Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-02-23
MIS- c. Ell L A N T..
From the Friend Of Man
ADDRESS

January l9h. 1912, 10 The SLares In
tie. United States Of America
Afflicted Brethren The doctrine obtains
almost universally that the friends OF The
slave have no rig ht 10 communicate with
him--no right TO counsel and comfort him.
We have, ourselves, partially at least, &C
ouiesced in this time-hallowed deluslon
and now, that God has opened our eyes
10 our great and guilty error, we feel i'm
PEELED to make public confession oft; to
indicate publicly our duty to be your adj
yisers, comforers and helpers; and TO
enter upon the discharge of that duty
without delay.
Why dothe abolitionislsconcede, That their |
labors forlhe slave must be expended direct
" upon hismaster: and that they areto seek
to improve the condition Of The one, only
through favorable changes wrought in the
mind Of the other2 Is it not because
they are not yet entirely disabused Of the
fallacy, that slavery is Legitimate iustltu-
ton that it has rights that it creates
rights in the STAKEHOLDER, and destroys
rights in the slave2 Were they, as they
should do, TO regard slavery in the light of
sheer usurpation, and none the less such
for the hoariness of the abomination; they
would have as little respect for the protest
fthe man-stealer against the direct agen-
cy Of others upon his stolen property, as
they would for the protest OF the horse
stealer against a similar liberty with his
stolen property. With vision so clear,
they would no more acknowledge poss.
ible acquisition or loss Of rights BY theft in
the one case, than in the other The same
rights, which the slave had, before he fell
among thieves he has now; and amongst
them is the right to all the words of con-
ISOLATION, encouragement and advice which
his fellow-men can convey TO him.
To make the abolitionist m st odious,
he is charged with the supposedly heinous,
and almost maIchless offence OF commune
eating with the slave; and the abolitionist,
instead OF insisting on the rigRt 10 do so,
and instead of publicly lameniing the
great difficulties in The way Of practising
the right, implicitly disclaims il, by in
forming his accusers, that the abolition
doctrine is to address the master, and not
the slave. No slaveholding sophistry and
clustering could obtain such disclaimer
~.IOHl 1ldk uSdfSu-ulFCcieu ApQSlI6.
not only himself communicated with the
slave on the subject Of his slavery, but d.
rected Others 10 do so. He declared it to
be as well the duty of Timothy and Titus,
as of himself; and far was he from con-
dilioning the duty on the consent Of the
: master Paul carried out more fully aud
fearlessly than the modern abolitionist the
doctrine that the slave is man. and not a
chaltel. He wrote 10 slaves; and, 10 do
ing so, implied not only that they are beings
to be reasoned with, but that it is their duty,
and therefore right 10 read the Scriptures,
of which his writings to them constitute a
part. Indeed. he expressly commands
them to read his epistles. That he did
not acknowledg &c the righ,fulness of sub
iecting one man absolutely to the will of
another man, is manifest from his saying
TO slaves: BE not We servants to men
This Injunction forbids their rendering
any service incompatible with the claims
of God; and forbiGs that they should sui.
! fer even their master 10 invade the sacred
, precincts of conscience.
Although much has been gained by the
bold posiuon that abolitionists have taken
much also has been lost by their timidIy
hesitating TO take other positions, which,
if holder, are not less truthful or advant
ageous. When the abolltionists first de.
manded tha: the Anis,ad captives should
be SET Tree, few were found to respond t
the Justice Of demand, in which on
whole nation now acquiesces. The north
ern press, with few exceptions, pronounce
the recent insurrection on board of lh,
Creole to be justi6able and heroic. Blu
had this insurrection occurred before tina
on board OF the Amistad, scarcely an,
other than an abolition newspaper woulc
have failed % denounce and stigmatize il
No less extensive conquests Of public OPT
MON will be achieved by the future in
stances of our intrepidity. Let abolition
lists fully and solemnly utter the doctrine
that they are bound to enter into and main
tain all practical communications with tn
slave; and the candid and intelligent vii
! not only respond TO it, but, ere they ar
aware. they will have been carried alon
by its trains ofconsequences and influence
70 the conviction, that the abolitiontst has
perfect moral right TO 60 into the South
and use his intelligence to promote tn
escape OF igaorant & imbruted slaves froI
: their Prison-house. The motto of the al
oiltionls.s. as well as of our Common
wealth. should be HIGHER; anc the
should feel. that unless they are continue
ly rising higher and higher 10 their Dol
and righteous claims, all the pas, affair
ments of their cause are left insure.
Having yindicated theright of aboli,io,
isis to address you, we will very brief
enumerate some OF The things. which the
are doing for you, and also some of Il
.L:. ..Ls.L -, sbo,,Id IL and 90.