Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-01-03

pacies, rights and privileges which God has Civ.
EN- 10 mankind.
These common rights and privileges OF human
itY have supposed.ie at the foundation Of civil |
order and happiness, and constitute the essential
dignity and glory of the intelligent creations
Whoever infriDges these rights, and makes jar
in civil society, conclude is chargeable with the
consequences.
But need not dwell upon this point The
literature of the world, which Soulherner has
conceded is against slavery, is extensively before
you in your valuable and extensive library, and
you have much better means to appreciate the
importance of these rights and privileges than
most men.
take slavery to be plain and palpabe viola.
lion Of those divine statutes which are the true
oil humanity; and !. conclude the sin of slavery,
in tle sight Of God, must correspond Nth the
known and Obvious importance of those divine STAT
uies which are the charter Of these common rights
and privileges and ,oiih the knoipn and obUious
tendency Of Slavery 10 Subpert these rights Though
He, who gave these common rights and prive-
GEES M man, has mn undoubted right TO take them
away or to restrict them at pleasure, i conclude
men hive no such right, any farther than they
have plain and express authority from God for
so doing. remark,
2. That take slavery to be plain violation of
those passages Of scripture which prohibit mon-
stealing, thsn and robbtry. We read, Tx 30, I6,
lie that stealeth aman OF seeth him, or if he
he found in, his haul, he shall surely be put 10
DEATH And an apostle adds, l. Tim. !. 9. 'The
law is not mnde for righteous man, hut for the
lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for
sinners, for unholy and proiaue, for murderers Of
fathers, and murderers OF mothers, for mans STAY
ers, for wholemongers, for them that deiiIe them.
selves with mankind, for men stealers, for liars,
for perjured persons
Do not these passages imply TINT mankind have
n common RICH, 10 their own persons and liberty;
and on this principle, do they not condemn those
who forcibly anti. by stealth take them away
And do l@ey not psnledly condemn American
slavery, which originated in man stealing, and
which tho lapse OF few years or generations, if
| mistake not, cannot transform into lawful do
ninion, either in the sight of God, or of man !?
We further read, Isaiah 10. !, 'Wo to those that
decree uurighteous decrces, and which write
grcvousness which they have prescribed to turn
inside the needy from Judgment, aud TO take away
the right from the poor OF my people, that wild
ows may DO their prey, and1hat they may rob the
fatherless! | conclude this passage applies with
peculiar force &c slavery, which takes away the
dearest rights OF humanity from the slave, that not
only widows and the fatherless' but husbands, and
tUires and their children and all Mey hare and are,
become prey for life. 1t is written Lev. 10 10.
'Thou shalt not hefraud thy neigh Dor, neither rob
him. Prov. 81. y The robbery of the wicked
shell destroy them; because they refuse to do judg-
mcnt' These and other divine prohibitions OF
theft, robbery, and man stealing, seem 10 me to
apply in all their force To avery, which originated
in Kidnapping, aud robs many of life and forei-
bly, takes away the dearest common rights aud
privileges of humanity. Hence,
3. / view slavery to be violation of those d-
vine precept teh,ch require justice bet,0een man ana
man. We read Col. A. l. Masters give unto
your servants that which is just and equal know
ing thnt we also have Master in heaven Micah
g. What doth the Lord thy God require OF
thee, but to do Justly, md to love mercy and to
walk humby with My God?' James. 5. a. Be-
hold the hire Of the laborers who have reaped
down your fields, which is of you kept back by
fraud, crielh; and the cries Of them which have
reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord OF
Sabaoth.' Jer. %. J3. Wa unto him that build
eth his house by unrighteonsness, and his cham.
bers by wrong; that useth his neighbours service
without wages, and giyeth him not for his work.
But slavery reduces its victims TO chntIols per-
sonal, and then refuses 10 give them a fair equiva
lent for their services. And if there is any such
thing as injustice and righteousness between
man and man, conclude that slavery must be the
essence of these sins.
a. Slavery appears TO me obnoxious to the d.
zine prohibitions and hreaienings against craeiiy
OPPRESSION ouerredching and grinding The face Of
The poor. We read, 6eut. "a. ID. Thou shall,
not Cypress hired servant that is poor and nee.
dy.' Nal .. D. will come to you in judg-
ment, and will he n swift witness against those
that Cypress the hireling in his wages the widow
and the fatherless, and that turn aside the sran
ger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord
of hosts Thes. a. 8. THAT man go beyond
and deraud his Neighbour, in any matter; for The
Lord is the avenger Of all such Jer. 20. TO-
Because he hath oppressed, and hath forsaken
the poor, because he hath violently taken away q
house that he builded not-God shall cast the fu-
ry Of his wrath upon him. a. 10. This is the
heritage Of oppressors which they shall receive
OF the Almighty. II his children be multiplied
II shall be for the sword and his offspring shall
not be Satisfied with bread prov. 90. I6 'He
lhnt oppresseth THE poor to ncrense his riches
and he that giveih to The rich, shall surely come lo
want, Ps ~. 4. He shall judge the poor of the
people, he shall save The children of the needy
and shall break in pieces the oppressor.' Mat. %
%. Wo unto you, scrbes and pharisees hypo
critics for ye make clean the outside OF the cuJ
and of The platter, but within they are full Of
exlortion and excess Ezra %. l2' Thou has
greediIy gained of Thy neghbors by exlortion
and hast forgotten me, saith The Lord God. Be
hold, therefore, have snilten my hand al thy
dishonest gain. end at thy blood which hath beer
, in the midst Of thee. Can thy heart endure, OF
: can thy hands lie strong, in the day that shall
deal with thee! Her princes ia the midst OF thee
are Ike wolves, rayening the prey, 10 shed blood
aud to destroy souls, TO get dishonest gain. The
people of the land have used oppression, and ex-
} ercised robbery, and have yexed the poor and
needy: yea. they have oppressed the stranger
wrongiully. Therefore have poured out mine
indignation These and other prohibitions ans
denuncialiops against cruelty, oppression, over
reaching and grinding the face Of the poor, seen
TO me to apply with pre-eminent force TO slavery
!, which brushes both body and soul into degrade
ton, sufierngand death. 1.-THE knowledge of no
veaed truth is the Gyinely appointed means Of no
illness, and if the possession OF the common right
and privileges of humanity is The means of hap
pness, how forcibly does the above passage res
: peciing destroying souls apply TO slavery
5. Slavery seems to me violation of that class
of divine precepts, which require us 10 sspouse III
cause Of suffering humanity, and TO rslievs the sty
)sring and oppressed. Deui. 90. Is. Thou shall
not deliver unto his master the servant which hal
escaped from his master unto thee he shnll dwell
with thee, in that place which he shall choose
thou shut not Cypress him. Zech z. 8. Show
mercy and compassion, every man to his brother.
| al IL