Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-10-16

Indian Isles Blessed be God Tor this day--a
day when 100000 people began the career Of.
freemen, and, still better, when the people of
England, with national debt which no centu-
res can lquidate and with hundreds of thou
sands among them pale with the want of bread,
nevertheless put upon the altar Of humanity an
offering Of hundred millions to redeem the free
dom of their African brethren-the people, we
say, for though done by the government, it was
by the constraint of the people. Whatever may
be said, and said justly ofthe foreign usurpation
and domestic Indebtedness of England, no man
who has a heart within him can withhold his adj
miration from this act of her peope-the nobler,
because of ;he intolerable suferlngs under which
they achieved it. Would that we were disposed
to approximate it
In Gods name, we repeat, never let us so far
forget our humanity, not to say our religion, as
to decline into Indifference about American
slavery. We have spoken hard things Of it in
this article but none too hard. We have seen
itas it is, and every Methodist who reads these
lines iuthe South, (and some will read them,)
will say in his heart it is the truth, when we as
sert that its enormities have not and scarcely can
be exaggerated 1t is repcte with physical
moral social political, and all other evils. 1t
holds three millions of human beings in state
of chauelship. II sells them like cattle. at the
auctioneer's stand, and drives them to,and fro in
the land by stupendous trade 1t attempts to
extnguish'ther intcllects by laws prohibiting
them to learn to read 1t renders their tenderest
relations, separating at its caprice, and for ever
husbands and wives parents and children. 1t
VIC aes the projections Of female virtue, and
spreads lcentleusness over its whole territory -
/ (no candid man in the south can deny it) 1t has
converted States proverbial fer " chvalry" into
mere breeding estates to supply g the mar
kct" 1t has blghed the soil of the former gar
den spots of the land 1t has corrupted the
youth Of the South, by INDECENT aud imperious
habits leading them to false sentiments ofhonor,
the hlbltual carrying of deadly weapons, and a
contempt for the noble dignity Of labor. 1t has
blasted the spirit of enterprise, so that while one
section Of the Union is outstripping all precedens
of history, the other is sinking with decrepitude.
1t forbids all common school education, (the STAN
ina Of States by the extent of plantations. and
wide separation of the people. 1t is ever and
anon moyng the free labor Of the North in
losses and bankruptcy, by the failure of its sup
.porers to meet their obligations 1t has created
an odious Predomnance of power based on pro-
perry in human boLts and sineWs. 1t has yio-
lated the constitution, by refusing hearing to
the petitions of Northern citizens, in their own
Legislative halls at Washington. 1t has defied
the laws and powers of the general government
by a surveillance ever the Pest Office, opening
letters, and debating to the agents Of the gov
ernment whit shall and what shall not be carried
by them. 1t has usurped nearly all the offices
Of our Navy, Army, and Diplomacy. 1t has sci.
zed men recognized among us as our fellow cit.
izcns, and peacefully occupied on board our
ships in its harbors, and imprisoned them in it;
dungeons, against the express provision of the
constitution, and the decision of its own courts
in former cases, and such men are now cloggec
with letters, sweeping the streets of its cities Il
has lnclrcerated some of our noblest young men
and women for doing what the LeviticaI law de
manded towards the escaping captive and what
if done on the coast of Barblry would be com
mended by all good men as heroicalIy viItuous
1t has corrupted the church to its infamous prin
cipIes, and is wrecking the great religious bod
les of the land. Strong only in iniquity ant
braggardsm, it has nevertheless made the once
strong spirit of the North bow with mean obse
qulousneSs before it, and our Senators and Rep
rcscntauves cover at its impotent threats, till ;
fo,,, init hr, lo1
ofthem at last made such by their terrible trials
arose and recalled us to our ancient honor. II
; has destroyed our national selfrespcct, made Vi
blush for our pretentlons to liberty, and rendered
US Kissing and by.word among the nations
We deliberately say there is no parallel to i
among the civilized or sem-cvzed communi
ties of the ear h. If it were to be ascertanet
that the government of China held from spleel
or interest, one of its great PROVINCES, with
; population of three Millions in precisely the col
diion of our slaves, violating their domestic re
latons, disposing Of them as chattels, deprvn,
> them of the gains Of their toll, prohibiting al
intellectual Development, and. in fine, convert
ing them and their children, by nexorable pro
. cesses, into hopeless exception to all the law
of Development and progress which God ha
stamped on the destinies of the human race, tn
v discovery Of such an anomaly would astound tn
e world Any effort from any quarter to break
d up would be considered right--the sentiments G
n mankind would compel their governments to in
c terere with it in their negotiations -theoogan
e would point to it as proof of the necessity c
h divine Observation-Disclosures would attempt t
: invade it with missionaries and Dibles-th
II friends Of liberty would furnish it with arms a
It they did Greece and Poland for revolutidn-t
n help men to escape from it would be consldere
o holy service, and the shout of instruction com
- ing from it would be responded toby the voic
+ of the civilized world. American Christian,
/ look not to China for it--there is none sue
l. there, it is under the banners and amidst III
d temples of your own land ......