The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-02-29
Mr.. Shades Reply.

To tile Editor of the Rutlaad Herald:
SIR:-A friend has just called my at.
tention to communication in your paper,
containing comments on an extract from
a letter of mine which found its way into
the Anti Slavery Reporter,in which, refer
ring to the circulation of an address of DR..
Laton on the subject ofthe heathenism Of
sIavery,sa lhatall the DIS in Vermont
were as cold as icebergs on the subject Of
slavery and expressed the opinion that the
Doctors address was as well adapted TO
their case rs missionaries 10 that of the
heather. Your correspondent shows his
consistency by admitting, what is true,
hat the letter was written without any in.
tention that it should be published, and
vet treating it, throughout, as if it was IN,
tented by me as a thrust at the ID. DIS of
Vermont, and as ''cOunteaance' Of the
wholesale Orson S. Murray denuncia-
lions of them. This is Unfair. am
Wiling 20 be held responsible for enter
tanning the feeling expressed in the letter,
under the circumstances attending its Ut
lerance; but | am not willing to be held up,
and it is not right that should be held up,
as disposed to rail at the priest4ood'
ITO baqk at Minister'S" AID TO Join
10 crusade against the clergy
Your correspondent well knows that l
entertain for them, as a body of men,
great affection and respect. think them,
however, like OTHER men, liable TO err;
hnII II n rth tn
animadverson when they do err, If |
should, in the strength of my feelings for
the oppressed, sometimes take the liberty
TO say that think some fthem are very
cold on the subject of slavery, it seems to
me they may fad weapons OF defense,
much better suited to their sacred calling,
and much more in accordance with the
spirit Of the Mister they serve, than those
which your correspondent wields against
me, and with the use OF which he seems
SO familiar And | must take the liberty
to say, that if he had !itle more of the
"meekness and charity" which he ironic-
ally attributes to me, he would have spar
ed his sarcasms, as well as suppressed his
efforts to bazon letter which he admits
was not intended for the public eye.
|! seems to be due TO myself that l
should state that the letter was written on
nv return from monthly concert of
prayer, where my heart had been exceed,
ingly pained-as it almost always is, at
those meetings --at the utter silence whic h
pervaded the meeting, including the d.
DIS, in regard 10 the great and terrible
evil of slavery. With Dr. Laton's ad-
dress before me, in which the healheniz.
ing effects of slavery are most wildly
portrayed, 1t was not strange that should
deem the address well adapted to arouse
from the ethargy on that subject which |
had just witnessed; or that should make
use of an iceberg as a fitting ilIusLra ion
of it.. If. from the fulIness of heart
panied with the thought of the heathen-
ism of near three millions Of my oppress-
lad countrymen, combined with the fact,
that, in meeting devoted 10 prayer for
the heather, they were, as usual, entirely
forgotten, | should nave spoken of the
apathy on the subject which has seized so
many leading minds, in terms that CRATE
harshly on the ears of your correspond
ent, and should even use the language oil
hyperbole in ultering my deep and strong
emotions, it ought not to surprise him
II your correspondent were half as senst-
i've 10 the darkness, degradation and
wretchedness of his enslaved brethren
heather in this land of Bibles and Chris.
tians and Monthly Concerts-as he is a