The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-07-13
RESOLUTIONS.

qulllll9 Tic several CLuL6S 10 ucllNel
up these persons who owe service ir
other States, upon the demand OF
such States, does not describe a slave
and, whereas, the trainers Of the
Constitution evidently neither expect
ed that slavery would be a perma-
nent institution, nor designed to
spread a shield over it as such >
therefore,
1. Resolved, That the free States
are not bound by that instrument to
deliver up fugitives from slavery.
2. Resolved, That the laws of the
General or State Observation-Disclosures
er Constitutional or statutory, cannot
bind the conscience in opposition to
the divine law, and therefore are to
be regarded Ivy all men as nugatory
in all the provisions they have made
for enforcing and sustaining slavery.
3. Resolved, That it is incumbent
upon all the friends of the anti-slave-
ny enterprise in this State, to do what
they can for the circulation of the
tracts published at the office of the
Western Citizen.
4. Resolved, That it is expedient
that an anti-slavery agent be appoint
ed by this Society to lecture through
out the State, and obtain funds to de-
fray the expenses of such agency.
s. Resolved, That those protested
christians, and ministers, who do
nothing for the relief Of the crushed
and suffering slave, forfeit their
claims to christian confidence.
6. Resolved, That those ministers
and professe1 christians, who profess
to feel for the slave, and who do no.
thing but to oppose the action of such
as labor for his emancipation, under
the pretense that it is a civil institu-
lion, or any other pretense ; who re-
fuse to pray for him, preach for him,
or talk for him, are guilty Of a dere-
LECTION Of moral principle, for which
no zeal, nor gifts, nor charities can
atone.
7. Resolved, That protested chris
tlans at the Moth, who apologize for
slave-holding, or for the slavc-holder,
are more guilty than he, inasmuch as
they countenance and sustain by
their influence the same sin, without
the same temptations.
s. Resolved, That the General
Of the American Presbyte-
rian church, commonly called the
Old School, in their late act of lay
ing upon the table unread and I'M
heard, a petitionin favor of the slave
from one of their most respectable
Presbyteries in the West, have been
guilty Of closing their ears against the
cries of two and half millions of suf-
iering boudmen, and Of again setting
an example TO the American Con-
9ress OF denying the right of petition,
and of sitting free discussion.
8. Resolved, That the New School
General Assembly in refusing to
take action Or express an opinion up
on the subject Of slavery, are but a
few steps in the rear Of the Old
School Assembly, and are trucking
to the same dark spirit; and that all
those churches, whether Presbyteri-
an, Methodist, Baptist, or others who
refuse action on this subject, are not
less implicated in the sin.
10. Resolved, That to aid the
slave-catcher in the free States, is no
better than to aid the kidnapper on
the coast of Afica-each has an e.
quail right to his victim, the right of
the lobber; and that "it is a guilty
phantasy by whomsoever entertain
ed, that man can hold property in
man. and that "that is property
which the law makes property" is
the maxim and the rule only of ty-
rants and treebooters.
II. Resolved, That no man nor
number Of men, in the name oflegis-
lation or for any other pretense, has
the light to deprive any person of
liberty, unless he has forfeited it by
he be a man, whatever
be the complexion of his skin, is pri-
ma tacie evidence that he is entitled
to his freedom, and that abolitionlsts
want no other, and will recognize no
other.
IL. Resolved, That all officers,
Judges or private citizens in the State
of Illinois, whose Constitution de-
clares there shall be neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude except for