Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-04-16

\, Is 'nereiore unaccountable TO him, how
Northern educated gentlemen should allow me,
construct them in matters of which the teach
ers know nothing, as in the case of Abolitio,
The better part of society does not attend ,bes,
lectures. The Southerner fails to perceive an,
do the North justice in this particular. The,
do not perceive that you connect this forbea +
ance towards abotionists with your ideas of lib
erty, that cherished spirit of your commnnit,
from the first, that native product of your cline
You hold that error will work its own dowfall
Confident in the strength the principles which
you have adopted, and having exhibited your at
tachment to them at Bunker Hill, and at oheI
places, and at all times and places where yor
/ perceive such manifestation to be required, YOU
hold the freedom of speech, the freedom of the
press and jealous watchfulness over the cleo.
tive franchise, as objects of your most cherished
devotion. You feel yourselves therefore n.
much compelled to let aboltionism live, in il.
lustration of your principles, as a Southernel
does to revenge an intended personal insult.
Besides abolitonsm has not risen up amonp
you ANONYMOUSLY. but phlosophicaly, and in
perfect harmony with the spirit of the age, and
the spirit of the people among whom it exists.
New.Engand liberation Of aboliionism is no
more TO be wondered at, or imputed to it as a
crime, than its liberation of every thing else
which chooses to come along. Do they not toll.
crate the thousand and one sects. religious and
rrelirious, which rise up among them Did
ever human being invent sort Of religion so
absurd as that it would not gain adherents in
New-England Is not Mormonism, Millersm.
Comeoutism, and every other " ism " accepta-
bic there?
As well might the mass of the people be regar-
ded as all Alilerites, because they allowed
those wretched fanatics to act out their sent-
ments amongthem, and bring the world to an
end IN there own way, as to suppose them not
disguised with abolitionism because they toler-
ate it. Toput down abolitionism is impossible,
in a community that puts down nothing else but
tyranny and opposition.
The whole North hold anH-slavcry principles,
but then they hold them in such way, that at
what time an army Of ten thousand fanatics
could be raised to go down TO the South, to lib
crate the slaves, an army of fifty thousand free
men, their Keepers would start with them,to see
that they did no mischief.
Let the moral question about slavery become
settled, and abolitionism is dead. You cannot
drum up adherents in New-England, for abol-
ishing anything but that which you make APP
pear TO be morally evil. The daughters of New
England, and the worthy dupeable gentlemen,
the Union will take with them, unless it can be
made to appear that the glory of God requires
it.
Disconnect the clergy Of New.England from
the subject of abolitionism, and it dies. Bride
them to stop their mouths, buy them off, or, as
Western man would say choke them off, or
get them off in any way you please, and aboll-
tionism is at an end.
1t is your inferior clergy ifsuch term can
be said to have any meaning, in such COM
munity, that are teaching TO the upturnng of
this Union, if it gets upturned, that slavery is
contrary to tie word Of God.
Your real divines hold their peace; and that
not because they find nothing to say on the sub
iect Of slavery from the Bible, bot because they
know that if they speak as they think on this
subject, their churches, founded on Independent
cy, will explode like bomb-sheIls, and they,
themselves will be blown, not exactly sky-high,
for then they would take happy exit, from this
world of trouble.
They, however partakc Of that sectional alb
florence of slavery, which is, at least in part,
a product of the climate, and as plainly as they
read slavery from the beginning to the end of the
Bible, yet they think it desirable that all should
be free.
Sir if the opinions Of eminent divines were
respected in New-Engand as in days of yore,
and such were invited to expound the teaching
ofthe bible on this subject, you would have no
occasion for Southern politicians to quell 81 the
madness of the people,"
The system according to which the laity
make and unmake the clergy, is in a stage OF
progressive development, but the end is not
yet.
If am right in supposng that the only aspect
IN which the subject of slavery can at present be
discussed to any good effect between the North
and the South, is that Of its morality as taught
by the Word of God, you will readily perceive
that Southern politicians would feel that there
was some ncongruity in their explaining the
Bible to Northern audiences, none of which
would be convened without comprising at least
several glergwaen. For Southerners habitually
deferring to the clergy in the matter of explain
ing the Bible, under such circumstances, would
fell altogether too sensibly that they had got out
OF their latitude.
1t is religious phrensy that the country has
reason to fear, and it is my solemn belief that if
the mass of moral mind is not correctly inform
ed on the subject of the African race, the Union
determines. You cannot abolish slavery, for
God is pledged to sustain it. That he has pledg-
ed himself to perpetuate this Union, find no.
where written.
There is one specific subject which appears
to me worthy the attention Of Northern states
men-the enfranchisement of the colored popu-
lation, which is progressing at the North. This
matter, to my apprehension, wears an ominous
aspect.
A seeming paradox exists. Since the intro
ductlon of steam, ntercommunication between
the North and the South has increased, and
proportionably greater number of personal friend
ships have probably arisen between the people OF
these two great sections of our country, than
before existed Yet the deep, silent, but fear.
ful sectional alienation is increasing | will
speak of the past and intimate therefrom the
probable future.
1t is now matter of history, that free, OF
runaway colored persons have lectured political
ly at the North. That in the last presidential
campaign, such persons were listened to- b,
gaping multtudes of the moral Northern people
That the distinguished statesman, patriot ant
phlantEropist, Henry Clay, was on this wis,
viiied and aspersed
No harm done yet. All perfectly fair. Ever,
thing is fair in politics. And tho the mos
vrulent political opponent, whom this, our dis
tingulshed countryman, has in the South, who
at home has the immunites Of the appellation
gentleman, conceded to him--would hav,
burnt with indignation at the desecraton had
he witnessed it, yet there is no harm done yet
no breakers ahead.
In Vermont no distinction is, or ever la
been known, either in Constitution or Statute
between colored and white citizens. In IN,
New-Enrand States lying upon the Atlantic
which were originally slaveholdng, not onl,
has slavery been by statute abolished, but tina
favorite obi act of reform, the abolition of al
laws which make a distinction between colored
, nd ,,,b;,a naonla hos haan in a greater or les.