The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-03-19


That separation was brought about by diff
iercnces of opinion upon this peculiar sub
cct Of slavery. felt great concern, as that
dispute went on, about the result, and was
in hopes that the difference of opinion might
be adjusted, because | looked upon that re-
ligious denomination as one Of the great |
props of religion and morals throughout the |
whole country. from Maine to Georga. The |
result was against my wishes and against my
hopes. ] have read all their proceedings, |
and all their arguments, but | have never
vet been able TO come to the conclusion that
there was any real ground for that separation;
in other words, that no good could be pro-
duced by that separation. must say think
there was some want of candor and ch arty.
Sir, when a question of this kind takes hold
of the religious sentiments of mankind, and
comes to be discussed in religious assemblies
of the clergy ard laity, there is always to be
expected, or always to be feared, great de-
gree of excitement 1t is in the nature Of
man, manifested by his whole history, that
religious disputes are apt to become warm,
and mems strength of conviction is proper
tonate TO their views of the magnitude of
the questions. In all such disputes there
will sometimes men be found with whom ev-
cry lultH Is ubcOluNt- dbooiuNciN MIOnR VI
absolutely right They see the right clear
y they think Others ought so to see it, and
thev are disposed to establish n broad line of
distinction between what is right and what
is wrong. And they are not seldom wiling
to establish that line upon their own convic
tions of the truth and the Justice of their
own opinions, and they are willing TO mark
and guard that line by placing along it a Sc
H.. - H.,
marked by posts and stones. There are men
WHO, with clear perceptions, as they think.
Of their own duty, do not see how 100 hot a
pursuit of one duty may involve them in the
violation of others, or how too warm an en-
bracement of one truth may. lead to dsre-
gard of other truths equally important. AS
heard it stated strongly, not many days
ago, these persons are disposed TO mount up
on some particular duty as upon a war horse,
and to drive furiously, on and upon, and over
all other duties that may stand in the way.
There arc men who, in times of that sort,
and disputes Of that sort, are OF opinion that
human duties may be ascertained with the
exactness of mathematics. They deal with
morals as with mathematics, and they think
what is right may be distinguished from what
is wrong with the precision of all algebraic
equation. They have, therefore, none too
much charity towards others who differ from
them They are apt too, to think, that moth
/ ing is good but what is perfect and that
there are no compromises or notifications 10
oe made in submission to difference of opn-
ion, or in Difference to other mems judgment
| II their perspi cacious vision enables them to
detect spot on the face Of the sun, they
think that good reason why the sun should
be struck down from heaven. They prefer
the chance Of running into utter darkness,to
living in heavenly light, if that heavenly
light be not absolutely without any imper-
lection. There are impatient men-too i'm
patient always to give heed to the admoni-
ton of St. Paul, that we are not TO do evil
that good may come too impatient 70 wait
for tho slow progress Of moral causes IN the
improvement VI mankind. They do not re-
member that the doctrines and the miracles
of Jesus Christ, have, in eighteen hundred
years, converted only small portion of the
human race-and among the nations that are
converted TO Christianity, they forget how
many vices and crimes, public and private,
still prevail, and that many Of them, public
crimes especially, which are offences against
the Christian religion, pass without exciting
particular regret or Indignation. Thus wars
are waged, and unjust wais. do not deny
that there may be just wars There certain.
y are but it was the remark of an eminent
person, not many years ago, on the other
side Of the Atlantic, that it was one Of the
greatest repfoaches to human nature that
wars were sometimes necessary. The de.
fence Of nations sometimes causes war a.
gainst the injustice of other nations
Now, sir, in this state of sentiment upon
the general nature of slavery, lies the cause
of great portion of those unhappy divisions,
eHasperations, and reproaches, VIII ich find
vent and support in different parts Of the
Union. Slavery does exist in the Uni
ted States. 1t did exist in the States before
the adoption Of this constitution, and at that
time.
And now. let us consider, sir, for mo-
ment, what was the state of sentiment, North
and South, in regard TO slavery at the time
this constitution was adopted. A remarka-
BILE change has taken place since, but what
did the wise and great men of all rarts of
the country think of slavery PIN what es-
limalion did they hold it in then, when this
constitution was adopted? Now, il will he
found, sir, if we will carry ourselves by his
torical research back TO that day, and aseer-
tain mems opinions by authentic records still
existing among us, that there was no great
diversity of opinion between the North and
he South upon the subject of slavery, and
it will he found that both parts of the coun.
try held it equally an evil. moral and poll.
iica evil. 1t will not he found that either
at the North or at the South, there was much,
though there was some, inyectye against
slavery as inhuman and cruel. The great
ground Of objection to it was political; that
it weakened the social fabric that taking
the place of free labor, society was less
strong and labor was less producive-and
therefore we find from all the eminent men
Of the time, the c!earesl expression of their
opinion that slavery was an evil. And they
ascrlbed its existence here, not without truth.
and not without some acebrty of temper
and force of language. to the injurious poll
cy of the mother country, who, TO favor the
navigator, had entailed these evils uron the
co 'onies need hardly refer, sir, to the
publications Of the day. They are matters
Of history on the record. The eminent men,
the most eminent men, and nearly all the
conspicuous politicians of the South, held
the same sentiments that slavery was an
evil, blight, blast, mildew, scourge,
and curse. There are no terms OF repro
baton OF slavery so vehement in the North
of that day as in the South. The North was
not so much excited against it as tie South,
and the reason is. | suppose, because there
was much less at the North, and the people
did not see, or think they saw, the evils so
prominently ms they were seen, or thought
to be seen, at the South.
Then. sir, when this Constitution was
framed this was the light in which the Con-
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