Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-06-18

thusiasm his contagious courage, his firm tones "e
Idevisnr plans for the accomplishment OF our common
iobects? singular instance Of this power has oeeh
mentioned to me, which | will relate. Inc dlstiI-
ouished counsel who defended him on his trial at bal
Itmore engaged in his cause with great reluctance,
and seemed tmid and lukewarm in the preliminary
consultations until he had interview with his client
At the first interview, the acute mlnd the open heart
the determined bravery of the prisoner captyated the
cbivalrous but wary lawyer, and he threw his whole
intellect and soul into the cause. And, if Torrey
could mould such man to his purposes, how much
more those who like HIM. had bound themselves to the
common enterprise with the cords Of kindred sympa-
Ithv? How difficulties vanished before his courageous
words-how hope was kndled and the darkest cloud
dspelled by his glowing enthuslasm-how feeble did
the hosts of our enemy appear, compared with the
strength of our little band with Gideons God fighting
on our side Never shall forget the pathos and en-
ergy with which from the pulp Sabbath morning
soon after the death of the sainted LovejOy he read
the eleventh chapter of the Hebrews where the Apos
tie so graphically sketches the pers and suferings Of
the ancient martyrs of the church who had entered
into their rest. Little did then think should ever
be called to mention this incident under circumstances
of such hallowed grief as those which now surround
us.
Fellow-ctzens:-this is the man, who, for his
quenchess love of liberty, for the performance OF acts
which would adorn the character and mission of an
freshness of youth, within the walls of an American
penitentary under the MONDAY sun of the nineteenth
century.
And whv was this sacrifice demanded? Could it be
that the mnions of slavery hoped to win triumph in
making the representative of freedom quail, and con-
Tossing that he wrong, and sue for mercy? Vain
expectation. They had mistaken the spirit of the
man whom fraud and perjury had placed in their pow
en- They hid specifically studied the genius and the
history of the reform in which he stood conspicuous
leader The events of the American reign OF terror,
the irving years of 1867, might have taught even
more incorrigible scholars that neither mobs, dun
geons nor scouges nor branding irons, death sped
bullets could drive from their purpose the men whom
God had drafted from whole nation to head the for
lorn hope of Liberty-men whose principles and pur
poses only grow more hard and glowing in the fiery
furnace of persecution No! it is because Slavery's
natural aliment is human blood that Torrey sac
riced.
Oh! sir, how our hearts would throb with Joy that
tho suffering more than the pains Of the rackthough
besought to yield by importuntes from sources which
a Spartan could not have reslsted-though his dun
geon door would have swung freely open had he, in
The feeblcness of his waning breath whispered the
little Words 81 am tcrong," he stood the test--he was
true to his trust-and announced his determination to
be faithful to registered vow, in terms worthy of the
modest martyrs of the church." How can consent
to doctrine whichmy heart, my conscience and my
Judgment, based on careful examination when pos
sible motive of sell interest could bias me- led to
reject as opposed to the Bible and right reason?
my be erroneous in my views, for am tallibe man
but this is no place, nor am IN condition now, tt
review my settled opinions respecting the relations
of Christianity to those civil laws which are contrary
to n1tura Justice ana the law Of God. 1t is better t
die in prison with the peace of God in our breasts
than to live in freedom with polluted conscience"
These were the words of Charles Turner Toney