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

For the Voice of Freedom.
Fifth Annual Report of the Board of Man
ayers of the Anti-Slavery Society of Ferris
burgh and Vicinity.
The Board Of Managers present their Annual
Report, under circumstances not little discour-
aging to superficial observers of human nature
aflording, in their apprehension, conclusive evil
dence that the Anti-Slavery cause is fast dying
away
+ Wherever the princip pies of abolition are exam
ined in their native simplicity and beauty, apart
from their bearing upon sectaran and political or
CARNATIONS and selfish interests, they never ail to
commend themselves to the ready adoption of our
fellow citizens.
The glaring inconsistency of republican slave
holding is so apparent, and the injustice and cru
city of the system of slavery, and the grievous
sunerings of it's helpless victims are so calculated
to awaken our indignation and sympathy, that
numbers, yielding to the better impulses of our
nature, have rushed to the standard, without suf-
icientlv counting the cost to enable them to per-
severe to the end. Others, especially in country
places where the mass ofthe people are less blind
ed By the influence of leaders in church and state,
seeing the popular current setting strongly IN our
favor, have fallen into the stream, IN the hope OF
making their professions of attachment to our
cause subservient to their own political or selfish
purposes.
1t was under such circumstances that our Soc-
ETY. was formed, in the Spring of 1885, and en-
braced as members nearly the whole adult popula-
ton, of both sexes in that part of the town where
our meetings were usually held, as well as many
others from more remote sections. Unlike the
Anti-Slavery warfare in most places, all opposi-
ton to the cause was reserved until after our or
ganization. Our political partizans and secarian
bgots were taken by surprise. But they did not
long remain prisoners to the sympathies of their
hearts. The will of their superors was soon al
lowed to resume its wonted dominion. AS soon
as it was asceraned tlrat the heads of one of the
political parties had declared hostility to the abo-
iton enterprise, their satellites forthwith respond
ed to the call and thus some who had been the
most lavish of their professions of zeal and de-
votion to the cause of the slave, turned away and
walked no more within An opportunity was al
so soon afforded of Witnessing the struggle be-
tween the true principles Of liberty, the claims of
humanity and the voice of conscience, calling us
to the discharge of our duty to Gods suffering
poor, and that sectarian spirit, which, clothed in
the garb Of an angel Of light, is too often mstah-
en- for real piety, and which, under false zeal
for the cause of religion, will sacrifice our hottest
obligations to God and our fellow creatures to the
peace. the false peace of the church 1t was moi
10 be expected that under the circumstances Of
our organization, we should escape the encounter
of this potent enemy to our cause; it soon mani
tested itself, and with its paralizing hand struck
some of the professed friends of the slave dumb
to his enreates and substituted for their Temporal
nv zeal in the cause of humanity, bible arguments
for slavery and apologies for their own Delinquent
cy.
The apostacy of few of these two classes
and the apathy of those in whom the seed of alb
clifton had fallen in stony ground, sprang up, bu
whered when sacrifices were called for, and as
natural consequence swept away that class who
had Joined us for their own selfish purposes
| They went out from us, but they were not of us
for if they had been of us they would no doub
: have continued with u.s.
} These facts are not adverted to with the leas
= unkind feeling neither are they exclusively ap
plicable to any one sect or party; but as faithful
J chronicers of events connected with the progress,
of our cause, we give them for the purpose of ex
planning the true cause of the detection of some o
2 our number; lest any attaching undue importance
to the fact, should thereby be led to infer tina
: abolitionism was dying away that lis friends
had become disheartened and were ready to give
? up their enterprise.
Let none apply this fattering JUNCTION to thei
souls as an excuse for their own delinquency, no
for moment imagine that the true friends of hu
Emantv distrust the soundness or potency of thei
principles. or the certainty of their ultimate tri
umph. Truth is mighty and will prevail. W.
trust there is still much larger proportion of ou
number than that which composed the conquerin&
t band, Gideon's army, who are firmly attached tt
t our principles and prepared with zeal and energy
i'm. sdlIa daorae nronortonate 10 the greatness O