The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1851-06-24
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The synod olthe Free Presbyterian Church
OF the United States assembled at Ripley,
Ohio, IN the month OF Agul, 1851. deem a
their duty TO make aud publish the following
idcc,aga,uu aAl Ttstin,cry ~ r"ra 10 the
enactnaent Of The late Nationnl Congress-,
known as the Fugitive Slave law.
| The bill which passed the two Houses Of
Congress, and received the signature of ths
President Of the United States, on The lsth
Of September and which is now known
and IN force as the Fugitive Save law, is
in ;ho judgment of this Synod, a high.
handed outrage against Heaven, and a tear
lul omen OF our national downfall
This law makes the love of liberty, which
the Creator has kinded mp ON the altar Of
every mans heart, crime, and puuIshes
the indulgence oi it with chains aud sergi-
!, tude. ....
Ii rejects aud rcpudiatcs all those m
mon law principles ofeyidence, Which have
been ratified by the wisdom OF past ages,
and which werc intended to throw the
shield of protection over the sacred rights
of man.
1t denies to those who have escaped from
a worse than Egyptian, Roman or Alge'
rine bondage, the right of trial by Jury and
the privilege OF the writ of habcaS corpus,
constitutional guarantees which protect even
the thief and the murderer
II makes obedience to the Gospel Grim
inal offence, and forbids us to give food to
the hungry, clothing to the naked, and shel-
ter to the weary .I...
The voice of nature, as well rs the law
4 Of God calls upon us TO sympathiZe with
4 the fugitive, and assist him III his flight from
the prlson-h0use of bondage But this law
would transform us into monsters Of cruelty
| and commands rs, under heavy penalties,
to bar his way, TO load him with irons, aud
to thrust him back into condition more
dreadful than death ITSELF sNf ..g lra.
1t holds out pecuniary inducements and
4 offers legal facilities to wicked men, TO drag
irecmen from thor homes and families, and
consign tnem to hopeless bondage.
4 1t destroys that sense OF personal secnrl-
ty which every honest man has right to
feel; and even we ourselves, who received
the brthright Of our liberties immediately
from God, now hold them only at the
mercy of legaIized man.stealers H aNfl
1t commands us, under the threatening OF
fine and Imprisonment 10 take part III ar
resting those who may be the rcdee med
children of God charged with no crime,
and forcing them back into a condition OF
l,eathensm aud moral disability, where it
is impossible for them to obey the precepts
of the Gospel and live the lives OF consist
ent Christians and thus prepare for the cter-
nal world
4 Such being some of the prominent char
actenstics OF the Fugitive Slave Law, we,
the ministers and ruling elders composing
this synod, in iathlnncss 10 Almighty God
and the Government of the United States,
do bear our solemn testimony against The
same as utterly opposed to the law OF God ;
as abhorrent to humanity aud the clvlliza-
ton of the age--as entirely at variance with
the spirit and prcccpts of the Gospel OF
Jesus Christ--as dangerous to the liberties
of the people, aud therefore as null and
void aud OF no binding force upon the con-
science.
We declare and testify before God and
the Government of the United States that
:, we cannot and will not, render obedience
to this nhuman enactment, preicrrlng IN
fntely TO suffer its unrighteous penalties
rather than to comply with its acquisitions,
and thus become guilty of treason against
God and humanity. .r.r. .........
f, We testify against the conduct OF those
/, protesting ministers Of the Gospel, in tins
: country, who have publicly and in the name
/, of religion justified this wicked law, and
) called upon The people TO take part III It's
= execution. We believe that such men are
either knowingly or ignoranty tearing uT
: the foundations OF the church Of God, open
( ing the Go2d-gatcs Of inGdelity, and prepar
!. ling the land for baptism Of blood.
n We testify against and declare unceasine
hostility 10 tile system of American slavery
which has not only enslaved the Govern
J ment of the country, and dictated IFS pub
lie policy, but which has also snblugate(
the church, filled the hearts OF many Of he
g ministers with cowardice aud treason, scarce
: the couscences aud blinded the eyes Of
g majority of her members, and carried he
r far on the downward road TO entire apostacy
And that this declaration and teslnon!
y may be rcaltyas well as legally, the act 0
the Free Presbyterian church OF the Unite
4 States, we recommend that the pastors sta
y ted supplies and sessions Of vacant chaehe
: cause the same 10 be read from the pulpl
ON the Lords day. and that7our people b
q. then called upon soemp.y g express Ihel
. adherence thereto IN SUCH manner as ma.
bedeemed proper.
T. We mofeoyer'recomihend liiat thasnncl
!. as our onI yhope for the refonn 0i the Gov
l., erament aitl salvation Of our behaved conp
try is IN the mercliuL InIerPoatlon Of llm
A who Is the King ot nations aud the hcare
e. Of prayer, 6nr people will earnestly suppii
iSl cate a'tIlfone Of graeef that our natioHa
a councils maybe speedily palged Of unhol
aud gpprAciPled men. THAI Ihe wicked y q I
II actment calledihe Fugitive Save Law ma
adl be repeated, and .Ifdt 6hf irce Institution
nav be pcrpetuated TO the END of slnne.