Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-08-27
TIL E FIRE L VI AN.
For the Green Mountain Freeman
10 the Members Of the late Congregation
al Convention Of Vermont.

RESPECTED BRETHREN I'm my previous commu-
ncation, among other Matters took the position that
three things only were originally necessary to abolish
American Slavery,
/. To convince the people THAT SLAVERY OUGHT
H. To convince the people WHAT EACH 1NDIv1DU-
AL OUGHT TO DO, IN ORDER TO IT'S ABOLITION
The first proposition 1--WE nsisted,) has already re-
celved the sanction Of public opinion universally if we
except Shareholders and therapologsts. Consequent
ly all efforts put forth hereafter in Vermont Tor in the
free States even, with view to establish this point
must necessarily be the ludcrous "beatng of the air.
the Shaking of the bush" after the bird has been
caught and eaten. l offer this as Iabor-saviYg sug-
geston, and one which would not have named, were
it not for the fact that very recently an anslavery
convert mot remarkably conversan with the history of
the cause) commenced his public career in behalf of
the slave with discourse upon JEWISH ABRAHAMIC
SLAvERY-a discourse so very far "behind the times -
that elected the facetous tho friendly remark, that
'by the time the worthy lecturer extends his anti
slavery march down far to the days of the apos-
ties, slavery will be dead and buried"
My second and third proposition now propose to
ical establishment, as possible; hoping in this hum
bic effort not to crafty any feeling of vain ambition
which may possess, but rather to induce, if possible
ADLER intelects and more phanthropic hearts to es-
pouse cause, which demands, and is fast enlistng
the sympathes and prayers and energies of the chris
tan world SLAVERY in the United States is divisi-
BILE into two kinds classes the non-observance of
~; ob boe
understanding and proftless debate.
/. We have (what may properly be called) STATE
SLAVERY ..
ii. NATIONAL SLAVERY.
The former depends for its existence its legaliSed
being and support, upon the legislative action Of the
individual States, in which prevails In some States
it claims the higher protection of constitutional
actment-the protection of the State Constitution
Whereas our National slavery derives its original L.
gGl existence from an Act of Congress; and the same
law still sustains it. When the Deed OF Cession of
the "ten miles square" took effect that instant the
slave laws of Maryland and Virginia ceased their ope-
rations within the coded territory Slavery then
ed within the District The former slaves were then
not only morally and naturally and righ:eously Free
but they were legally free-free in law and in right
as free as the members of Congress, who reensaved
them-who kidnapped them by Act of Congress, and
thus bound them and their posterty to the perpetual
despotism of the avarcous, ustu AngloSaxon slave
holder,-the bitterest despotism with which the AL
mighty ever suffered man to afflict his fellows And
that same SLAvERY-CREATI LAW now remains upon
our national Statute book burning disgrace both to
the legislators, who reacherously placed it there and
to the nation that has thus far unblushingy suffered
there to remain.
Now let US inquire, how these two kinds of slavery
are to be met and abolished-against what particular
branch ofthe system the men Of Vermont are to make
their assault and consequently lCha are the toeapOnS
adapted to the ,Cdr.
If slavery is ever peacefully terminated in these
United States it must be done either, LIST, by ndivdu-
al emancipation by the masters 3D. by legislative en-
actmen of the slave States in the case of State slave
ry and of Congress in the of National slavery
Sd, by the ntetposon of the National government in
either its Judicial Military departments. can con-
ceive of NO other peaceabe method of effectng the
object unless we include as one, the underground
Railroads" and hardly think that any friend of this
process has the faith to believe that this do more
than hasten the general emancipation by some OF the
methods above named Nor shall take any further
notice of the third method specified, inasmuch as a
discussion of that branch of the subject can have No
bearing on the main question now under consideration,
to wit the duties and obligations of the men of Yer
mont in relation to slavery. For present purpose
then. the proposition stands thus: slavery if peace
fully abolished, must be abolished either by indvidu-
b,,1o actr
Now ask, where is the man, who, conversant with
the two hundred years past history of slavery YET pos
sesses so much charity for human nature to believe
that any one of these United States would ever during
all time be disencumbered of slavery, by the voluntary
act of the masters? Never can such an unearthly,
such heavenly result be expected until that better
time shall arrive in Revelation foretold when the prin-
ciples of righteousness shall have supplaned the pur
poses of rapine,-when wars and rumors ofwars shall
have ceased and "there shall be none to hurt or des
troy in all Gods holy mountain" Not until profanity
and basphemy and perjury and robbery and piracy
and murder shall have been voluntarily abandoned, and
the legal enactmens in suppression of those crimes
become dead letter upon the statute book of the land
need one hope to see the slavery of single State
bandoned voluntarily. Nay, it is sef-evident, thai
men, who can cooy and systematically prostitute the
principles and precepts and spirit of the blessed Bible
to the basphemous Dissertation of sanctionng Amer
lean slavery (which alone violates each and every com
mand Of the Decalogue) will relax their grasp upor
the throat of the save-neve until either the strong
arm of the law nteposes in behalf of the quvering
victim, ordeath's icy fingers gather up the induratet
heart-strings of the merciless oppressor.
Ii the assumption then is correct las substantiatec
by reason and experience both) that slavery will no
terminate by voluntary manumisson, it follows that
must be abolished by legislation our national SLAYER