The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-08-31

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statesmen. What was to be feared. from an ex-
preston Of opinion on the part of this body, as
Christian men?
Mr.. Goodhue of Shoreham again addressed the
convention in bold strain of impassoned elo-
quence' especially repudiating the idea that the
clergy are bound.o keep themselves aIoof from the
cause of the slave, because the institution is up
held by the bloody hands of the legislator. Be-
cause niquty had been "Gramed by law" was
no reason why we should hold our peace and
:" suffer sin upon our brother" Whatever might
be said on the score of expediency, or of lime and
manner our silence would be interpreted in favor
of the iniquitous system. We shall still be set
down as treating the ministry and laity of the
south as though they were not guilty.
Mr. Wright of Woodstock addressed the Con-
venton in opposition to the motion, taking sub
stantially the same ground with Mr.. Marsh.
Mr. Converse of Burlington was not pleased
with the manner in which it was proposed to APP
proach the subject. He informed the Convention
that he was greatly opposed to slavery. His opin-
ion respecting the system had been formed from
an actual residence in one of the slaveholding
states. He alluded to the exasperated state of the
southern mind as going TO show that the present
movement. was i'll adapted to produce the desired
result. Like the man who besought the Indian
for his bow-andarrow,-th more he wanted the
bow-and-arrow, the more the Indian wouldn't let
it 60.
Mr. Morgan of Vershre refreshed the minds of
the convention with parallel historical incident.
A man by the name of Moses, who was an abo-
1itionist, went to Pharaoh, and preached the doc
trine of immediate enaancipation-[" Let my peo-
pie CO. that they may serve me. ']-but the more
Moses preached abolition, the more Pharaoh
aoouzd'mt let the people go.
Rev. DR.. Tappan of Maine, next addressed
power to give his entire speech. His matter and
manner were alike delightful. He gave, in the
first place, succint view of the action of the
Maine Convention in reference to the slavery
question The Congregaonalsts of Maine had
not gone so far as to. address admonitory letters
to the protesting Christians Of the South They
sent letters to the southern presbyteres, making
inquiries in the first place. as to the statistics of
81 ,very in the churches the means Of instruction
enjoyed. the prevailing views Of enlightened
Christians in the South, as to the snfulness Of
the slaveholding relation, &c. Among the re-
plies to these letters was stating that it would
be perous to lay the subject before the presbyery.
Another took the broad ground of the McDuffie
school, that slavery is a gospel institution. DR..
Tappan intmated that it was the intention in
Maine to keep up this episolary intercourse with
the south, in the hope that good results might fol-
low. He alluded TO some objections which
brethren had urged against any action for the pres
ent, urging first Of all, the duty Of ministers to
" remember them that are in bonds as bound
with them In answer to the objection that
slavery was a political institution, he. said that
idoatry, too, was political institution, but Paul
and his Christian brethren did not, on that ac-
count, feel themselves absolyed from the duty of
bearing testimony against the peculiar institu-
ton" of idolatry Whatever relation the ques-
ton bears to politics, must obey the laws of
our Divine Master. In reference TO, doubts
which some INDUCED, as TO the probable effect
Of Christian admonition, he was constrained
to think that they implied too much distrus OF
The power of truth. He continued for some time
10 urge upon the body the duty of remembering
our brethren in bonds.
Mr.. Richardson, of Concord, was rather pleased
with the proposal to address our southern brethren
For some time past he had felt himself in a diff /
:ult position. When inquired of as to his views
IN this question, he had avowed opposition to sla
'ery but in reply to the question: What are you
LONG p he had been obliged to confess, very little
Now if the convention would pass upon this sub
ect and address aflectionae epise to the south
I'm churches, he would then have it in his power
o refer to the action Of this body as something
which had been done, and in which he had borne
part.
Prof Hough, Of Middlebury, expressed himself
With some warmth in favor of entire silence. He
epudiated, slavery as abhorrent to every feeling of