Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-03-21

lngs of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. or of
any of his Apostles The object of the in
struction impaired to mankind by the foun-
der of Christianity was to touch the heart,
purify the soul, aud improve the lives of in
dividual men. That object went directly to
the first fountain of all political and all So
ciai relations of the human race-the indi-
vidual heart and mind of man.
Now, sir, upon the general nature and
character and influence of slavery, there
exists wide difference between the North
ern portion of this country and the South
ern. Ii is said on the one side that, If not
+ the subject of any Injunction or direct pro-
hibition in the New Testament, slavery is a
wrong; that it is founded merely in the
right of the strongest; and that il is an op-
preston, like all unjust wars, like all these
conflicts by which mighty nation subjects
weaker nation to their will and that
slavery, in its nature, whatever may be said
+ of it in the notifications which have taken
place, is not in fact according to the meek
spirit of the gospel. 1t is not kindly afiec-
toned, it does not " seek another's and not
ITS own" 1t does not % let the oppressed
go free" These are sentiments that are
cherished, and recently with greatly angmen-
: ted force, among the people of the North
ern States. 1t has taken hold of the rell-
gious sentiment of that part of the country,
!, as il has more or less taken hold of the rell-
gious feelings Of considerable portion OF
mankind. The South, upon the other SIDE
have been accustomed TO tins relation be-
tween the two races all their lives, from their
birth; having been taught in general to
treat the subjects of their bondage with great
care and klndne>S-have yet not taken tins
view Of the subject winch have mentioned
here are thousand Of religious men, with
couscicnces is tender as amy Of their breth-
rem at the North who do not see the un-
laWiulness Of slavery; and there are more
Thousand perhaps, that, whatsoever they NAV
think Of lis origin, and as matter depend
ing on naturai right, Yet take things as
they are, and, hndng slavery Ia be an e>-
tahished relation OF the society III which
they ike, can see no way IN which-let
their opinions on the abstract question be
, what they may-.t Is III the power of the
present generation To relieve themselves
from this relation. And, IN this respect,
candor ohliges me 10 SAY, that | believe
} they are Just as conscientious, many of them,
as they are IN the North III holding differ
ent opinions
Why, sir, the honorable Senator from S.
Carolina, the other day, alluded 10 the great
separation Of that great religious commnni-
ty, the Methodist Episcopal Church. That
separation was brought about by differences
of opinion upon the peculiar subject of sla-
very. felt great concern that dispute
went on abou, the result and was IN hopes
that the difference Of opinion might be
adjusted, because | looked upon that relI-
gious denomination as one of the great props
Of religion and morals throughout the
/. whole country from Maine to Georgia
The result was against my wishes aud a.
gainst my hopes. have read all their pro-
ceedlngs, and all their arguments, but |
have never vet been able 10 come TO the
: conclusion that there was any real ground
for thai separation. | must say | think
there was some want of candor, aud chdri-
~. Sir, when question of this kInd takes
hold of the religious sentiments OF mankind
and comes To be discussed IN religious as
seinblics of the clergy and laiiy, :here is
always To be expected, or always To be fear
Gu, Il GICdt ucIttC VI CNSiittiitut IL 10 III
the nature OF man, manifested by his whole
history, that religious disputes are apt TO be-
come warm, and mems strength OF conylc-
ton is proporllonate to their views of the
magnitude of the questions. In all such
disputes there will sometimes men be found
with whom everything is absolute-abso-
lutely wrong or absolutely right. They see
the right clearly they think others ought
TO see 1t, and they are disposed To establish
a broad line of distinction between what is
right and what is wrong. And they are not
seldom willing to establish that line upon
their own convictions of the truth aud the
Justice of their own opinions; aud are will
Ing 10 mark and guard that line, by placing
alonI it series of dogmas, as lines OF
boundary are marked by posts and stones.
There are men who, with clear perceptions,
as they think, Of their own duty, do not
see how too hot pursuit Of one duty may
involve them in the violation OF others, or
how too warm all enforcement Of one truth
may lead to disregard of other truths E
qually important. As | heard it stated
strongly, not many days ago, these persons
are disposed to mount upon some particular
duty as upon war horse, and TO drive fu-
riously, on and upon, and over all other du-
ties that may stand III the way. There are
men who, in times Of that sort, and disputes
of that sort, are of opinion that human du-
ties 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 an algebrac
equation. They have, therefore, none too
much charity towards others who differ from
them. They are apt, too, 10 think that
nothing is good but what Is perfect, and
that there are 10 compromises or modltica-
tons 10 be made in submission to difference
of opinion or ia Difference TO other mems
Judgment Ii their perspcaclous 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 rinning into ut
ter darkness, TO living in heavenly light, if
that heavenly light be not absolutely with
out any impertectiou. There are impatient
Il.