Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-08-02

"250--On or before the first day of October.
eighteen hundred and thlrty-fve, promise TO nav
James &. Blrney two hundred and iily dollars for
value received Of him. Witness NY hand, this 9Th
July, 1884.
ROBT. TILFORD."
These notes paid to Mr.. Birney as they re
spectivey fell due and now have them in my
possession cancelled. ROBT. 1IbFORD.
Boyle county, June %, 1874.
Thus it will be seen that a little more than one
month after Mr.. B. subscribed so solemnly to bor-
t. principles, he is found selling human being"
into perpetual slavery Charles is still n Stare,
tong on cotton form in Mississippi. On the
10Th Of July, one week later than The above sale,
s dated Mr.. Brney's celebrated letter abandoning
the Colonization Society, and coming ont for I'M.
mediate emancipation. Probably the very pen
used in drafting that celebrated "libetty' produc.
ton, was employed by Mr.. Birney in signing the
bill Of sale for his last Stare
You Osk me if Mr. Birney did not sell most Of
his slaves before he tuned Abolitionist? He did
And did he not do worse Did he not turn Aboli
ZIONIST and qftercdraS sell his slave He nssuredlv
did. In doing this he of course, sinned against
" light and knowledge" ana his solennly signed
" conviction" OF christian duty Under the banner
OF such man are many trying to rally in
tho North, and to turn them against Mr.. Clay
Until lately, too, they had powerful allies in this
uniIuly crusade. Since the Baltimore Democratic
Convention, however, | presume the Democracy
alias doughfaces of the North are less shocked
than formerly at the idea of supporting a slareho,-
Ter for office.
Upon the truth Of the facts have given yor,
You may stake the triumph of the cause. The
atrjsts between Clay and Birney you will not be
slow TO draw, and which stands lairer as a slave
holder let the honest and candid decide.
Clay never got possession of slave whose con-
diton was not Improved by the change. Of the
whole number living with him, probably not one
would leave him though Mr.. Clay should fill their
pockets with " free papers,
Nearly oil Bineys slaves are tcorSe off from
having passed through his hands, He took them
to the South, and they are scattered like sheep G.
mong "woves." Alabama is, in the matter Of sle-
very, very Gehenne compared with Kentucky.
The sound of the lash" is neuer heard at Ash
land. Mr. C.'s servants though nominally slaves,
are much voluntary laborers as the best pillar
thropist could desire. Can as much be said of Mr.
Birneys? Does he, any one of his friends,
know that they are not daily scourged" with stripes
by the strange masters Mr.. b. sold them to?
Mr.. Clay never hypocrtically protested to be
convinced that slavery was sinful, and then imme-
diately sold fellow bang into servude. Can
the same be said of James o. Birney?
| have heard Mr. Birneys conduct apologzed for
as follows: 1t is said he bought Charles, promising
to set him free If he would labor for him twelve
years! But Charles not finding favor in his good
masters eyes, his master concluded it would be a
poor speculation, and sold the "poor captive " back
into hopeless bondage. How noble that philan-
hropy which escapes through the interstices of the
purse How refined the feeling that holds the
word of promise to the ear and breaks it to the
hope" Birney did truly love the liberty of his
slave-So well that no less than $500 could buy it
away!
| have concluded to make this answer to YOUR
letter public. 1t contains facts the people should
know. Contrary to your surInise, | do read the
Liberty" papers. From them | nave made free
to quote some set phrases to be found in my letter.
1t is not done to hurt the feelings OF any one, but
there is force and point in them that goes far to
make ones remarks Impressive. Surely, shall be
allowed the license of Liberty" rhetoric in wri-
ting of Liberty" man.
Respectfully, yours.
A. S. MITCHELL,
Editor of the Danville tKy) Tribune