Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-12-11
TIE FIRE L NJ AN,


ing from his oppressor, would be justified in taking
justpay for his services by the conduct of the lsrae
ties. For the command given to them was founded o
principles of equity, and therefore applicable to oth6
similar cases.. shall now attempt to show that tn
law, or rule founded on natural justice, 'hte iabore
tUorihy Of his recard" Tim 5: 19, must lead to tn
same result. Here shall admit that the slave so lon
as he submits to the power of his oppressor should
faithfully the service assigned him; but when he has
reasonable prospect of regaining his liberty, and re
solves to be free, his relations to his oppressor change
at once and he may leave his service without his con
sent. He is now free man, and has just demand
for his past services. In equity this belongs to him
the great moral principle, that the aborer is worthy
of his hire. His oppressor has, by violence, robbed
him of his DUE And he can take no legal steps to re-
cover his property which, by violence has been taken
from him. and which he wants, to make good his es-
cape. ask why he may not, in such case, claim
and take his just due kept from him by his oppressor?
Ofnght this part of the estate belongs to him. and not
to the man who has robbed him. If there be theft,
which is the thie-the oppressor, who takes by vio-
ence what belongs to another, or the man who takes,
",
time men should judge righteous Judgment and not
respect the cruel oppressor.
Here it must be distinctly remembered, that no per-
son under the protection Of law, be in the situation
of the man who is escaping from slavery and, there
fore what may be proper for one may be very mprop-
er for the other Circumstances alter cases. The
man who strikes for liberty is by that very act thrown
back into state of nature, behind all constitutions or
human eoactnlepts, He owes more obedience to the
tyrant who has oppressed him. He owes no alegi-
to the government which has delivered him into
the hands of the oppresso They are both his mortal
enemies and he has right to consider and treat them
such. He is thrown upon his own resources, and
may them all, fully one aation may use its
power and resources epo and to punish aggressions
He is, in fact nation by himself And if any nation
may take the property of an enemy who has injured
them, SO may he. And if any nation may resist an en-
envy unto DEATH so may he. Surprising he had the
strength of Sampson he would have right to use it
all against any man, body of men, that attempted to
deprive him of his life liberty in slave State Or
any other State fugitive slave has right to arm
himself, and to defend HIMSELF against an enemy, Just
as much any other person. As an individual he is
thrown back into state Of nature and may say am
q free man: give me my unaEennbe rights-I ask no
more but shall do what can to defend my life lib
erty and property against all aggressors So far as
right is concerned, he is nation, independent sove-
reign, and may do, for his security all that any
nation may do just as the pilgrims at Plymouth did,
found
chartered limits For all natural rights belong orig
inalLy to ndiUidudlS-not to confederate bodies And
on this ground the law of self defence and the law of
retaliation are founded. Every individual has per-
feet right to defend himself while in state of natures
and even under civil government when the law can
not, or will not, protect him And on the same princi
pie every man, while in state of nature may retail
ate any one who takes away his property, or kills
his relative The law of retaliation is founded in cqu
ty and repeatedly sanctioned by divine authority In
Decd it was in measure introduced into the judicial
law of Moses. The rule is good rule; but as men
are selfish beings and apt to go beyond the rule and
become aggressors themselves it is suitable and the
public good requires that in all well regulated socie
hes this law should be committed to the magstracv,
Just as the law Of self defence is The magistrate is
% keep and execute both Of these laws for the good of
the oppressed, not for the benefit of the oppressor-
He is the minister of God for righteousness not for
And if the magistrate cannot, or
will not protect the oppressed, he is thrown back into
state of nature and may defend himself to the last
extremity. This was the ground OH which our Decla-
alton of Rights placed our revolt from Great Britain:
md on no other ground can it be justified; but such
tep should always be taken with great cautions and
ever until becomes necessary to preserve our unal
enable rights. Now have observed that the slave.
IS soon as he actually strikes for liberty is thrown back
ehnd all compacts and civil enactments, into state
f nature and could he multiply himself into hun
red thousand men, he would be much in the same Sit
ton as our fathers were in when they declared them
elves an independent nation and he might do for his
wn safety, all they had right to do to secure then
Independence And Qs all natural rights belong to in
ividuas, while in state of nature, every individual
hen thrown into that state, has the same right to use
lem to their full extent, as a nation has am not
peaking of persons connected with civil society," and
nder the protection of laws, but of those who are
ON the nature of the case, thrown back upon their
riginal rights. Hence, no person connected with
vil society, and under the protection of law, can
ave any right to apply the rule to himself place
lie whole subject on the principle of immutable rect-
lde, and maintain that the aborer is worthy of his re-
ard. Ifths principle will break all the bands ofcivil
'cety, then those bands must be very weak Or very
licked. The laborng classes in society, and minis
RS, who claim 4 say JUSTLY compensation for their la
Or should take care that cunning men do not induce
lem to weaken and destroy the great principle, that
e laborer is worthy Of his reward and the law of op
ression substituted in its room. s.
now submit the question for the decision of the i'm II
artial public. KIAH BAILEY. r.
> ~
NoTE.-As this question enters deeply into the "
avery discussion, all printers who regard the rights
men are desired to transfer these remarks into their
'lumns that the subject may be discussed and the /
olnts settled on the principles of truth. II