Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-02-06
For lie Ftesman.
SLAVERY as TT "a


cotton fields, where The oppressed colored ina
ges Ut God are ground into fhe dust under the
heel OF the white mans avarice. All! could
Northern men visit those plantations, hear the
ShrlsKs OF the slave mother, as she cries in hope
less agony-"Give the hack my children =
"Gve me back my children ;"--see the Door
fugitive chased by dogs-shot ar--nlaimed and
branded for no other crime han being coored a
lille different from their lurdIy, professed own
erS-methnks they would return with different
feelings and views upon the great sill that now
is feeby agItuted in this nation.
Men do not feel 50 Indifferent TO the suffer
lngs or their fellow creatures in toreign realms
Look for instance at the generous feeling which
filled the hearts of all patriotic Americans, on
hearing of the unfortunate struggle of the brave
Greeks, in defence Of their homes, ,heir wives
and children, and countr.. How high did our
hopes rise at each report which reached our
shores, OF tn success of tina, Spartan band over
their Moslem foes; and how sad our hearts ON
receiving tidln s Of different character-onr
sympathy and aid were extended. moi to tho %.
pressor, but to the weak, the suffering aud OBJ
pressed
Look also. how every noble som was filed
with indignation ut the mountain piled wrongs
Of Poland. and with what glo~ Of transport
did we read of the patriotic dongs of the three
days revolution in France-the dolngs of an en-
shaved people, contendlng for freedom. These
wee events with VIII CHI we had no other inter-
eSI than that Of common nature. The theatre
oftheir achievements and sufferings, was in an
other cline, widely separated from us by the
food Of waters, and the actors and sufferers vet
further separated by difference in language,
religion custom, etc. Yw all these circumstan-
ces. did not operate to prevent our commisera-
ting the late Of the unfortunate, as all can tes :
tty.
The noble Huugarians struggling against
Rust IAN and Austrian oppIOssIo eliciIed our
sympathles, and called forth ouI prayers for their
success We entered into the spirit Of the r
trials and wrongs, and telt indignant at the cru
city perpetrated upon them Kossuth and his
family, with all th,se who suffered in tue cause,
Of freedom, will be welcomed to our shores
and should the Emperor Nicholas, or the miser
able tool Of the Austrian throne send over here
to re-capture them, they will fluid stout hearts
ready to defend the We seem all united
gaust foreign oppression. This is CHI. and ar
it should be.
But how is it with us at home? Do We fee
Indignant at the wrongs h"aped upon our breth-
rem in bonds at the South? Do we wish them
God speed in their struggle for freedom
and bid them flee from their ty,annicNl masters,
and gain, possible, their liberty? If a few Of
the mnre noble among those who are called
slaves, possessing the principles of Washington
Hancock and Warren. and who are determined
to die rather than live in bondage, should get
together and plot scheme for an escape, would
not our Government deem the movement an in.
surrectiolary one? and would not the Exccu-
tive call out his troops to shoot down those up
pressed children of our cominnn Father. whom
Paul exhors us to feel tOr,as bound with them |?
Why within short time have heard men, pro.
Tossing the christian religion say, that they
could not assist colUred brother 10 escape from
slavery, could not give him meal of vlciuaIs
and lodging over night, because recent law
has been enacted to re'capture such runnways
! hnu tha h.1,,a ,l,,pt 1. Il
temptation of such facts, and how desplcaby
III. an do those politicians seem, Mho. tor the
sake OF office, will play the tyrant and oppTes s.
VI 10 the weak and helpless nnes whom we are
bound by every tie Of humanity, TO assist and
and In gaining the same rights and privileges
that we emmy. How well do those old familiar
lines OF Cowper apply to such trafficklng poll
,icans:
Thu re is no flesh in mans obdnrate heart;
II does not ltel tor man; the nalurnl bond
OF brotherhood is severed as the flax
That falls asunder al the touch OF fire.
He finds his fellow guilty Of skin
MOI colored like his own; aud havln power
10 enforce the wrong, for such worthy cause
Dooms and devoIeS HIN as lawful prey.
Thus man devotes his brother and destroys;
Aud worse than all, and uost to be despsed,
As human INJURIES broadesi, iOuIest blot,
Chains hun, tasks hln, and exacts his sweat,
With stripes, that Mercy with breeding heat
WeepS when she sees inflicted OH beast.
Then what's man? And what man seeing this
Aud having human feelings, does not blush,
And hang his head, tn think hinsefa man?
] would not have slave 10 nll my ground,
To carry ne, 10 ian me while Sleep
Ana trembe when wake, for all lht wealth
That sinews bought and sold have eve earned
N"-dear as freedom is. and in my hpart's
Just estimation priced above ali prIce,
| had rather much be myself the slave,
Aud wear the bonds, than fsslen them on him
Can any other nation on the face Of the globe
present so curious an anomaly as ours? A
boosted nation Of freemen-an asylum EDI the
nPpressed-a government Of the peopIe-ano
yet every fifth man, woman and chfd slave -
Subject to chains and whips, denied by law the
light OF science and the rights of men reduced
to the lowest possible degree of degradation. md
suffering to crafty the avaliclous propens,ies
OF fallen man. Truly may it be said the United
States are by-word and reproach among the
nations OF the earth, And thus Is not ALA
Government of the people," and yet a Govern
'nenl deaf to all enIreaty on the subect-the
cries Of the oppressed unh eded and the shac k.
les Of unrequlted servlude rendered perpetual
rven BY the representatives of the free States
Go the world over--penetrale the most savage
nations Of the earth, and you will not fluid slave.
~ more cruel, more horrid more diabolica, than
under the stnl sPangled banner of America
And this is known by all the enlightened nations
in Christendom. Why, say they, Republican
liberty in the United States, works grand, noble !