Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-12-06

together in print, is now, or was lately buying up
the unsold' copies; not that he, slaveholdng t;
Judge was ashamed ofsthenI, but on the known
fact, that, whenever the book is seen, it so har-
rows up the soul ofthe reader, that it makes con-
Verts to the Ant-slayery cause. Again, the men
filling these offices brought forward and passed the
infamous gaggng bills and gave the power to post
masters to open letters and parcels, thus stopping
the free liberty of speech, and OF writing mans
thoughts. Aud why was this tyrannlcal law pas
sed? That not murmur against slavery might be
allowed TO trauspire, and that slavery might 60 on
unnterruptedIy in all its misercs and horrors as
before, without censure or repr0Qch. What an
outrage was this upon a free Constitution, so OF 7
ten boosted Of as the most free in the WORLD an
outrage worthy only Of the Sultan, or the Empe-
ror of Morocco, the lives Of whose subjects are
entirely at their command. Again the men filling
these Offices caused the butchery of the Indians,
and the determination Of some Of their tribes on
the mere surmse that these tribes might disturb
the plantations OF their brother Shareholders, and
afford refuge or retreat for their fugitive slaves.
Was this Il proper motive for shedding torrents OF
blood? And will not day Of just rerlbuon
come? The same description of men made law, !
that whoever aided the escape of fugitive slave
from the oppression Of cruel taskmaser, should
be punished with death, though it WAS commanded
of old that no fugitive slave should be restored TO
his master Was not this setting up legislation
in direct opposition to the law of Cod Again the
pose the annexation of Texas to the United States,
so that both might DO territory, and under one
sway Bur for what purpose was this union pro-
posed? TO have a contiguous slave territory,
where the poor fugitive could iud 10 shelter, but
must be sent back to an enraged' owner, TO undcrI
go whatever torture the monsters ingenuity might
think fit; and, secondly, not only to perpetuato
slavery in the United States, but to extend it toll
another country, from which it might be spread
we know where. Was there ever more wicked
proposition than this, to transfer the whip, the
chain, the iron collar, and the other hldeous in
struments oft0rturo, to innocent millions yet un
horn, and to an indefinite extent of country
Could the mind of Nero have invented more
wholesale complication of cruelty ?--And yet your
President, in his correspondence with Texas, says
that this necessity was toeced upon him by the
views of the British ministry; when this ministry,
to my knowledge, up to the present time: had not
taken one step to interfere with the government Of
Texas on this subject.
These my friends are some, hut only some of
the evils which had there origin solely in the po-
ltcal ascendency of the Southern over the North
ern States; say solely, because if there had been
no slaves in the South, there would have been no
occasion for the bloody laws in question. What
occasion for gagglng bills, if there had been no
slavery to talk about? And so with respect TO the
other evils mentioned. Nor can you be better off,
so long as this preponderance exists. While it
lasts, you will have the sort of men in Office
and of course the same sort of wicked measures,
and the same sort Of evils, and perhaps worse; for
whenever arbitrary power has been once eXerted
successfully, it may go to precedents it has made
for its continuance. What, indeed can you hope
for, from sIaveholin Cabinet, a Cabinet of men
who appear to have fear Of God before their eyes
whose motto seems to be eXpedency, in prefer
ence to honor and honesty, and who have been &C
customed to look upon the sin Of slavery as a com
mon custom only, and without leproach? Will
God smile upon the abOrs Of such men? Or will
he not rather take vengeance? righteousness eX-
alteth a nation, but sin is Il reproaCh Ca derimenD
30 any people,
And now my friends of the North, | will tell
you what promised to say to you, in the beginning
of the letter, that is give you my opinion as to
what ought to be your present aim, or what yon
ought always to keep in view, in your attempts to
promote the extinction Of Of slavery. 1t should he
your constant aim to try to break up the political
preponderance Of the Southern over the Northern
States that the former may no longer be rulers of
the land Such has been my opinion for long
time, but have been lately more confirmed in it,
rs well as in the practcabty, by circumstances.
If the people of the north were to determine on
the abolition of slavery, and were to be in earnest,
heart and hand, for this purpose have no doubt
slavery must fall. am confirmed in this conclu-
sion by Americans themselves But what practi-
cal steps will serve to forward and accomplish this
object? answer first, through the medium of
conversation, every one with his friends aud ac-
quantance, and even with strangers, where OPP
portunity offers. You must never allow the no.
lions and arguments of shareholders, as urged Ell
Their by themselves or others, to pass without a
suitable opposition. You must not allow them, for
instance to treat Gods declaration at creation as
lie, Chat he made in his own image and that
there was originally but race of men. You
must stand up for the poor slaves who arc not al
lowed to stand up for themselves. There is one
argument which you must always have ready
on your lips to utter, and which never can
be answered by any sophistry You must say
THAT slaves are men, and not brutes; that they
have the same form and shape mon, but brute5
have not this form; that they have intellect but
brutes have only instincts; that they can talk, but
brutes have no articulation; that they have the
power Of reasoning, but hrutes have no such pow
er; that they understand religious truths, and are
susceptible Of religious feeling, but brutes have
neither such understanding nor such sensations
that they have consequently an immortal SOUL but
the btutes perish. But if they are men like our
selves, then Christianity demands you to perform
towards them the same duties of humanity which
il enjoins on all others who are acknowledged to be
men; and then it may be argued that there could
be no such thing as slavery Ifyou, my friends
and all the well disposed persons at the north
were to stand up for the slaves in this manner, dc
you think you would uOt produce an ninity O.
good to the anti-Savery cause? pray you not tC
think this my advice triAng, or of no consequence
You would probably by following it, stop the prog
ress of slave opinions in many aud make convert
of others who have adopted them.
Re- tIi ia all all IL