Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-01-12

out. Brother Merriam will now bear
with me while point GU, /, him very
hurtful errors which he has fallen into in
connection with correcting me.
If be can be persuaded to turn his eyes
upon himself and upon his own doings.
he cannot fail to see that what he has
done, after correcting me, goes directly to
cover up the denominations Of slavery. and
shield the consciences of shareholders
/ against the truth. He holds himself forth
as one whose eyes have seen the system,
and then deliberately gives j, as his opin-s
ion, formed from observation in the case,
"lhat Baptist churches at the ou'h would
j no more countenance or connive at The
conduct referred to, 10 any of their men,.
35ers, than would the Bip,ist church, in
Orwell flo which the Editor Of the Tele-
graph belongs,I or any other in the State
of Vermont I tell brother Merriam
] that the Bap,is,s of Vermont have too
much intelligence on this sul,jec, to suf-
fer him TO thrust them down, in this woy,
TO level with slareholding churches, in
matters OF moral pollution of this kind
But probably it was the design of brother
Merriam, not TO loper dowa the @Baptists
! of Vermont, but to lift up the Baptists a,
/ the South. This testimony Of brother
Merriam's, al the best, is OF the .negafiue
kind. Il depends altogether on what be
has not seen, in the matter OF lewdsess..
There are Two kinds Of posisire evidence
against him. Oae is drawn legitimately
from the nature OF the system, exhibited
in par, by such facts as the following
/. Slavery reduces ITS rictims to the con-
[ dition Of property e Females are thus
placed entirely soitdin the porer Of their
oiOners and drirers 3. The marriag &c
institution Is consequently made nallity
among the slares, giring place TO unieer,l
sal coaeabinage. a. These things are IN
the cbarchss. Will brother Merriam de-
ny one OF these facts! Nobody will de-
ny one of them Well. these things be-.
ing universally admitted. do not common
sense and ordinary knowledge of human
nature lead irresistibly TO the expectation
OF results equal TO the worst exhibitions
! aEE - -
that have ever been reported of this aspect
ofthc system7 Now to admit that the
Southern church does allow lis members
to he'd and treat human beings as prop
erty = striking the marriage institution
ont Of existence. andtakine temaIe hnman
flesh into their own exclusive power, sub
servien. to their own cupidity-and then
pretend that they will not ALLOW these 10.
cody doings Of .heirs to bring forth any
oftheir Own Legitimate fruits, is the height
OF unreasonableness. 1t is to suppose
they will suppress the wicked effects, af.
ter they have themselves provided the
wicked cause. Talk 10 me abou. The pu-
rity of nunneries. Persuade me that
Romish priests are restrained iron, lewd- j
ness. But don't ask me 10 believe that
soulhvrn churches are NOT full OF lascig-
iousness. There is ioe mach admitted
and known of,he cause, If there had new.
er beensaay Disclosure ofthe effects.
This brings me to the consideration of!
the other kind of evidence, which consists
OF such facts in the case as may now with
some proprieiy be said to be :. known and +
read of allmen." shall no, occ pr time
or space heTe 10 do more than allude to
the class, without cnulnerating PARTICULARS.
! have reference TO the direct and positive
testimony of those whose eyes have seen,
and whose ears have heard. This class
Is composed Of those who have been slave.
holders, thosewho have lived at the Sou,h
those who bave correspondence with the
South, those who have Information from,
the mouths of Southern friends yisitino
the North, &c. &c. &c. The evidence
from such sources as these is now so full.
ana 50 universally known and received,
hat / marvel al brother Merrian's under.
taking TO iavalitate it with his opinion
founded on what he has not seen. After :
such an undertaking. shall not expect to 4
'inc him joining the cry of "fanaticisn" {
against abolnionists. e
But, il mag be said. he tells US what he Z