The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-09-07

10 the CAazehS Of The United States
numerous convention of American citizens,
assembled under call from the American Anti
Slavery Society, at Albany, on the 3lst of July
lS39-to consider the present bearings of Ameri-
can Slavery upon the welfare and happiness of our
common country, and the duties which consequent
ly devove upon us as American freeman in pro-
noting the abolition of the system, embrace the
opportunity to spread before our fellow country
men, the free electors of the United States the fol-
lowing statements.
We find that the encroachments of the Slave
holding Power upon the liberties ofhe free ct-
zens of the United States, and upon the free prin-
ciples and institutions they cherish, have reached
aheight which gives just occasion of alarm: while
various deceptive and corrupting influences are at
work, calculated to mislead the people TO their un-
doing; and the greatest danger arises from the
apparent Inconsistencies of the public mind of
the existence of any danger or of any departure
from the principles of liberty.
The great principles of Liberty and of Human
Rights, in connection with civil government,
which are of universal application, but of special
obligation upon citizens of the United States, are
these:
eve hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal, and are endowed by
their Creator with certain inalienable rights; a.
mong which are life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
pness."
"That to secure these rights" mot to infringe
them) governments are instituted among men,,
deriving their Just powers" under God " from the
consent of the governed, and hence, no govern
ment can derive, either from the people or from
any other source, the just power to violate those
nalienable rights, or to transgress those funda-
mental laws of nature and of God, by which the
rights of men are ascertained, guarded and def
ned.
That the grand end for which civil government
is instituted is ito execute judgment between
man and his neighbor." In other Words "the
rightful power of all Legislation is to declare and
enforce only natural rights and duties and to
take none Of them from as. No man has natu-
raj right TO commit transgression on the equal
rights of another, and this is all from which the
law ought to restrain, him. Every man is under
a natural duty Of contributing to the necessities Of
society, and this is all the law ought to enforce on
him.-When the laws have declared and enforced
this, they have fulfilled their functons."*
"And that the true foundation of republican
government is the equal rights of every citizen in
his person and property, and in their manage
ment."* Hence majorites have no just power,
to infringe the inalienable rights of minorites or
of individuals, either in constitutions or statue
laws: because it is the very object of government
10 protect the few against the many the weak a.
gainst the strong, the wronged against the wrong
doors.
The people of the United States, when they
took their rank among the nations of the earth,
declared themselves bound by decent respect for
the opinions of mankind, to set forth the reasons
which justified so important an nroad upon the
established order of things; and just regard for
the memory of our honored fathers forbids the
thought that in these trying times, they should ex-
hbit any other than true statement of the princi
Piles and motives under which they acted. In the
Declaration of Independence, they grounded their
right to become naton,not on their possession of
power 10 assert and maintain their independence );
not on their desire Of liberty, and the determina-
ton to live free or die; not on any concession of
chartered privileges British Subjects entitled to
the immunities of Magma Charta but upon the
doctrine of inalienable rights, conferred by the
Creator, and which they possessed in common and
on equal terms with all men,. To the mante-
nance of national sovereignty on these principles
and the establishment of such a form of govern
ment as should protect these rights, they soemnly
pledged their lives their fortunes, and their sacred
honor The successful establishment ola nation
al sovereignty going forth under this banner, was
an era in the history of man. 1t carried terror to
the hearts of despots and hope to the bosoms of
the friends of liberty, when they saw a nation RI
sing up thus pledged to support the great self-ev-
dent truth Of inalienable rights or perish in its
grave.
The people Of this country were therefore pre-
cMded not only by the nature of things, but by
their own free act and solemn VOW, from estab-
fishing frame Of government which should pos
sess any "just powers but for the protection of
these inalienable rights, in conformity with the
laws of equity and Of God. In forming the Con-
stituton under which we now live, they either full
filled the pledge made in the Declaration of indie
pendence, or they violated it. If they fulfilled it.,
then the government they established is designed
for the protection Of the inalienable rights Of all
men, and should be construed in conformity with
the principles Of human liberty. If they did not
fulfil that pledge, then, by their own showing and
by the laws of God, they forfeited their right to be
an independent nation, and vacated the GREAT
DIVINE CHARTER on which alone the constitution
of rightflA civil government can be founded
and it follows that have a constitution possess
ing no 6 just powers" over the people, and 10
which the people consequently owe no allegiance
Had the Constitution expressly recognized the
Declaration of Independence as part Of our fun
damental law, there would have been no prctex,
for denial of this position. The State of Mas