Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-05-24

absurdity in the attempt to found such-a re-
voting wrong on
Any Successive titles, loag aud dark,
Drawn from the martyr roll of N1ahs Ark"
Some stray suggestions of science have been
seized on to sanction this small bigotry. But
no science as to stocks and races even if sus-
tanned, could shake the everlasting truth which
makes all men the children Of one father, and
entitled to life. liberty, and the pursuits of
happiness here aud hereafter. To refntc the
objection of the alleged sanction of Christi
anity, it is unnecessary to enter into conflict
Of supposed competent texts. The example,
the teaching and the life Of the Savior, rebuke
the blasphemous argument which would throw
his seamless garment over this shocking wrong.
Nor however much men might sorrow to find
a minister Of that Savior attempt thus, as re-
Gently at Boston, to pervert text and invent
authority, they can hardly feel surprised when
they remember that another clergyman abso-
lutely put forth a book to prove that "the
African trade in negroes was consistent with
the principles of humanity aud revealed reli-
gion.' The epistle of Paul to Philemon,
sent by Onesimus the servent, on which so
much stress has been laid by this class OF
causists, he however, clearly showed to con-
vey meaning wholly different, and that there
was no justification for this tortuous pervasion
of the benifcent teaching and example of the
Great Apostle. But 81 this enterprise, even if
right, practicable9 The former includes the
latter. Truth is too beautiful ever to be inn
practicable? Already even zelots admit that
the abuses should be removed. Take away
then that gross central assumption which de-
cares by law than man is chattle, which is
practicable even now, and one by one the sur
rounding abuses may be subtracted. The
+" abuse" which substitutes the combining in
marrago-the " abuse which annuls parental
relation--thc "abuse" which closes the por.
tails of knowiedge--thc "abusc" which ty.
ranically usurps the labor of another, now
upheld by positive ia1, may by positive law
be abolished. But what compensation will
be given, and how? The abolition of right
founded on a deep wrong is entitled to nc
compensation. The compensation, if any, is
due to the wronged. But for the consumma
ton we seek, no means necessary should be
spared that becomes a question of expediency
The two chief objections really relied on arc
the alleged danger to the master and to the
slave himself The first assumes the blatant
paradox that the African will do when free
what he will not do when suffering wher
kindly treated what he would not do when
foully oppressed-cut the throat Of his master
The chains were suddenly at one momen
struck from the limbs of the British West In
dia negro, did he SO In our slave land thu
whites are six-old to the. dark skin; but in thu
West Indies the dark skin was as six to on,
to the white? Will an African minority dc
what an African majority did not? BY thos
who seek some frail fig leaf to conceal thei
shame, it is asserted that our enterprise re
tards instead of fastening the advent of Afri
can freedom. This is but the stale devic
applied to every great effort Of progress an
to those who have inaugurated it from Chris
down. Burke when defending the Revolution
and Wilberforce, when urging the same cause
pleaded that right A benefcient work Cal
not be suspended, because, like all other work
striking at unjust tyrany, it produces hea
and irritation. In the face of this complain
exclaimed Mr.. Sumner, assert "That tn
Anti-Slavery Enterprise has already accom-
pllshed incalcuIabe good. Even now
touches the national heart as it never beior
was touched, sweeping its strings with Il migf
ito draw forth emotions such as no politics
struggle has ever evoked. 1t moves the young
the middle-aged, and the old. 1t enters th
family circle and minges with the fame {
the household lelrth. 1t reaches the souls
mothers, wives, sisters. and daughters film
all with new aspiration for justice on eartl
L and awakening -notnsrely sentiment again
: Slavery, such as prevailed with our father
but deep, undying conviction Of its wron
and determination to leave no effort una
tempted for its removal. With the symp;
! thies of all Christendom as allies, it has a
ready encompasses the slave-master by mo-
: al blockade, invisible to the eye but more pr
tent than navies, from which there can be n
escape except in final capituation. Thus
: has created the irresistible influence whic
itself constitutes the beginning Of success
+. Already there are signs of changs. In con
mon speech as well as in writing, among slay,
masters the bondman is no longer called
4 siace but Scruant-- thus by soft substitl
ton concealing and condemning the true n
/. ation. Even newspapers in the land of boz
? : dage blush with indignation at the hunt
men BY bloodhounds, thus protesting agaiu'
an unquestionable incident of Slavery. Oth'
signs are found in the added comfort Of IL
slave; in the enlarged attention to his wants
IN the experiments now beginning, by whic
the slave is enabled to share in the profits
:. his labor, and thus finally securehis freedom
and, above all, in the consciousness anon
: slave-masters themselves, that they dwell no
! as never before under the keen observation
an ever-wakeful Public Opinion, quickene
by anever-wakeful Public Press. Nor is tn
ALL Only lately propositions have been il
PRODUCED into the Legislature of diiferer
States, and countenanced by Governors,
mitigate the existing law Of Slavery; and a
most while speaking, | have received the dratl