many are interestedIy 81
lent, or clamorous on the opposite side--ant
although he as minister of The gospel, may ash
with something of scorntul ncredulity, wherein
should consist Goodness" in the expression oil
an honestly entertained opinion, we, who see
more q! the workings Of this every day world
tell him there IS boI,lness, and, in proportions
honor, in thus standing for right, that is ,inpou.
nIar, and truth that is denied by time servers
and the faint professors Of Hypothetical freedom
but strenuous and earnest defenders OF actual
slavery.
TO the Editor Of the EUening Post -
My Dear SIR The following brief extract
on the case of the Prisoners of the Amistad.
from a discourse which delivered on last Sun.
day morning, have beer requested to send for
insertion to some of The public prints. | con.
TESS that am induced to do it, not more by the
request, than by the comment which have fe-
quenty heard since Sunday, on the bodDcss Of
the passage. Boldness, sir ? Has it then come
10 !his-thar, from the unhappy controversy
which has arisen among lis, concerning Slavery
we are TO be prevented from expressing the
sentiments of common humanity If il be so.
then think it is time that those who are no!
Abolltloniss, rs am not, in the technical sense
of that word, should let it be known that Meth.
er are they caIlous to the claims of eternal ms.
tice. ORVILLE DEWEY.
What if we were doomed to take the place Of
those unfortunate men, who are now immured
10 The prison of neighboring cy,-yes, and
mmnred there for the very act which has rem.
dered our forefathcrs llustrous--for drawing
the s,rord for freedom We build the sepui.
chres of our fathers, and incarcerate those who
have Initiated them And know not but the
abused freedom of our discussions on q kindred
toplc-abused alike in the maintenance and in
the resistance of them-has lcssened the sensi.
DIhy which just and generous people ought
to feel, to HE affecting that is presented to
US.
Let me then turn from the particular subiec,
OF my discourse to speak of it for a moment-
a company Of persons are torn from their
homes and sold to the man stealer that ever
ar9Yls. al acknowledgements tA.enr ana urtucTy.-
These unhappy persons thrust into the hold
of slave -ship--treaied with n cruelty never
inflicted OH heasts-suffer all the Understandable
horrors of the middle pdSSage-and at length, |
are landed upon ain unknown shore, far from
their country, their children and their homes
Their repurchnse in Havana, their change OF
masters, their conveyance on board ship, alters
not the case to them it is all one tissue of wrong
fast strengthening into HE bond ofendlesS slave
~. 1.-THE worm, trodden on, will tnrn--if the
insect, pressed by an unwary hand, will sting
if the wild beast will tear and rend to free him
self from the hunters tOis-wiil not man, con,
scious of right in his bosom, rise against the in
Justice that binds him to hopeless captivity !
know not what the laws Of nation what trea-
ties and :orlpac,s may demand--bnt | know
what humanity demands-whut Justice demands
And the man who will not groan within him
self if these already suffering, wronged and in
iured beings must he sent back bloody death
in Cuba, deserves not himself to be free.