Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-10-14
For tho freeman.
Liberty is an Equal Good with
Life.

Mr.. EDITOR AS it regards the caption OF
nv discourse, am aware there are some who
may be found TO differ with me. In tracing the
pages of history, | find, Notwithstanding that
the greatest men that ever the nations produced,
sacrificed their Hues upon the Altar Of Liberty
and hence, to them liberty tOaS an equal good
Nth life. Though tind in the divine legislation
of the Hebrews, lex. xxi: 5, that man could
dispose of his own liberty, yet strange to say,
lin those days Of domestic seyUitude aad for re-
loard for not accepting his liberty in consequence
Of HE attachment 10 his master, wte and cildren,)
his ear was to be bored through with an awl,
and he was to remain servant forever. be-
lieve that it was upon this principle that Mon,
tesquieu and Blackstone commended against the
right in any man to dispose Of his own liberty
as also, because man has no right to dispose Of
his life, it follows, as a necessary consequence
that he has no right to dispose of his. liberty
then, vice versa, as no man living has the right
to dispose of the life of another, therefore, no
man living has The right to dispose Of the liberty
of another. AS there is no general rule but has
some exceptions, it is necessary to state one tc
the foregoing -" If thief be found breaking
open house Or undermining IT, and be wounded
so as to die; he that slew him shall not be gull
ty of blood" " Elk. xxi: 2. Whilst ali good
men will dcpreciate the involuntary slavery OF
any man, there is no good man but will hold up
both hands MS q signal to have the above thief
taken care Of And it is on this principle that
the law Of our land is founded.
A Hebrew man could dispose of his liberty
for six years and no longer, and the punishment
consequent upon his refusing to receive his lib
ery at the end of said time. God in his proyi
dence ordained such, that man in his need might
be able to meet the necessaries Of life during
his poverty. And as it regards the other kind OF
slavery, God permitted it in order to avoid the
bloodshed and slaughter which ensued upon
taking captives i'll war and also in order not
only to avoid bloodshed, but also to have the
captives initiated into the knowledge of the
True and Living God. Hence the bondsman
was accountable to God 70: his morality, and
therefore his master could not require him or her
to do an immoral act; or to lay aside those du-
Ties which true peiy and genuine religion re-
quired, And therefore, if we examine the dis
course delivered by Abraham's servant to Ianbar
and BalhueI, in the 9th chapter OF Genesis, be-
ginning with the 35th and ending with the 49I
verse, we will see that he was as well instructed
in the principles of religion as the most sancti-
monious stakeholder at the South. Oitentimes
great benefits accrued to the bondsnmn -" And
Abraham said: Lord God, what wilt thon give
me? shall go without children; and the sol
Of the steward of my house is this DdmlScut
EhezW And Abraham added but to me thou
hast not given seed and 10 my servant, born IN
my house, shall be my heir. Gen. XIV: 2, 3.
What is the Southern slave heir to? lie i:
heir to his liberty, that he does not gel. He il
heir to the avails of the sweat of his brows
that he does not get He is heir mot legally tC
ignorance, whips and stripes those he get'
enough of And as though the Lord (penetrat
ing, no doubt, through the long vista of future
centuries) saw the conduct of the Southern
shareholders, lie tells the Northern doughflcc.
thus -" Thou shalt not deliver to his critic
servant that is fled to thee. He shall dwell will
thee. in the place that shall please him, and shal
rest in one of thy cities; give him no trouble
-Deu. xXii Is, l6. What has been the resul
of the Cody admonition? The acts of the
memorable Session in which the Fugitive Slave
bill became law, plainly show. The wrath O
God will surely fall on this nation, it the people
DO not speedily use Constitutional means tt
abolish slavery. For my own part, | will surol,
contribute my mite. JAMES FREEMAN.
.Horeiown, ".