The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-05-18


preciate the force of moral obligations in their pc
litcal as we'll as social relations, and consequent
ly trample the rights Of others under foot.
We will not now quote those newspaper para
graphs which have asserted that the people a
the North must HANG ABOLITIONISTS il
order to preserve southern trade, or that public
opinion at the South would justify Southern mem
bers of Congress in DRAGGING from their floor
an ex-President of the United States, or that any
man who should presume to speak to the slave
holders on the immortality of slavery, 8 in that
same moment should have his tongue cut out anC
cast upon dung-hl Let those things 90 fol-
their value. We take official documents
The following is extracted from resolutions
agreed to by both houses of the Virginia Legis.
ature Feb. l6, 1885,
Resolved, That the non-savehodng States
are respectfully but EARNESTLY requested prompt
ly to adopt PENAL ENGAGEMENTS, or such
measures as will EFFECTUALLY SUPPRESS
ALL associations within their respective limits,
purportng to be, or having the character of, abo-
lition societies."
The following is from resolutions read three
times and ratified in General Assembly of N. c.,
Dec. 10, 1885.
Resolved, That our sister States are respect
fully requested to enact PENAL LAWS, prohib-
iting the PRINTING within their respective linn
its ALL such publications as MAY have TEN
DENCY to make our slaves Disconnected"
The following is from resolutions unanimously
adopted by both branches of the South Carolina
Legislature, Dec Is, 1885.
Resolved, That the Legislature of South
Carolina, having every confidence in the justice
ANNOUNCES her CONFIDENT EXPECT
nd
ernments of these States will promptly and Eff
FECTUALLY SUPPRESS ALL those associa-
tons within their respective limits purportng to
be abolition societies." &c. &c.
From resolutions adopted unanimously by the
Legislature of Georgia.
Resolved, That it is dee ply incumbent on the
people of the North to CRUSH the traitorOuS de-
signs Of the abolitioniStS.
From resolutions of Alabama Legislature, Jan.
Z, 1886.
" Resolved, That we call upon our sister States,
and respectfully request them to enact such Pc
NAL LAWS as will finally PUT AN END to
the malignant deeds of the abotionsts"
The spirit which dictated these resolutions will
not rest satisfied until the all-graspng spirit of
slavery has swallowed up all rights except the
right claimed by the strong and the cunning to
raffc in the bodies and souls of the weak and ig-
1orant.
Political liberty, it would seem by their vocab-
llary, consists in enslaving their fellow men-the
obbery of the poor as one of their inalenable
lights and the bare discussion of those subjects,
~ the citizens of the non-slaveholdng States,
gross infraction, or in their own language, an in
'asion of their vested rights that must be silenc-
I'd and put down. in the digniGed language OF
Mr.. WISE wiM cold steel and Du Points best
From the foregoing it must be obvious that in
,ttutions so at variance with each other as are
hose of the North and the South, cannot long CO.
,xst under the same general government. We
lave seen with what strides the demon of oppres-
ion has advanced upon US. The foul leprosy
which the trainers of the constitution clearly saw
vas so repugnant to its fundamental principles
hat they refused to name it under the delusivc
expectation that it would soon be banished by the
orce of truth and Justice, has been extended by
heir recreant sons, and the 100000 victims have
increased to 100000, seven new slave States
ave been added to the Confederacy, with terri
Dry of 10000 square miles, larger than that of
II the free States.
We have witnessed the arrogant and tyranni-
al encroachments off its advocates and supporters,
to ingulph every vestige of liberty.
Thank heaven, the dormant spirit of liberty has
cen awakened in the North-its faithful watch
len have sounded the alarm-no one who has
7atched the signs of the times can doubt for s
loment that the struggle has commenced. A cri- c
is is approaching in which one or the other must
btain the ascendancy. We have deep interest
stake in the conflict We have seen that south c
IN statesmen now defend slavery on the ground C
lat the colored race are the legitimate property
f the white-but that aborers are rightfully the C
roperty of the capitsst. How soon and in what c
tanner this conflict must terminate must depend
great measure upon the yeomanry and me- C
nanics of the free States-the numerical power is
18th us--we have yet majority of members on
he floor of Congress, provided they were faithful il
nd true to our interest. If we are united in our Il
forts and unAinching in purpose, the victory will p
ours. Not victory of blood obtained by the a
vord the musket and the bayonet, the instru- i:
tents so often invoked by the dealers in human a
esh-both in and out of Congress- but by the
saceabe and constitutional instrumentality Of the
allot box. r
{" That weapon that comes down still u
AS snow flakes fall upon the Sod +
But executes freeman's will a
As lightning does the will of God" a
Finally brethren, we have only to will, that here
e proud waves of Southern arrogance shall be p
aid, and it is done. Let us firmly resolve not re
support any man as candidate for any office
station possessing influence in the decision Of al