Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-07-30

tons can long maintain themselves deep seated and
heartfelt respect for human rights and the blessings Of
freedom and knowledge Of christianity which cannot
subsst in the same country, or the age, with
systematic OPPRESSION that cuts off millions of human
beings from everything elevating in knowledge, every
thing precious in freedom, every thing divine and
heavenly in our holy Religion And this great change
is one of the fruits of discussion.
Another effect Of this discussion is that 1t has at
tracted to us the attention Of the world. The lncreas
cd intercourse among the civilized nations has lnrodu
cod new standard of national justice and honor-the
public sentiment of the world We feel the force OF
the opinions of mankind; we recognize the authority
OF the conscience of the human No people, u any
cultivation, be wholly regardless of this august
tribunal No usage of society, no public wrong, no
national error or immortality that falls under the con-
demnation of this memorable Judge, is likely long to
maintain itself The citizen of the offending State, in
his mgrations and soournlngs abroad is marked and
rcprobaed lie feels i'll at case out of his own couD-
try. He looks back to it with modification, and re-
turns to it with diminished sefrespcct, His pari-
otiam is humbed AS the traveller, who leaves the
cabin of Of western steamboats,, at the rising
OF the Sun, and energies into the air OF the verdant
fragrant morning. dreams not IN what atmosphere he
has passed the night, till he returns to it, the ct
zen of inconsistent, ering shining Republic, bred
amidst the wrongs Of his native land must 60 out from
it, before he can see its institutions and its character
in their true light The Ame1can citizen sees the OPP
preston practiccd and justified in his country,
most clearly, and feels the shame most keenly as ne
comes home again from the monarchies of the Old
World. There is no longer a country of Europe,
where American Republican is secure from re-
proach Our darkness is made to shine the world over
Our discussions have discovered our guilt have pub
llshed our disgrace; have brought down upon us the
denunciaton and Reproduction Of civilized man. every
where take no pleasure in it as national dlshon-
or; but something is to be expected from 1t as ma
tOnal remedy.
These discussions have done yet moro. They have
brought the LITERATURE Of the world to bear upon
the institution of American Slavery
4 The instruments Of human power arc greatly chan
red. Armies forts, arscnas and ships of war have
ceased to be the main engines Of influence among men
Government itself is a secondary agency in human al
fairs The little column of mysterious characters
which SO puzzled and vexed our childhood, has come
to have more weight in the history of the world, than
all the bayoncts and cabinets of Europe The press
is the predominant element of our civilization. Socl-
ETY. more directed and moulded by it than by all 9th
or causes And the press, in all its departments, from
the great productions of Genius down to the daily eff
usons Of fugitive Thought in Magazines and newspa
pcrs, is substantially free in its tone No work of orig
nal mind, no creation of lofty phiosophic or poetic
inspiration, breathcS savsh spirit; such spirit
is at with the sentiments of true genius IN all a
ges 1t has nothing in it cOngenial with the generous
views the liberal feelings the humane pmanthroplc
enthusiasm Of profound and permanent literature.
The spirit of Literature, more especially christian
literature, is free and friendly to freedom. And now
that the eye Of the master is opened and his SENSIBLE
y quckencd by public discussions Of the system of
American slavery, he cannot study work of mind he
cannot read volume Of Poetry, cannot run over ro-
nance Or a novel Of the day, without meeting con
tradicton OF his philosophy Of life encounterlng
rcbuko for his inhumanity to man. lie cannot admire
the pictures Of our common nature in Shakespeare he
c1n be ~ ~ ~
the wonders of our redemption in Milton; he cannot
nhae the sweet breath of love from Cowper, without
being impressed with respect for human nature in its
lowest estate and dctost0ton Of human slavery in its
mildest form.
Were there no book but the Bible, it were itself en-
ough to ste the institution ofslayery do not care
if Abraham had servants born him in his own house,
if Moses recognised slavery in his civil CODE if our
blessed Lord uttered not a word of condemnation OF
it, If st. Paul sent back servant to his master with an
cpisto Of commentators still there is in the Bible
deep seated essential hostility to every form and de-
gree Of human servltudc. Its fundamental doctrines
of the original equality Of all men before God, OF
common redemption by the same blood, of practical
experience ofthc grace, and common inertancc
of glory in the same IIeavcn-these living and gorl-
GUS truths Of the Gospel are all so many arguments
and so many instruments of universal free Iom They
that sit down together at the communion oil the body
and blood of Christ and converse together as sran-
lem, in which their common hopes all centre, and to
which their weary and anxious feet are pressing with
= la common zeal cannot be master and slave; they be
- tall brethren
But where is all this agitation to end? Why, sir,
just where all discussion ends, in clearer conviction
f of truth and deeper feeling Of dutyn the progress
: of liberty and the elevation of man-in the advance
mont of the happy day, when not son Of God shall
wear chain upon his limbs or feel the iron of oppres4
sion in his soul.
1t will require efforts earnest efforts sacrifices of
treasure and, it may be of blood No great enterprise
for humanity is ever accomplished without them. But
look to arise equal to the crisis, superior to
all dangers, and endowed by God for their mission,
c The Wicklincs and Iuhers, the Clarksons and Will
# bcrlorccs have not all lived yet In great cause
It great men arise and enjoy charmed life A Provi
: dcnce protects them; cloud of Divine Love is Il
, shield all over them The scales will fall off from
mems eyes the veil will be rent from their hearts.
And when once this point is reached-when slavery
is seen in its true light offence to Heaven and
an outrage upon man. as the alike ofthe oppres
sed and the oppressor there will be great difficulty
in getting rid of it. The herds of human cattle that
darken the plains of the SOUTH will melt away as the
locks that Wilton our hills do when we have no Ion
c ger any interest in multiplying them.
Mr.. Speaker sincerely rejoice, that New Hamp-
shire is speaking out upon this subject The time las
gone by when her silence is to be accounted consent
to the extension or the continuance Of negro slavery
in these States. speak not a Wing, nor as a Dem
ocrat but as a citizen of free state minister OF
i the Religion of Liberty. congratulate the people Of
the state and of the whole country, that the day has
come, when son of New Hampshire cannot stand up
in the National Legislature, and, sustanedby the voice
of Freedom, in the free North rcnouncc the doctrine
of our Fathers that all men born equal; or sub
i scribe TO the policy which seeks to strengthen the
+ foundations and enlarge the dominion of tyranny IN
comparison with which the oppression of the Amerl-
c can Colonies was independence. If it were IN my
power would congratulate the poor victim of this OPP
preston himself would whisper in his car the cheer
ing and sustaining message, that IN our orlsons his
4 woes and his wasted hopes are at length remembered
G 1t would console him under the weight of his weary
l. bondage to know that he has new friends among the
friends of humanity brethren in the free states
who "remembcr them that in bonds as bound with
II them"