The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-07-03

see fit to exact for the privilege Of o"cupy'
ing aud cultivaling the earth, there II
something very like slavery. q rejoice
that this state OF things does not, as yet, ex
list in orr country
A. Wherever opportunity to Labor is
Obtained with difficulty, aud is so de6cien
that the employing class may virtually
prescribe their own terms and pay the La.
borer only such share as they choose o.
the product, there is very strong tenden'
cy to slavery.
5. Whenever it is deemed more reputa.
bic 10 live without Labor than by Labor
so that a gentleman would be rather a.
shamed of his descent from blacksmith
than from an idler or mere pleasure seek
er, there is community not very far from
slavery. And
6. Wherever one human being deems
it honorable and right 10 have other hui
man beings mainly devoted to his or her
convenience or comfort, and thus TO live,
diverting the labor of these persons from
all produc i've or general usefulness to his
or her own special uses, while he or she
is rendering or has rendered no cores
pondiug service TO the cause OF human
we'll beng, there exists the spirit which
origiaa'ed and sill sustaIns Human Slave
| ny.
Knight multiply these illustrations in
definitely, but l dare not SO to trespaSs on
your patience. Rather allow me TO APP
ply the principles here evolved ia illus
| &C Il n, Il o,I
icy of aboitionisls in reference 10 their
cause. Aud here 1 would advise:
/. Oppose slacery IN ALL its forms.
Be at least as careful not to be a slave
holder as not 10 rOte for one Be as tena-
cious that your own wives, children, hired
men and women, tenants, &C., enjoy the
blessings of rational Liberty, as the slaves
OF South Carolina.
2. Be al least as ardent IN opposing The
NEAR as the DISTANT t0rms Of Oppres.
sion. Il was by beginning at home that
Charity was enabled 70 perform such long
journeys, even before the construction OF
railroads. And it does seem clear 10 INV
mind that 1.-THE advocates OF Emancipation
would unite in we'll directed, persistent ef-
| forts 10 improve the condition of the bac ks
in their own States and neig hborhoods re.
spectiyely, they could not fail to advance
their cause more rapidly and surely than
by any other course. Suppose, for exam
Pile, they were TO resolve In each State TO
devote their political energies in the frs,
place 10 removal Of the shameful, afro.
cious civil disabilities and degradations
under which the African race now gener-
ally labor, and to this end were 10 vote
systematically for such candidates, whom
their votes could probably elect, (( such
there were) as were known TO favor the
removal of those disabilities would not
their success be sure and speedy! But
8. Look ucU 10 the Moral and Social
condition Of The Blachs an the Free iStales
Here is the refuge Of The conscentit US
Shareholder He declines emancipating,
because he cannot perceive that emanci.
patton has thus far conduced 10 the bene-
fit OF the liberated. II the mass of the
blacks are 10 remain ignorant, destitute,
unprincipled, degraded, (as he is told the
Free Blacks are) he thinks i, better that
his should remain Slaves.
| know tina! the degradation of The
blacks is exaggerated. know tina, so
much of it as exists is mainly owing 10
their past and present wrongs. But feel
also tina! the process Of overcoming this
debasement must be slow and dubious,
while lis causes continue to exist. entreat
therefore, that those who have the ear of
these children Of Africa and of their phi
lanlhropic friends, shall consider the pro-
priety of providing for them cities of ref.
uge, townships - communities, would
saywherein they may dwell apart from the
mass of our people, in socia atmosphere
OF their own, not poisoned by the univer>
sal conviction Of their inferioritv, at leas,
until they shall have had chance to show
whether they are or are not necessarily
idle, lhriiless, vicious, and content with
degradation. Unjust earnestly believe the
popular assumptions on these points erru-
neons; l ask that the Blacks have far
chance 10 prove them so. A single town.
ship in each Free State mainly peopled
by them, with churches, schools, semina.
ries for scientific and classical education,
and all social Influences un'ainted by The
sense of African humiliation, would do
more (if successful, as doubt nol) to pave
the way for Universal Freedom, than
reams OF angry v'uperalion against slave
holders. These are in good part men of
integrity and conscience; they see the
wrong almost as clearly as you do: it is !
the right which they should see and can
not: will you enable them to see It?
Yours, respectfully,
HORACE GREELEY,
Letter from Elihu BurrItt to the Anti.