The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-04-06
Resolutions.
contempt.

At meeting of the Providence Anti Slacerg
Society, held at the Union Hal on Wednesday
evening" Feb. 90, for the purpose of taking into
consideration the speech of Henry Clay, recently
delivered in the Senate of the United States, on
the subj ect of slavery and its abolition the fol-
lowing resolutions were introduced, and after be-
ing discussed somewhat at length, were ordered
to be published for the use of the Society.
Resoloed, That the speech of Henry Clay on
the subj ect of slavery and its abolition, delivered
in the Senate of the United States the 9TH inst.
is founded on falSe principles is anhaman IN ITS
tendency; is filled with Misrepresentation of the
abotlonists, appeals to some of the worst passions
of our nature, contains essentially the doctrine of
despotism, and therefore at war with the funda-
mental principles of our government and is de-
serving the indignant reprobation of every indl-
vidual who makes the least pretension to regard
either the law of God the great principles of re-
publican liberty.
RESOLVED, That we are compelled to adopt the
above conclusions, for the following among other
reasons
LIST. Because, in declaring that that Is prop
erty which the law declares TO be property" and
in assuming it as an " incontestibe fact" that
men may be held as slaves, it recognizes the mon
strous principle, that human law is paramount to
the law of God, and that man may at pleasure
annul the commands of Jehovah Whereas, in
the language of Lord Brougham, we believe that
" there is a law above all the enactments of hui
man codes-the same throughout the world-the
same in all time it is the law written by the fin
ger of God on the heart of man, and by that law,
eternal and Interchangeable, while men despise fraud
and loahe rapine and abhor blood, they shall re-
ject with indignation the wild and guilty phantasy
that man r11, bO71 o,roDoot3J ;o1 ,n17, ~
Cd. Because it jus6es slavery upon the ty-
rants plea of necessity" and in declaring that
the liberty Of the descendants of Africa in the
United States is incompatible with the safety and
liberty of the European descendants, it asserts a
doctrine purely selfish in its origin and which
would justify the enslavement of any class of free
men, provided the majority saw fit so to do
Sd. Because in declaring that the abolition of
slavery in the District of Columbia would be a
violation of implied faith," it asserts what we be-
lleve to be contrary to fact, manfests reckless
disregard of the rights of suffering humanity, and
of the honor of our country.
4h. Because it endeavors to excite the worst
passions of the free aborers of the North, by ma
king the unfounded assertion that in the event of
emancipation, the slaves would enter into COM
petition with the white class, diminishing the wa
ges of their labor and augmentng the hardships of
their condition"
5h Because in declaring among other things,
that with the abotionists, " the rights of proper
ty,"" civil war, dissolution of the Union, and
the overthrow of this government" are mothing,'
he ISLANDERS large, respectable and patriotic por
ton of his fellow citizens, whose most anxious
wish is to establish " the rights of property" and
who so far from desiring to promote "cvi war;"
or " dissolution of the Union" are doing all
that in them lies to prevent these calamitous
events.
9th. Because I'VE believe the sentiments ascrib-
ed to the abolition party-that they mean to re-
move slavery forcibly if they must to be glar-
ing falsehood, and we repudiate the doctrine as
foul SANDER, and call upon the author or any of
his partsans to present to the public any docu-
ment, declaration or newspaper issued by any an
tl-slavery body, containing such sentiment
9TH Because we believe that God hath made
of one blood all the nations of men to dwell on the
face of the earth, and that the doctrine advanced
in this speech that the two races cannot live in
concord together, is virtual denial of the truth of
Divine revelation, false in fact, unsusained by his
tory, and refuted by the example of Britith eman-
cipation in the West Indies
9Th. Because we believe it to be a christian du-
ty to remember them in bonds as bound with them
to love our neighbors as ourselves-to do unto
others as we would that others should do unto us