The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-08-31
EUl8 VGEJlA OBJ BIB ADOMc
From the Emancpaor.
DEBATES IN THE ANTI-SLAVERY CON-
VENTION.
(CoNTINUED.)

Qer cOnSlueTaLlOn,
Rev. Mr.. Cornish of N. Y addressed the con
vention. He said that he was opposed to the res
oulon, in part, and hoped ii would not prevail
He was induced to hope so, because he knew
from personal experience, the evils OF dsiranchise
ment. He belonged to race that had long SUI
fered under them. There was no evil in the
Church of Christ greater than that of prejudice a
gainst color: but this pre- udice was caused Who'll
" by the dsfranchsement of coored PERSONS
IT. when the Constitution was adopted, they hat
been entitled 10 vote like other citizens, there
would have been, now, none of this prejudice, but
they would have attained to the same political en-
inence as white men enjoy. Tdere was no pref
udce at the South against the colored race: il
was the interest of the planter to love the coIored
people. 1t was in the North, where the colored
man was nomnally free, but had no political
rights, that his race was despised and hated. 1t
was enough that the colored people were disfran-
chised,-let not aboitonists share the same fate.
If they ceased to vote at elections, they would
soon find themselves little more respected than
the colored race. They were respected now, on
ly because they held political power,-let it be
understood that this power was not to be used,
and they would soon find themselves of no con-
sequence in the State. Where we were deprived
by the laws of all political power, we were inva-
riablv trampled on and abused. If aboltonsts
would voluntarily place themselves in the like sit.
uation, they would experience ere long, similar
treatment. Mr.. c. therefore, approved the reso-
luton so far as it declared that abotioniSts ought
to vote: but he disagreed to so much of il as de-
clared that they must vote for no man who was
not an avowed advocate of total and immediate e.
Emancipation. Now the prominent candidates for
the Presidency, at the next election, would, in all
probability be Mr. Van Buren, and Mr.. Clay; but
according to the sentiment of this resolution, the
friends Of abolition could vote for neither they
must be, therefore, practically DISTINGUISHED, and,
then, who would care for them? In some of the
States nothing was so obnoxious to people, gener-
ally, as abolition and abolitionists. The members
of both political parties hated abolitionsts even
more than they hated each other. Well: there
would soon be two great political conventions to
make their nominations, and every body knew
that no abolitionist could be nominated by either.
Must, then, every abotonist in the country be
diSlranchised? 1t was not TO be thought Of Ii
was often said that when two moral evils were
presented TO US, we had no right to choose either.
And this was true-but might we not use the less
to prevent the greater? Might not a man throw
his arm before the sword of an adversary to save
his head? Now, suppose the nominating conven-
tons should present. for the votes of the American
people, Mr. Van Buren, and Mr.. Clay, and the
former should say, am not in favor of immedi-
ale abolition-I will do nothing to promote it, but
| will not do any thing to oppose it; and the latter
should declare, If am elected will oppose abo-
lon with all my strength; and it should thus be
manifest that he had sold himself to the South.
Might not aboltionists make use of the present
incumbent 10 prevent the coming in of greater
evil?
Again. abolitoniss should not withhold theirI
votes, because the powers that be are ordained off
God, and would be created though all abolitonsts
shou'e Stay al nome Mr.. C. believed that the
Church of Christ had greatly erred in this point.
She had too long folded her arms under the SEN
timent, that Christians have nothing to do with
politics, thus surrendering the management Of all
our public affairs to men of the world. The nat
ural consequence had followed, until every station
in the State was abused and degraded by worldly
principles Now the church had no moral right
10 pursue such a course, and if the resolution
should be adopted in its whole length, this was
the course which abolitionsts must pursue. Why
must they pursue this course in politics, when mol
such thing was held necessary in matters of rei-
gion or of education? When abolitionists elect
ed professors for our colleges, or pastors for our
churches, did they exact from them pledge that
they should vote and act in favor Of immediate abb
clifton? No. And why must politics be exalted
So''SiS'S''
If they took this stand in politics, let them take
the same stand in the church, and carry out their
principles into other relations of society. Why
go to the polls at all if some good was not, there
by, to be effected. If there was no hope Of sue
cess from voting, why vote? The object was to
use politics as means of securing great points in
morals-but if this resolution should prevail, the
franchise of abolitionsts would be useless. Be-
sides, we had never read of or seen an instance
where a political effort had been successful, and
the power obtained had not eventually been abu-
sed. Political papers were always full ofaccusa'
tons against the incumbents in Office and the cry
was still against the abuse of power. Now, if alb
olitonists could by the exercise of political inAu
ence, SO far succeed that they could elect any man
they pleased every year, and thus completely gov
ern the country, Mr.. c. feared that they were not
so perfect but that they might be corrupted, and,
in the intoxication of power, might forget the
slave. So, while he held political rights to be sa-
cred, and powerful engine in advancing the alb
clifton cause, he believed, at the same time that
they ought not to refuse to vote for any candidate
unless he came up TO the standard of an immediate
nboIltionst. 1t appeared to him to be letting
down OF the dignity, importance, and glory of the
cause, to declare that they would resort to politics
TO advance it, but yet so perfect was their creed of