Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-05-06
letter, of which the following is an exact
/" CINCINNATI, OHIO, }
Tan a 1910. {

Jan. A, 1910.
Dear Edward IL have proposition
to make to you which do not know how
you will receive. 1t is to get from you all
the negroes sold you, and their issue, at
the price you took them-or rather as
many of them as | can secure freedom to-
There may be some of them SO situated
as to refuse to come into free stale for
their freedom. But what | wish of you
IS 20 let me have them all, if | can secure
freedom to all, or as many of them as |
can possibly succeed in emancipating. |
feel that slavery is SINFUL and that | was
wrong 10 sell those ! had. | had no
right from God to them, and thus con-
vlnced, shall never be easy in mind un
til L cansget them out of bondage fairly
and honestly. | have thought about this
mailer from beginning to end. and as [
love my Savior, | feel that ought 10
clear my skirts entirely of the response
bility of slavery If it must continue, let
the responsibility rest upon those whose
consciences allow them TO uphold it. But
cannot stand my convictions on this sub
ject any longer, and now throw the re-
sponsiblity entirely upon yourself, if those
slaves | sold you be not emancipated.
make you the distinct offer to take them
back. IF you refuse, the account stands
between you and God. | do my duty in
making this appeal, and you must carry
the matter to the jud 9ment seat of Christ.
But beg you, Edward, to ponder the
subject we'll before you refuse. Remem-
Der that these are immortal souls whom
you are to meet at the bar Of God Oh,
let them not have to say, we were in pris-
on and you comforied us not. suppose
it will be struggle il your mind what to
do; but, Edward, for the sake of making
sordid dust of the earth, let not your heart
disregard the welfare of these poor slaves
| can get them here. and here provision
can be made for them in one of the coun-
ties In this State, where they can have CD
portunity to rise in character as well as
worldly prosperity Let me know if you
are willing to do it, and then | Can adjust
The matter for them.
i l will not occupy any part of this letter
to prove TO you that slavery is wrong. buI
it has no sanction in the word of God
but to show you what think about it.
send you little tract that has been one o
the means of settling my mind. 1t may
help to get your consent to let me have
the negroes back.
Your affectionate brother.
VIM. II. BRISBANE.
p. S. Let me know what you will tax,
for June, and if can get Jeffry, shoult
YOU be willing to let me have their wve
Dianna and Daphne! w. H. B.
To Edward H. Peoples, } .-
LavtoariLIe, S. c." s...
t My object in exhibiting this letter is, +
show that not only have the conviction
that slavery is wrong, but that am will
ing to make restitution for the wrong
did, in selling those slaves that had
0 right to demand of me their liberty, BIT
\ whose ignorance and weakness, or chris
b ian forbearance, prevented their seekin
!. that justice which by nature belongs
$. them. And now it will probably be ash
!. ed, how arrive at the conclusion tn;
n slavery is wrong to man and 81
= against God will answer this first &
n a man, and then as christian
Il AS man, know the principles of OF
e. Declaration of Independence. | belie'
j. that our noble fathers spoke the trut
ed when they declared these truths to
n self-eyident: that all men are create
rit equal, that they are endowed by the
ry Creator with certain unalienable right
We that among these are life. liberty, and t
tie pursuit OF happiness. There are son
on things SO obvious, that their simplici
ID makes it ridiculous to attempt to pro
! | them-and hence it is, that our not
RS fathers made no attempt to prove. that
Ar- men are created equal, that they have
Use natural right to Liberty; they did |
,it- dream that their sons would be such 81
ny p!etons as to require proof of this; a
zen hence, instead of attempting to demc
md strate it, they called il self-evident tru
au- And there is not man who has the ST
10 it of man, but feels he has as natura
ce! right to freedom and independence as
he proudest monarch who sits upon thro
vas AS a man. conscious of my own rigl
by and Jealous of those rights, feel {
that man is degraded. who is so humb
say as not to know he has right to libe
ID and independence. AS christian,
| may submit to wrong, but as a man,
Iree must feel that it is mis- tyrant's power al
hen that makes him a slave. What int
that gent man is there who, when left to
the impulses of his nature. uncontrolled
ETY., the grace of God, does not excl;
ion, Give me liberty, or give me DEATH
at I do not christians themselves fight for
sm" dom, and did not he who lives in
him hearts of his countrymen as the Fatht
rom our independence, fight for the liberty
,pir- enjoy: and was not Washington ch
[ re- ian I do not say that christian o