Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-03-27
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EXTRACT from a Sermon
BY w. c. WHlTCOMB, sTONEHAM, MASS.

Believe me, when tell you, that an electric
thrill, caused by a touch of the finger of the AL
mighty, may yet speed its way through the hearts
of the entire slave population, constraining them
to rise simultaneously, and instead of allowing
themselves longer to be chattoleizod and ranked
with fouriooted beasts, put forth their " Declar-
alton of independence" and take for their mot
to--LhBERTY OR DEATH.
Surprising they should uprise as one man,
op1 d~etrev those masters who have moral
right "to buy and aeh, to barter whip, and hold
in chains a being of celestial Make" fighting
their way to freedom over the mangIed bodies
of the dead and dying! Supposing that instead
of being longer subjected to a state Of vassalage
50 one hour Of which," according to the opinion
Of the great Thomas Jefferson, is traught with
more misery than ages of that which our fathers
rose In rebellion to oppose" they should light
the incendary torch, whet the assassIns knife"
and desolAte land cursed with the sweat, and
groans, and tears OF unrequited toll
1t there be Instructions, and physical force is
resogted to by the oppressed to bring about their
emancipation, it must all be attributed to slavery
itself and Pro.slaray agitation. Let no one,
therefore, bndIy charge the blame TO anti S!ape-
ry or anti slauey excitement. AS well you might
charge the ruin Of sinners to the preaching Of
that gospel which proves to them " savior of
death unto death y and ascnbe the condemna-
ton of the lost to the blood of the Son OF God
which they have trampled under foot, and, there
by brought upon themselves their swift destruc-
ton,
Yet do not understand me, dear friends, as
though were counseIlng to deeds of violence !;
for could make my voice to be heard through
out the slave States to-day, would advise our
nor to harm any mans property; but whenever
they can peaceably escape from bondage and
secure the possession of those inestimable rights
which we enjoy, the Lord inspire them with
courage to do SO In the words of that Apostle
who when he sent Onesimus back to Philemon
requested that he be received " not now as
servant, but above SerUani, brother beIoued,"
would fain say to each and every bondman, " If
THOU MAYEsT BE MADE FREE, USE IT RATHER"
Success attend the trembling fugitive in his
! flight to the province Of Canada, to touch whose
monarchical soil under the grateful shadow of
| Queen Victoria's throne," as a certain writer
sarcastically expresses it, " ensures liberty to
every republican slave" And may the day be
fastened when there shall be at least some free
States in this Union when our beloved New
England shall be in reality, as in name, the
home Of the homeless, the friend of the friend
less, resting place for the wanderer, and an
asylum for the oppressed of our own as well as
every other nation, whom none shall be found in
all our borders so meanly base and basey mean
as to deliver unto his master the servant who
has escaped from his master unto US; but he
shall dwell with us, even among us, in that
place which he shall choose, IN one of our
gates where it likelh him best"
A This new law is so framed, as you who have
examined it cannot fail to perceive, that none Of
as are entirely safe. AT the false swearing of
some one who has sold himself body and soul to
work mischief it may lay its iron hand upon one
of my deacons and drag him in broad daylight
from his pew in this meeting house; it may
seize one of the occupants of yonder gallery,
and while from his lips are proceeding the
words:
America tits ofthss,
Sweet land of LIBERTY,
fthee sings"