The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-02-04
For the Voice oS Freedom.

H.,
lures delivered for many weeks preyious IN n ~.
uns OF SAID convention,evidently with view 70 pro-
pare the minds of the people for the great result
aimed at, namely, that all are peN-saverv who do
not 1ully embrace the views Of the liberty por!T 90
called. The speakers mostly aimed though co7er,
", at this one point, on which is founded their IL
itical and religious faith. None else, nor ary en-.
bracinS other principles, it seems can be tic fre,d
OF tho slave, or in any way do him good. Tho 40
tors In this great political drama appear to have M
a page or lin history aud presumed tha sgdaDoe
were as iorgetful as themselves. When they pssu,n.
the ground that they the first and the les in TIE
abolition cause in this state rec leo the time VII n
the pastors and members Of tho churches (Which,
they now pronounce pro-slavery) were tho first IN
! the nnt-Slavery cause in Vermont and thew had
the full appreciation of the churches in general in
the state These men made strong appeals to Tia
better judgment and consciences of the slav We o.d,
ers Of the south. They accompanied those EppeeIs
with fervent prayers to God, that He would bless
every means Of moral suasion to convince the mag
ter Of the w.ckedness and unprof.ablencss Of hold
ing his fellow man in bondage. Such weapons they
thought the most powerful Of any thing they covd
WELD in the great reform. They also By CONVEX
tonal and church resolutions and instructions ~
ed to the south the feelings Of The north OF tho sin
funcss of slave holding.
now ask tho denuncatOry mon Of the present
day to point to the prosarery spot OF such proceed
ingi while they recollect that those men, ant tie
churches they belong to- are the same now Ga tAqn.
They have not altered except in instances, vhl,.
thn iihort, l. IA, IL
shod", and in some instances converted them Into .
political religious party, 50 called. have aoen 10
drawing back from the frat views ard practices CT
those pioneers. Butt have seen pcIitc cal parry er.
rising, whose avowed object is to put down all to
churches and pastors, who co not unto with them
as political party, famarly called the third ps--
ty. This party have gone of of tie ground takoa
by tie original an-slavery society and taken ground
as wide from abolition principles as tho polos pro
nouncng all the churches, pastors, and al, others
pro-slaTery, who do not como up to their stards,il
and who, according to spirited speech made il ;:.s
convention on Thursday last by professed na.nla.
ter of Christ, should they churches continue ,c
refuse to bow the knee to this political 8aal ,hoy
will be rode over 'roughskod,' if the monster With
in them cannotbe otherwise destroyed. This riding
over the churches the speaker coutended was orc
Of two ways to effect their object. We complained
of this particular speaker; his views arc in porfsc.
accordance with others of the party. This needs
no further proof than the state of tho churches owe.
which this 'rOugh-shod,' riding has been promoted
in this state.
have come to tho conclusion that It Is one th;ng
to be an aSolitionst and quite another thing to 90
political third party man--wde indeed is the spacs
between the two. Tho formor or for all const;lu-
uona means to emanc,pato tho slave. Tho lattar
are filling the nation with anarchy ard confusion,
with the only hope to ovcntua y force thu south con
sttutional or not to abandon slavery at their bic
ding. To do this the same speaker said we mus.
batter down the churches containing tho mons.er.-
and who will be to blame" said ho, "if In doing
this to destroy the monster, we batter down IT,,
churches Also"
After all this profans and empty babbiing, ask
what have the third party done to put down slavery
more than others who have Como before them, snd
are before them now,n all sautary impressions made
on the south. Or what could they havo done moro
in legislative capacity, had they possessed the es
tire political power of Vermont. AS yet they kave
done nothing comparatively. Their answer to th-s
know, is all the wings have done i, nsincerc and
hypocritica" Just they say of tho doings Of Re-
ligous Conventions and of individual churches. II
they wish 10 avoid their own epi;hnt pro-Alavory,'
advise them to oome up to something rear tho low
ell of those bodies avoiding such political action -
in 1914 has added largo slave territory to tho Uni!
ted States, when they had the power to prevent i
But this is done, and past remedy. Il only rema inc
for the dark page of history to record tho wou3.r
that those cllming to be tie NY friends OF {
slave have by their influence added large er7.to
from foreign state, whose constitution forbds ia
legislature to make any laws for the emarcipa:lo7
of the slave. Oh shame, whore is thy blush Ard
yet this Same party are sounding out to tho sout ~
thousand tongues that all the north, except .h0.r
small party, are pro-savery. What is tho object a.
this report, and what will be its influence on the
south, if believed? 1t needs no prophet to fo:ctoll
that the Shareholders will brace themselves the mora
firmly against so small party, whom they consider
invading their State rights. Whereas if they wars.
made to believe the TRUTH that the free states ai-7ss
to man, are opposed to the wicked institution CT
slavery and are ready to use every constitutional
means, to destroy its degrading influence on Gu
name and nation, would not the latter report have
Il far more salutary influence to promote the roao9
Of the union, and be likely to produce the 81
clifton Of slavery by state after state becoming rae
Besides whore is the policy of the north in dividing
and sub-dividing, thereby rendering themselves
weak against the slave power?
We have been taught by wOoful experience that
our northern divisions have made it easy fo- tho
south to give laws to the Union, and suoh as my
best suite their slavery purposes. United we hold
the balance of powor-dividod, We fall beneath the
southern power.
hope before another presidential election all par
ties at the north will hold General Convention ar
nil agree in supporting the man most fitted fog Tic
office of President This can and ought to DO done
if all are willing to act on right principles. This :,