Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-06-17


ment OF my oppressed countrymen, ard to over
throw this system of Slavery which is crushing
them to the earth How can | love country
that dooms 30O0,000 of my brethren, some Of
them my own kindred, my own brothers, my own
sisters, who are now clanking the chains of
Slavery upon the plains of the South, whose
warm blood is now making fat the soil MARYLAND
and of Alabama, and over whose crushed spirits
rolls the dark shadow of Oppression, shutting
out and eXtlnguishing forever the cheering rays
OF that bright Sun of Liberty, lighted in the
souls of all Gods children by the omnpotent
hand OF Deity itself? How can |, say, love a
country thus cursed, thus believed with the
blood of my brethren? A Country, the Church
of which, and the Government of which and
the Constitution of which are in favor of sup
porting and perpetuatng this monstrous system
of injustice and blood! / have not, | cannot
have, any love for this country, as such, or for
/ its Constitution. | desire to see it overthrow
as speedily as possible and its Constitution shiv-
cred in thousand fragments, rather than TINT
this foul curse should continue to remain as now
| Kisses and cheers
In all this, my friends, let me make myself
understood do not hate America as against
England, or against any other country or land.
| love Humanity all over the globe | am anx-
lOuS to see Righteousness prevail III all direc-
tons. | am anxious to see Slavery overthroWn
there; but | never appealed to Englishmen in a
manner calculated to awaken feelings of hatred
or disgust, or to nAame their preudices toward
America as nation in a manner productive of
national jealousy or ill-w but | always appeal
ed to their conscence-to the higher and nobler
yft o,f+ 1,,.
them in this cause. | always appe lied to their
manhood that which preceded their being En-
gllshmen, Ito quote an expression of my friend
Phillips,) | appealed to them as men, and had
a right to do So They are men, and the Slave
is man, and we have a right to call upon all
men to assist in breaking his bonds, let them be
born when and live where they may.
But it is asked, what good will it dor or
what good h1s it done! Have you not irrita-
ted, have you not annoyed your American friends
and the Americ an people rather than done them
goodP | admit that we have irritated them
They deserve to be irritated. ! am anxious to
lrritate the American people on this question:
AS. it is i'll physics, in morals, there are cases
which demand irritation and counter-irritation.
The conscience of the American people needs
this irritation, and [ would blister it all over
from center to circumference, until it gives signs
of purer and better life than it is now mani
testing to the world.
But why expose the sins of one nation in the
eyes of another! Why attempt to bring one
people under the odlum of another peopIe!-
There is much force in this question | admit
that there are sins in almost every country which
can be best removed by means confined exclu-
sively to their immediate locality. But such
sins and such evils pre-suppose the existence OF
a moral power in their immediate locality suli-
Client to accomplish the work of renovation
But, where, pray, can we go to find moral power
in this nation sufficient to overthrow Slavery
70 what institution, to what party shall we APP
ply for aid! | say we admit that there are evils
which can be best removed by Influences conin.
ed to their immediate locality But in regarG
to American Slavery it is not So 1t is such
giant crime, so darkening to the soul, SO blind
ing in its moral influence so well calculated tt
blast and corrupt all the humane principles o
our nature 50 well adapted to inluse its own &C
cursed spirit into all around it, that the people
among whom il exists have not the moral power
to abolish it. Shall we 90 to the Church for this
influenced We have heard its character desert
f bed. Shall we 90 to Politicians or Political
Parties! Have they the moral power necessar,
to accomplish this mighty task! They have
not What are they doing at this moment!-
t Voting supplies for SlWery-voting supplies 70
the extension the stability, the perpetuation 0
f, Slavery in this land. What is the press doing
f The same The pulpit! Almost the same.
t do not Aatter myself that there is moral powe
q in the land sufficient to overthrow Slavery, and
: welcome the aid of England. Aud that aid wi
i come. The growing intercourse between Eng
f land and this country, by means of steam nay
: CATION, the relaxation Of the protective system i
various countries in Europe, gives us an oppor
+ unity to bring in the aid, the moral and Christ
: ian aid Of those living on the other side of tn
f Atlantic. We welcome it in the language of tn
: resolution. We entreat our British friends t
= continue to send their remonstrances across tn
! deep against Slavery in this land. Aud thc5
= remonstrances will have powerful effect hert
n Sir, the Americans may tell of their ability, an
II | have no doubt they have it, to keep back tn
q invaders host, to repulsG the strongest force thu
4 its enemies may send against this country
d may boast, and rightly boast of its capacity t
p build its ramparts so high that no foe can hop
q to scale them-to render them so impregnabl
. as to defy the assaults of the world But, Sil
Il there is one thing it cannot resist, come fror
v what quarter it may. 1t cannot resist TRUTH
y You cannot build your forts 50 strong, nor you
e ramparts so high, nor arm yourselves 50 power
fully, as to be able to withstand the overwhem
:, ing MORAL SENTIMENT against Slavery now flow
" ing into this land. For example: Prejudice ;
IS gainst Color is continually becoming weaker i
d this land; aud why! Because the whole Euro
Ipcan Continent denounces this sentiment as I'm
n worthy Judgment in the breast of an enlightel
i ed community And the American abroad dar
o not now, even in public conveyance, to lift h
Y voice in defence of this disgusting prejudice
n do not mean to say that there are no pract
I ces abroad which deserves TO receive an Unfit
n ence, favorable to their determination, from
n merca. | am most glad to know that Demo
of cratic Freedom-not the bastard Democrat
d. which, while loud in its protestations of regar
as for Liberty and Equality, builds up Slavery an(
d in the name of Freedom fights the battles
r. Despotsm-is making great strides IN Europe
Is We see abroad, in England especially, haapP
g 4bo ,,rorraeS Of American nrInC