The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-07-20

ter of prevailing philosophy writes Its features ii
81 light or darkness on the face of the moral heavens
and is too often the darkening cloud where is ac
cumulated the elements ofthe direlu storms, which
shower calamIties on the heads of its blinded vic
tins. Philosophy has power that arms canno
conquer, and when it accommodates its precepS
to the passions of depraved man, in ustifyins
wickcdness and sin, it is the convoy that shields
his pirate heart from the decorations of public scorr
or of the stings of an accusing conscience. 1t is
this prostitution of philosophy, that light of the in
ellectual world, which Paul refers to, under the
designation Of spiritual wickedness in high places
The spirit of slavery holds philosophy in pros,
titution TO the vilest passions of the human
heart. And in this enlightened age philosophy
thus prostitued, seeks against the influence of the
gospel, to establish its despotism over the nations
of the earth.
The reason why efforts to abolish the slave trade
have proved futile and unsuccessful is, that philan,
thropists have been occupied in the consideration
of some specific evils, while they have neglected
to pour in light and truth into the public con-
science, to pacify the spirit of the age from the
pollution yelling darkness Of save-holding philos-
ophy. AS the editor of the Emancipator well OBJ
serves, the British government instead OF decar-
ing the slave trade piracy, should have extended
| its denuncatons to slavery, and thus have laid
the axe at the root of the tree
The laws against the slave trade, though their
origin was with the purest philanthropists of the
last age, have proved themselves, but mere tenn
porizing expedents with the spirit of iniquity
And the result is such as may always be expected,
when we merely attempt to curb the influence Of
an evil, which it is in our power to destroy. We
may give different direction to its current Of DEATH
but we do not decrease the malignty Of its pol
luting poison nor diminish the number OF its VIC
TINS.
The colonization scheme which does not pre-
same to interfere vith the subject Of sacery,' is
lower grade of the same species of trucking to the
spirit of oppression. Among the opponents of the
slave trade in the old world there were individuals
who could declare slavery SIM and the withhold
ing of freedom from the slave the most detestable
species of robbery. But the colonization society
neither declares nor patronizes such a doctrine.
1t leaves the slavery justilying philosophy in the
full might Of its darkening power. Leave the
work of emancipation to colonizationists and the
horrors of slavery will not only continue to darken
our southern borders, but will spread their wither
ing blast over the fair face of our northern land
scopes. The gang and the quarter the whip
ping post, and the cat o'nine tails, will become
the common appendages of the Eew-Endg landers
home; and the slave driver and blood hounds will
make up part Of his domestic establishment. Nay,
more, Old Eng land herself will sink from the light
of her liberal political principles, and her pure and
difusve philanthropy into the bigotry of the dark
ages. Her ships filled with manaces for human
victims will again sail triumphant from her shores
Her church will again yield to the man-stealer the
boon of her prayers, and the British Lion will
present terrors to the poor African far dread
full than the land of his native jungles Alas, for
poor Liberia, if colonization influence is to be left
10 swell its current till it floods the civilized world.
The poor man who has been in his old age Sc
luced from the land of his birth, and tempted a.
cross the boisterous deep, that he might find a
quiet grave for his bones and home for his chill
iren may see all that he holds dear on earth torn
from him and carried back to the scene of his suf
lerings and his tears, to supply the increased
demand for slaves that will have arisen & will be
preferred under the countenance of colonization
ISM
But thank God, this dark picture which is the
only rational prospect, that can be had in the prem
iscs, will never be realized. The principles of
human liberty and equality of right, have not yet
been lost to the world, and there are those who
dare to assert them even to the sacrifice of inter-
est, reputation and life. We thank God that he
has raised up set of men in these last days, who
have not feared to beard the lion in his den in at
The light of the gospel to reflect its enormities.
Abolitionsts have commenced the work Alright, in
directing their efforts to the reason and intel-
gence of the nation, and with truth for their weap-
on and the zeal of martyrs to stimulate their e-
forts, they must certainly triumph, when the de-
mand for slaves will no longer exist, and the
slave trade will die natural death. 1t is under
the guardianship of these principles that Liberia
WILL alone, find her safety. These principles a
mong her sons will alone deter them from partici-
pating in the slave trade, and these principles
the civilized world, will alone secure
her coasts against the visits of the SLAYER and her
people from its captivity. We rejoice that we
have it in our power to impart these principles
which are as weapon of defence in the heart OF
their possessor-a safeguard in the day of evil
even to the poor exies of Liberia. And while we
assure them that they are not forgotten in our
prayers, we hope to sec the day, when the wicked
pre- JUDGE which has driven from our shores, will
be changed to benevoence and kindness, when
their OStraciSm will be abrogated and we can
welcome them to the land of their childhood, be-
come truly the land of Grecdom-when their re-
quest as they come to the fountains and groves
where the pastime of their early years was pass
ed in temporary respite from servitude; to live
and die there, to read heaven-inspired instruction
Il