The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-03-07

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and accept of dwelling and land, Il
which friend of The blacks, at the North
had pledged himself, to Mr.. -, TO Civ
the man title, upon his proving worthy
oft.
The man-whose personal endowmen
would have made his market price a thou
sand dollars-feeling grieved at the pro
posaI of sundering the ties of home ant
T Misunderstanding, also, an abundance o
employment and good wages-begged t.
be left, undslurbed, 10 his existing reIa.
tions,--at least until he should write anc
request manumsson.
On this, the legal owner executed ar
instrument, 10 take effect at his death, re.
leasing the man from all obligations o.
servilude; and having left him at his own
disposal, as to employment and wages
not even requiring provision against the
liability IA very serious one in his Pc
cuniary circumstances) which the mas
ter, by the laws of Georgia, incurs for the
slaves support, in case OF sickness or 9TH
er disability-he departed for a free State,
where he has since abored cepably in
his pre- 1iousIy exercised vocalion--the
ministry of the Gospel.
In the free States Mr.. - has encoun-
tered suffering and occasional interrup-
ton and injury to this work from some
who have treated him with con:umeIy, as
a Shareholder
These are the actual facts, as gather
| them (wiIh the exception OF the accepta-
bencss Of his ministry from my friends
letter; aud they are stated with entire COR
RICHNESS, l believe,--at least such has
! been my Intention. Let it be assumed
that have not failed, as to this intention,
in any imporIant particular. Let it also
be assumed--as presume it must be
| that no alternative exists for the bondman
in this case, but legal servilude, on the
Que haud, or seizure, or exile, on the 9th.
e.. Moreover, let it not escape attention
that the man is, by his age and his quail
ficaions, for he can even wrile)of a capac-
ily to think and judge respecting his own
interests, aud of course, possesses the nat
ura rights pertaining to such capacity -
and, on the basis thus clearly de fined, and
laid in circumstances and fucts-actualIy
existing, propose the main inquiry
What can the owner properly dc, in
this case, more than he has done? and,
Specially, PROFOUND the three following
Inquiries -
First: Do the principles and laws of
freedom permit Mr.. - to relieve him.
self of personal Inconvenience AMI re.
proach, by exercising his legal power of
ownership TO trans!erth bondman against
his will, into a cOu1ition-as it would, in
fact, be-of compulsory freedom, on
free soil?
Second Do the principles Of humanity
countenauce any proceedln g-.even manu-
mission ilself.-which is deprecated by the
one 1t most nearly concerns, because i!
must sundcr the ties most dear TO him, if
not directly, as in the manner just sup.
posed, yet inevitably, by the operation of
laws Of which that would be The known
resul2
Third Is not this an instance OF real
freedom, conferred and maintained at cost,
special insrumentality, for the convic-
ton of all who plead malignant egisIo-
ton to excuse real slaveholding? and if
all the slavehoding there is in this case,
has been involuntary in its origin, and in
It's continuance, reserable, not 10 the own
ers breast but 10 the enactments of Geor-
gia, will those enactments prove valid, at
the bar of Judgement in vindication OF
such as cndeayor to cast on Mr., by
act, word, or suspicion, the reproach of
sIayehoIding
have Set forth the circumstances on
which the above inquiries are based, be-
cause facts, actually existing, are worth
thousand hypothetical ones, for the eluci-
dation OF truth, In propo sing the case, |
deny lis aptness to be used as weapon
for the defence of slavery, in opposition to
those who labor for lis overthrow. On
the other hand, deny the competency of
any who dare not trust truth and provi-
dence with educing their own results, 10
obscure the facts by baseless surmses, or
obslruct just conclusions by opposing "Me
letter" that "killelh'' TO "the spirit" that
giveth ile.' But | propose The whole
for well-reguIated reflection and calm re-
ply such as may enlighlen the path OF
duty, to many, and OF opinion to al, and
amid various like influences, smooth the
way to the accomp lishment Of universal,
complete and rational freedom. And if
any one should demand more than an
anonymous voucher 10 the reality of the
case at issue, give him ready guide 10
what he wishes, in my initials.
A G. II
In regard 10 the foregoing will say, l
shall not feel it to be my duty, very often,
to engage in what some might term hair
splitting business viz: whether man can
by any possibility hold the legal relation of
master to slave, aud not sin in so doing -
Sin, we all know, is the transgresson of