The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-08-17

enforced toll who would restor the
whip, the chain, the gag, the torture, and
all the other hellish inventions OF slavery
in order that he might swseten his tea
with sugar one cent per pound cheaper
or get drunk on rum for four-pence which
now may cost him six.pence2
l feel that | am belitlirg my subject
by advancing facts to prove the advantage
OF emancipation, as a question OF proh'
and loss. 1t should be treated rather as
a question of high principle - as a ques'
lion of right and wrong. But to adduce
one fact, which proves conclusively that
emancipation in the West ladies has
worked we'll both 10 white and black, that
the hopes and confidence of all classes
centre upon it - that fact is, that land in
the Colonies since emancipation has amaz'
ingly increased in value, so that naked
plantations are now sold for a higher
price than under slavery could have been
obtained for land and slaves. Men surely
do not buy property at any price where
life is insecure to the posSessor, nor at an
enhanced price except with the prospect
of increased profits.
1t would seem tn. the people of the
United States, ardent as they are in the
maintenance Of their W liberties, and
meeting as they do yearly 10 cOmmemor-
ate the event which secured to this coun-
try its political freedom, would in the out
set have hailed West India Emancipation
with Joyous emolions-lhat a people whose
hearts could go out in strong sympathy
for the Greek, the Pole and South Amer
lcan Colonist, suffering under mere polit-
ical oppression, would have raised a uni
versal reclamation Of joy at the peaceful
abolition of a system of oppression, by the
side of which all other expressions are
bleached 10 Wilderness. But, strange 10
tell, the day came and past, and how small
a portion of our people knew even that
such an event had taken place. Oar
political newspapers were for the most
part dumb upon the subject, not even con.
descending TO notice it as an item Of news.
Or if perchance noticed at all, how rarely
noticed as matter of congratulation and
the sage editor would, if not condemn the
outright, hesitate, shaking the head
with wise doubting-speak OF it as an
experiment to be tested, whether freedom,
although The best thing in The world for
all other men, was after all the better
state for the negro. And so afterwards,
if some snarling paragraph from the pen
of some disappointed overseer could be
found in a West India newspaper, COM
planning of the poor people because they
would have wages or else not work, how
greedily were the editorial scissors seized
o transfer the precious morsel 10 our own
journals, and so handy about the lie from
paper to paper,to the lands end-the pen,
ny trumpet and the tin whistle faithfully
the note of their great organ in
he great commercial city. But how few
published or noticed the accounts of the
Missionaries, land one would think they
night have been trusted, } the congratula-
DRY speeches of the Colonial Governors,
and they were ROT a few the reports of
rhome and Kimball, Joseph Surge, John
5coble & others-trustworlhy men-who
vent on purpose to learn and report the
working Of emancipation there. How
:arefully was the favorable report kept
concealed from our people. Even the
title that was published was mostly al the
of individuals known as abolitionists,
who themselves published it, or else paid
or such publications in our commercial
,apers as advertisements. We need ss q
10 blush for these things. They
how us how thoroughly imbued with
prejudice and the demon spirit of slavery,
low trucking, base and %servile the COM
nercial press and commercial men, yes,
he religious press and religious men OF
he North ever can become.
We dare affirm, that the event we are
concentrating las glorious results in
tore for our own beloved country. 1t
IAN not be, that while England, overtax ed
md burdened as she is, is making such