Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-04-04


force, seeing that it was that only which was
terror to evil doors that we are exhorted to obey,
q are informed is sanctioned by divine authority
Who will say it is crime, if the laws of the
South had not made it so, to render assistance
to poor creature, who mplores your aid to pre7
vent his being sold to the far South, from wife
and children, or become the victim of his mas
tiers ungoverned passionsl No one, provided
his wife, children, or friend were among the en-
shaved. Why not then, obey the apostolic in
junction, and remember them that are in bonds.
as bound with them" Does God regard it as
crime? No Even in that system Of serytudey
for which the divine sanction was given, he
would not altOw any one to interfere, should the
servant run away, but required him to whom APP
plicaton was made, to render assistance. How
different, then, the laws of God from the laws Of
man. But the States attorney at Baltimore,
when addressing the jury in behalf of the State
against my husband, turned round to him in the
midst Of his eloquent appeal and said, "Vain
man, who taught you that the laws Of God were
to be obeyed before the laws of MANI Perhaps
you start at this impious speech, but the laws,
Furnishing him who assists the discontinued slave
to do, are necessary to tile existence Of sldvcry,
Am then speaking unadyisedly, when ] say
that these laws are based upon the principle Of
defiance to the laws of God and that the States
Attorney was only acting in accordance with his
oath to sustain the laws, when he uttered that
impous remark? But had he opened the Bible,
and turned to Acts s. 90 he would have found
that Peter and the other apostles taught Mr.
Torrey that eve ought to obey God rather than
men,"
But Maryland is not alone. Florida and Ken
lucky, each grasping their victims, all free cti
zens of the North echo the same enquiry, "Who
taught you that the laws of God are to be obey
ed before the laws of mem" And South Caro-
lima, too, while preaching the binding force of
slave laws, and peryerting the language of Paul,
"Let every soul be subject to the higher powers,
for the powers that be are ordained of God" has
in her late defiance of the Supreme Court of the
Il United States, and insult to one of our most re-
3 spectacle citizens, gone step farther than her
t companions in sin, and impudently asks "IVhO
G shall make as obey any Ia,os at alR"
1t Such, then, is the spirit of slavery. Will you,
y Christian friends sustain it? Sustain it, you
II ask! How can we sustain system with which
II we have nothing to do? We would not, for the
II world, own a slave. So said the Judge in the
e. case of my husband. But they sustained the
3 law, by giving their opinion of slavery where
% their opinion would be felt So you DO.
u You can tcel you can act, you can talk, you
G can cote, you can pray Never let southern in
e science prevent you from bearing your testimony
against this accursed system, which is known by
" its fruits,
i The Imprisonment of these individuals to
whom reference has been made, though dark and
trying events, are nevertheless providences of
God and are to be improved as such. God
does not speak in this way without meaning.
20 And am l mistaken, when read in them call
Dl-i to honor God, in our civil code, and put down
* that system of misrule which tramples upon all
H. that opposes its selfish ends, that our liberties be
his not at stake!-Why are victims taken from sew
lis eral ofthe New England States at the same time
nj unless it is to awaken simultaneous effort in
ot each of them in favor ofliberty? Is there not a
en- call to beware to whom we assign the high plac-
e. es of power, that as a nation we do not sanction
M unrighteons laws? And if this is true then are
tly you called upon my friends, by this providence
ro- for one of these victims for time sustained 4
,r- very near relation to you. And unless northern
nd men will exert all their influence to sustain the
lot principles of our noble constitution, which pro-
ire nounces all men free and equal, our nations
cts capitol and nations counsels, will not be
in protection for northern liberties, Are they SC
est now? When the term for which my husband is
-I,nIb ndn
lev the requiem of slavery in that State shall llberate
him before, his future liberty or Incarceration
| will depend upon the decision of the Supreme
,ut Court of the United States. Has, then, the
ur North nothing to do with slavery? Are there nc
al northern Judges on the Supreme bench' And
ed have we nothing to do in raising such a public
of sentiment, that these northern men will not ddre
of decide that to assist to obtain his freedom,
St is a CRIME under the constitution, which as
re- sertS that all men are born free and eQaGR But
l." such must be the decision before my husband can
ZEN be delivered to Virginia A decision which
,1e would almost make absurdy blush! And yet |
d. am told it is not safe to bring the before
is, them at present lest their decision should be adj
he verse to his liberty-ls it not, then, motive
IS, for renewed action, that our nation be not dis
my honored by such decision? Again l repeat,
to has the North nothing to do with slavery Who
re- placed these judges where they are? fancy
life almost see you tremblo your minds reply, the
on Congress of the United States our pOte helped to
err fill See, then, that you hereafter can wash
your hands in innocency of having lifted them III
len favor ofhim who would frame mischief by law.
EN- did not intend, when | commenced, to write
VS., political essay; but how can allude to my
nd lonely situation, and my husbands wrongs, and
on not alude to the cause OF these aililction2 But
d" far be it from me to disregard the hand of the
I'll, Lord in these trying dispensations. 'Shall there
rs be evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done