Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-06-04

to the solemn facts which have brought us together
to-day and which are speaking in thundertones to the
whole nation Is there any ding in the life and rag-
icul death of our brother Charles t. Torrey by which
the preceding truths are illustrated? Is he worthy of
our regard as a noble hearted phantlropis and true
Christian? Shall we venerato his name MS second
martyr in this Free christian land, who has fallen, mob
battling for the right shall consgn his name to-
oblivion? Not to oblivion, my friends No! No! God
has written the name of ToRREY on monuments more
enduring than tablets of marble The names of his
prosecutors may rot; the stone walls and iron gates
chat enclosed him may be eaten M bB The tooth of
time tie dterS tohch bound his faI imGs mag bel
deuoued by the rtsL but the name Of Tovey shall Eve
while there Is slave on earth to wear chuin free
man to exult in his liberty, or God to reward the
memory Of the Just. The day is not distant when
those who eXuted over his fate, and those who con-
signed him to it, will be regarded as the enemies of
God and man and he will be yenerated a beneiac-
tor of our race, honor to the waning spirit Of Lib
erty, and lusrous example Of the set-sacrlhcing
spirit Of the gospel The facts in the are briefly
these Mr. Torrey Graded in New England
Here he spent most of his life Here mbibed the
spirit of the gospel. Here inhaled the air of fee
dom. Here was called of God to preach the gospel;
like his master, to comfort all that mournto preach
deverance to the captive, &c. Here he received
such commission as we all have received who are
sent OF God to declare all the counsel Of God-to lift
zap his voice, to cry aloud and spare MOTTO oppose
and low places-pcrsonal and organic" lie went
forth to flu fiji it. He entered on his public life at an
eVentfu period He studied to prepare himself to
meet the exigences of the times. lie commenced his
work with well cultivated intellect and warm sympu-
thies. He was literally educated in some Of the
most popular schools in New England He had
mind that could feel for others He reared,
from childhood, in land where eloquent speeches
the blessings of universal Liberty and equality
scarcity. He had heard, from his CRADLE upward the
story of our fathers love Of Liberty, and having main
tanned it at the expense of their lives Peas of elo
quent shoutings of the freedom of our government,
and the perfect equality of all who took refuge in
this asylum of the oppressed of all nations" were
the most familiar sounds to which his youth was &C
CustOmed. But alas when he looked abroad upon
the stubborn facts of his native country, he that
under this government which has declared that salt
men are free and equal and endowed by their Crea-
tor with certain inalienabe rights, among which are
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happness even here
one in every six Of the inhabitants are robbed and
spoiled of epeIy right lie saw that these wreched
beings were plundered even Of their hllm2nitythat
they not ranked among rational beings, but are
clamef held end treated as hingsas articles of proper
ty to all intens constructions and purposes what
soever He saw that the rights Of the slave to his own
reason and conscience were denied him; that the family
relation annihated all its joys and all its duties
at the mercy of tyants. He that all the religious
privileges of the slaves at the disposal of the
master-that the gospel was withheld from them, so
that here was race of degraded heather within the
sound of thousands Of church bells; and that they
always must remain such while held as property. He
that the door of every schoolhouse was barred
against the children of saves--that their minds were
enshrouded in Egyptian night, their souls and bodies
were crushed beneath an overwhelming weight OF OPP
preston; that they were doomed to toll without wa
ges that they were urged on, the live-long day"
with no other motive than fear Of torture lie the
Ill
traffic in the bodies and souls Of men on the african
coast but were sanctioning the hing in Repub-
licGn, Christian .4neicn! He it becoming ma
tonal doctrine that ,Chn the lao makes property is
properil" He saw that {" 200 years of legislation,
instead of destroying it, had sanctioned and sanched
the business. Shall we wonder that Indignation burn
ed in his noble heart? He turned his attention to the
District of Columbia, where, if any where, we might
expect to find Liberty. There are copyrighted the
objects of the nations glory There stands the paa,C
of our Presidents-the halls of our national represent
atves-the nations eagle and there, overlooking all
stands the image of the nations Father; there wha
did he see? He saw there within the sound of the
orators voice. who is eloquenty talking Of republican
and Christian Institutions the SlaUe market and The Sar
prison, built by the nations money He saw the moth
err with her children, stand upon the auction block
while the cruel auctoneer jeered at her tears lie
saw the policy of the Honorables of the nation was
to extend and perpetuae this damning business, and
the people consent to have it so. They had no desire
or intention Of ever Nboshng it." All this he per-
ceived was not the abuse of slavery but the
tial thing Itself
His heart bled for the of these his brethreH
whom he saw living as brutes and dying in all theil
darkness without hope. For time he was a so ourn-
er in State where slavery abounds, -perhaps went
there on purpose to fulfil mission Of mercy to the
hopeless slave: seeing those that had fallen among
thieves-were wounded, and half dcad-he, at the
ilOfhi safe tO deliver
were spoiled Here is all the crime with which he
can be charged He entjced no The painting
slave lay at his feet, with manacles on, and implor
ingly asked, may be free?" He ventured to wills
per in his ear, lit must not be spoken above whispe
in slave State0 the "scfevident truth" 'that all mer
are born free and equal" He told him God hac
made of one blood all natons"-that the gospel is
given to all-God is no respecter of persons. "Hou
can enjoy his gift Of COTE" said the slave as hope
began to kindle in his breast. Pointing to the Nortl
Star-said he, Under that star is land where the
slave is free. If you desire freedom and the gospel
they are found there"
Some avaied themselves ofthese hints, followed the
guidance of that changeless lumnary, and now Fou
Hundred are able to lift up their eyes to heaven anC
shout, 1--WE are men, We are free" While they o.
their postcrty live they will cherish and embam the
name of TORREY.
1t was for these acts of charity alone, that he wa;
charged with felony and sentenced to the dungeon
1t was for this alone, that after he had been hurried
to the brink of the grave, and death, by slow ant
stealthy steps was advancing that the Governor ant
Legislature of Maryland, refused to hear the prayer o.
a broken hearted wife and weeping children for his
release that he mil ht die in the embraces OF his fam
ily-a prayer which they would doubtless grant, ever
to murderer. Yes, it for loving his neghbor as
himself that he is thrust into the dungeon and thu
prayer of a weeping wife disregarded. He was con
demned, at an earthly tribunal, for that which, at thu
Judgment of Christ, all heaven will honor him.
l, too, my brother, will reverence thee ollowe
and a martyr of God.