Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-12-04
THE FREE MAN .
Ear hs Grscn lforntain Ftsemgn

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For The Green Ifounta'n FTeem1a.
MzssRs EDIToRs,-Tn your paper Of August a.
Introduce principle by asking, "'Vas Onesimus a
save" Ifths were the fact, then was he no more to
blame for leaving Philemon and taking much of his
goods as would be reasonable compensation for his
past services than the I5raeites for leaving E.
gypt AMI keeping the goods which they had borrowed
of the Egyptians. If one act was justifabe, so was
the other 1.-THE labOrr is aeortly Of he re'oara"
Tim 5: IT, To this an objection is raised by friend,
who says "that the reference to the Israees borrow
ing of the Egyptians is PROOF as they were directed
by God so to do but the slave is not Orf he is to be
justified general principles, then every defrauded
servant has the same right; all men have right to
collect their debts in the way whenaverthey can
get cm in no other way-ond all the bands of civil
society must Immediately be sundercd.' So far
as Onesmu5 is concerned, might as well give up
my position as not for if he was thief this would not
prove him slave. And If lla psnc7la aJvan4 can
not be sustained and is destructive of all well reguat-
ell society," ought to discard it; but of this am not
satisfied AMI as this question enters closely into the
slave discussion hope one will be offended if
attempt to defend the position which have taken
have referred to the ample Of the Israelite5 and to
the general principle that The la5orr Is lrohy Of his
REGARD to Justify my position But am told that the
reference to the Iscaeltes is no proof Why no9 The
reply 3, "They we're directed by God to do but the
slave is not" Here the question arises, "Did the God
Of Moses direct his chosen people to do IN, lst I'M
moral ac-an act that ,cong in Itself and contrary
to natural Just ce? Shocknto thn, of! 1t seems tc
me the suffer way to sly with Dr. Scot ''tl in this
way the Lord took that their hpi earned lcages
should at last be paid and that the people should be
well supplied for their journey" Place the whole trons-
action the ground of equity, and there is nothing
unworthy of righteous God. His people had long
been oppressed, and the Egyptians owed them an in
menso debt. lie Ind now come down to deliver them
and JUS. and eptu5'c that they should be com
pensled before they left the county, As the king OF
Egypt not disposed to do them justice it belonged
of right to the God and king Of Israel to take care Of
their interests and to see thlt justice done them
This he might have done by directing them to make
reprislls upon their opprossors and taking spoil for
]
course to secure indemnity to his people for their
services The people were directed to borrow jewels
of gold and of silver Of their neghbors the Egyptians
and the Lord gave the people favor in the sight ofthch
opp-essors, that they lent unto the Israees such
things they required and they spoiled the Egyptians
Such are the facst And think it much safer to say
that the whole trans lction was founded on equity Or
right, than on any other ground But If it was just
and equitable for the Israeltes to secure reasonable
compensation for their labors by war by stroagem,
why, ask, may not the slave, when fleeing from his
oppressor follow their example, and do the sumo thing:
If one act was tsi and equitable how he other be
u1l 1st and lrckcR 1t is granted that Coz command
ell the Traelites so to do; and in his providence he
gives the slave opportunity to escape from oppres
sion, and to take from his oppessor such things as are
noediul to enlbe him to make good his escape and to
compensate him. in some measure for his pasts2ryca3
why, then, may he not do just and righteous act by
the leave Of providence as well as the lsraeltcs by
divine command? | hope no one viii be disposed To
say, that God commanded them to do lccbei immort
act This do not choose to do am, therefore, led
to believe that it was morally right for the Israeites
to secure reasonable compensation for ther services
by Indirect means ami f So then their example must
be some prOof that any slave, who is fleeing om OPP
preston my do the stmo. God h1s sanctioned the
act as being morally right. And if any ere wiser Or
holey tlln He, then they mast better jnStruc! HIM.
Clearly If there be any thieving in the case, the E
egyptians the greater Sinners and must be 50 oc-
counted by all who judge righteous Judgment Here
leave the argument from the conluctoftho Isracte9,
and request candid men to decide whether slaves fly
ing from oppression have not the same moral right to
tlke their pay, that the I5raeltos had when escaping
fom Egypt
ETATJ pLTT FV