Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-03-14

courtesy as others. Opinion cannot be plead in
bar to an indictment; and this, we believe, is the
sole restriction imposed by government on the free
dom of opinion or the right of discussion. Were
human judgments nalllble could we imagine n
human tribunal incapable of error, we might then
give TO that tribunal the right OF prescribing rules
of belief and of discussion to be implicitly follow
ed and obeyed by the common people, on pain of
heavy penalties Tor dsobedlence. But error Of
opinion is the lot of all; none can have a right to
deny the right Of opinion and of discussion to a.
fellow.mortal. 1t was the declaration of Jefferson
that "error of opinion may be safely tolerated when
reason is left free to combat it," This declaration
may not be strictly true. The experience of the
past must have convinced most of us that reason is
sometimes unable successfully to combat against
the eloquence and sophistry of error But this evil
although 1t be great one, cannot be avoided, with
out the Introduction Of still greater. If we give
to government the power of occasionally prohibit
ing the right OF discussion, we establish despot-
ism; if we give this power to the mob, we estab-
ish an anarchy; and these are evils more serious
than any likely to result from the right of discus
sion
That the professed disciples of jefferson should
in any instance be found the foes of discussion and
of free inquiry is indeed strange Whenever we
give a faithful Interpretation to their language in
relation to the subject of Slavery, it amounts to
ths-"We believe that on this subject the Aboli
tlonsts are right, and that VIC arc wrong: we be-
lieve that discussion can only nure US discussion
Will only ferret out our iniquites, and expose our
nakedness. We cannot but trembe at the result"
Advocates who feel conscious of the business of
their cause but seldom seek concealment in any
form. For one, ain entirely unwilling to yield
to the modern Abolitonist so much as this lam
guage would seem to imply | claim to be an op-
ponent Of Slayery. | am unable to see how any
republican can well be otherwise
] There are those-and their numbers are getting
! to be nunlerous-who arrogate to themselves the
exclusive title of .4nt-S!Grery or Liberty men,
There seems to be a prevailing disposition, among
u certain portion OF our community, to claim for
themselves the erctuSue right Of advocating certain
causes, and to deny The rights of others to be con-
sldered as friendly to them. We have those in our
community, who arrogate TO themselves all the de-
mocracy, all the temperance, and all the Christian
ity, Of the land II luckless wight chances to
dispute one single iota of their creeds he is straight
way denounced as al aristocrat, drunkard, or an
infidel. From such men neither appeal nor ask a
\ candid hearing. They cannot be made to learn or
understand that Papa infalibility is inconsistent
with the principles of Protestant toleration and
that the same spirit by which they are actuated
once lighted the flames OF Snithfeld, and banished
Il WILLIAMS from the infant colony of Massachu-
sets. | can only regret that the protested or real
tiends of Freedom should have fallen into so hurt
full and dangerous an error.