Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-12-21
From the Telegraph of Dec s.
LECTURE BY HON. s. p. CHAsR'

fremont Temple was crowded last evening
long before the hour for the lectuwto COM
mence, by an audience drawn togetheEsalik
by the importance OF the sub cot to bel sent
ed, and the popularity of the Hon sCNtlefisan
who had been announced as the speaker of the
evening,
On rising Mr.. Chase was greeted with long
continued applause. When it was subsidized.
he said, thank you, from my heart thank
you, people of Boston for the kindness of this
reception. | acknowledge it as a rich ameni
for many harsh words and some injustice else
where. But l the more joyfully welcome it
in its far dearer and more precious significance
to me, as cheering augury Of the fast-eom-
ing time when the uncompromising yindica-
ton and defence of human liberty will be &C
cepted as the modest work as we'll as the high
duty of American freemen. Descending from
age to age, the great controversy OF right with
wrong, Of slavery with liberty, of Democracy
with dcspotism, reaches at length our time
and devolves upon us. Every where through
out the world are the battle fields of this war
fare; but no where and at no time has it been
more marked in its features or more impor-
tant in its results than now and in cur own
land.
He then announced that he should attempt
to direct attention as his theme to the Amerl-
can theory of Slavery 10 1884, compared with
the American theory of Slavery in 1854
Seventy years divided the epochs, aud the rela-
ton between them is that of contrast. In
order to show this contrast he proposed to
consider the positions held by the Church, the
Bench aud the State, in each OF these periods.
Slavery, he said, WAS almost contemporary
eeus with the settlement Of America. But at
the time Of the revolution the spirit Of anti
slavery prevaded the church, and at the close
Of the war found free expression in the acts
Of church Assem- les The action Of different
denominations of Christians with regard to
slavery was cited at length, all going to show
that they regarded it with deep adherence,
and that they resolved to use all wise and
prudent means for its destruction. Tne views
and declarations OF prominent ministers were
also stated. Samuel Hopkins denounced sa-
very as shocking. intolerable and il onsistent.
Jonathan Edwards predicted in 1874 that the
time would como when it would be as disgrace
full Tor man to hold negro slave as to be
guilty Of common robbery or theF'. Such was
the common sentiment Of the times. But the
remedy they proposed for slavery was only
gradual emancipation. The early abohtonists
were almost without exception members OF
churches, having drawn their lessons OF duty
from the great source Of Christian morals, the
word Of God.
In 1888 the shareholders were aroused by
the abolitionists. The persecution of such Il
acknowledged themse yes to be a5olitionss
we're then re erred to, Every where, said he,
there was alarm and terror. Dismayed by
the violence OF the storm, some shrunk from
the avowal Of their opinions; and here and
there one was seen,
"To aci with burning brow and throbblng heart.
The mean deserters poor exploded part
The course pursued by the different denomi.
nations of Christians and religious societies
to put down abolition sentiments, was stated
The American Bible Society refused prefer.
cd donation for aid in circulating Bibles
among slaves The expargations made by tie
American Tract Society in works which they
published, and the tolerance of slavery il
mission churches, were also referred to-
! Doubtless the relormers used harsh language
= but the verdict OF history need be little dread
ed by them.
The churches made great mistake with
respect to their duty on the subject Of slavery
then; they made confessions tor. the sake o
peace, but their hopes in that Respect were
disappointed as those of all compromises eve
will be. Now the churches in one half tn,
land are beginning to defend slavery as not al
, evil but good thing to be preserved and cher
> ished and, at the present time, it must be ad
mitted that the American religious theory i
exactly tho reverse OF what it was at the out
set of our existence as nation.
The decisions Of the American courts in tn
early history Of the country were then quoted
from which it was shown that every wher
) they went upon the ground, that person wit
became free at once, even for an Instant, wa
always free. Such was the decisions Of tn
courts even in Louisiana and Mississippi. TIL
Supreme Court of Louisiana said, " the rela
ton of owner and slave, is, in the State @
, this Union, a creature Of municipal law" TIL
: Mississippi Supreme Court said, " the right o
the master exists only by positive law Of tn,
Slate" Such were the spirit of the law, ac
cordng to the decisions Of Courts, even as lat,
as 1886. But for many years change ha
f been taking place in Judicial decisions on sla
very. A school of theorists has arisen VIII
' deny that slavery is creature of positive law
: Within the last few years Kentucky cour
!. of appeals has decided that slaves taken int,
. Ohio or Indiana, and temporarily employees
there, become slaves again when they are tax
en- back into Kentucky. This question wa
: brought before the Supreme Court of the I
i B., who dismissed the writ for want of ;urisdic
4 ton, and took occasion in the course OF til
delivery of the opinion to say that the charac
ter Of slavery, impressed upon persons by III
y decision of State court, must be regarded a
settled beyond question in the courts of tn
United States. 30 that whenever Stat
Y Court has decided that person is a slave h
!, has no remedy in the Supreme Court Of tn
e Union. A recent decision OF Mssissipp
s Court was also quoted, by which two persons
0 son of a Mississippi planter, and bis mother
= who had been taken to Illinois and made fire.
q ny the will Of the planter, were taken back t
Mississippi and declared to be SIT ives. Othe
q cases of the same charactey were also cited.
Only the other day, slavery was spoken O
in an grafton before College in South Caro-
lima, as divine institution. They now main
, tain that the strong ought to control the weak
= the rich the poor the wise the ignorant. l
is the order OF nature and natures God, sal
Chancellor Hart, Of South Carolina, that
heinn of Srr,nrinr t.c,llt nd tkn,.nE,,a