The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-08-10
From lions Waterman.
81 am an AbOlitiOnist-but''-

81 am an anti-Slapery man, but-ca1lnot go all The
meamSres Of modern abolitionists."
The above is an extract from the protested creed
of probably three-ourhs of all the anti-aboition-
lists of the North. The number who will appeal
to Gods revealed Word, for proof, in favor of A
merlcan slavery, is at present small, and the num-
Der who will attempt to maintain that ground, re-
minds us of the defeated king of Sodom and Go
morrah, in the Slime pits Of Siddim's Vale. The
objections, at present, then, are not so much "a
gainst the principles, as the odious measures OF
abolitonsts. That there have been some among
the abolitonsts, who in their zeal have adopted
measures which are somewha, Objectionable, we
do not pretend to deny; but we ask, what cause
is there under heaven, but some of its advocates
have adopted Objectionable measures We all know
that even among the professed friends of Christ's
religion, there are some who have adopted wrong
measures but yet, we, who are christians in prin-
cipe, do not think that sufficient reason whv
we should give our influence and support to inf
deity. But what are those measures which are
so repusive as to cause our ant-abolition friends
to stand alool, and give their influence against
what they consider true and correct principles!
First, "Abolitionists represent all shareholders
as sinners against God, and in the road to hell y
That aboltionists say that all saveholding, to
say thC ledot VI IL, Is r.etPlS DUCK ny lIauu, tne
hire of those who have reaped down the fields
and of course, sinful in the sight of God, we do
not deny; but whether all the Shareholders are in
the road to hell OF not, is question we do not
pretend to decide. How much allowance God
may make for their early impressions, and their
present prepossessed views, and strong prejudices
in favor of their Divine Institution" is what we
are not able to determine. No temperance man
has any hesitation in saying, rum selling, and rum
drinking are acts of sin against Cod: yet, no one
will say that all who sell, or drink ruin, are in the
road to hell.-The last clause, then, of the above
objection is an "ant-aholitonist" mistake
Another objection is, "Saveholders are repre-
scented as being ignorant" We do not object to
the charge but ask how they can be otherwise /?
We do not accuse them of being ignorant bout
everything; but simply the sin of slavery. We
admit they have more to do with slavery than we
have, and that is the prominent reason why they
are ignorant of its true character. We do not 60
to the highway robber and hear him tell how gen
teelly he has taken his neighbours purse, and how
well he has used those from whom he has taken
the last dollar, in order to know whether it is
sin TO steal. Who would think of going to the
"gate way Of hell TO inquire about the sin of H.
centlousneSs! as soon as to our southern prison
house, to inquire about the sin of slavery? 1t is
natural LOT man 10 reject the light when he knows
it will prove his guilt. No man would expose his
diseased eyes to the direct rays of the sun, when
he knew it would prove their ruin: and what
stakeholder will open his mind to receive plain,
logical arguments against the sin of slavery, when
he knows by so doing, thorn will pierce his al
ready troubled breast; or he be compelled to let
the oppressed go free, by breaking off every yoke
from his human beasts Of burden, and making
men and women of his goods and chattels. Ig-
norance is the only plea we make for our
southern brethren take this from us and you de-
prive us of the last and only apology we have for
shareholders.
H. Dunn.