Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-07-16
To John Ell. Hopkins, d. D., Ill. D,
BISHOP OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN
THE DIOCESE OF VERMONT.


BISHOP OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN
THE DIOCESE OF VERMONT.
REV. SIR 1t may seem to you an act of
presumption. for an humble citizen, like my.
self, to address one occupying your exalted po-
sition, but your betters have induced me to
speak my mind and feel very much disposed
to do 50 on the present occasion In your
work entitled, 1.-The American Citizen, his
Rights and Duties you affirm that Southern
Slavery is in perfect accordance with Phi
lan'hrophy and Religion. You contend that ii
is not only warranted by the Old Testament,
but has received the sanction Of Christ and the
Apostles Had met with these sentiments in
the writings oil an lnfdel had Thomas Paine,
for instance with the intent to weaken the in.
ternal evidence Of the truth of Christianity
charged Christ with having sanctioned the
Southern Slave code with all its rank injustice,
heartles cruelty and gross immortality, should
have ascribed it to malignty, and passed it in
si|ence but when Bishop of Christian
Church, venerable for its antiquity, and highly
honored for its piety and wisdom, comes boldly
out with this charge, it is the duty of every
lover of our holy religion to rcpel it
You seem anxious that your readers should
give you credit for sincerity, and no doubt
many will do SO. For myself, am cd, in6rm
and not IL little irritable. The reading OF your
remarks upon Slavery, has put me in no very
| loving mood, and find myself wholly unable
TO exercise that expansive Christian charity
that covereth multitude of sins \
As evidence of your sincerity, you tell us
that you are fully sensible that the maintenance
of your opinions can bring you no accession of
comfort, of advantage or Of commentator from
society around you. This is, no doubt, true
but you must have been fully aware that the
opinions you have advanced, would receive the
entire appreciation of the party in power. This
Squatter-Democracy arc very severe upon cer.
gymen who NEEDLE with the institution of
Slavery. This, however, is only the case when
they are opposed to it. They are never troubl.
ed in the least, when Divine comes out in its
favor They remind one of a story told US by
Cotton Mather in his history Of Wtchcralt
He took home girl that was bewitched in ord
er to examine the case more at his leisure
Among other experiments, he says he put into
her hands books in favor of the Episcopalians,
aud the Devil let her read them right off with
out difficulty. He then put into her hands
books against the Epscopalians, and the Devil
would not let her read word Your Squatter-
Democracy are precisely like Cotton Mather's
devil--they will let Divine say just what he
pleascs in favor of Slavery, but will not let him
say one word against it. have no doubt but
our Divines, who are not, like yourself, in love
with this beloved institution will pay about
as much attention to the out cry of these Squat
teTs as the Epscopalans have done to Cotton
Mather and his devil. OF this Democratic pro-
pensity you were we'll aware and you knew
that those of the North would chucIe over
your work, with real delight. while the Slave
holders would consider 1t perfect godsend.-
Whether these considerations had any influence
upon you, or furnished any inducement to pub.
lish your Book, | leave for your Reverence ia
determine.
The time your book made its appearance
seems to explain the object OF its publication
The Shareholders were laboring to make Slave
ry a National institution; to bring it within
the National compact upon principles that
would legalize it in every State and Territory
in the Union, and COMPEL the General Govern.
mont to sustain the rights Of the master over
the whole country 1t has long been the de
sign of the South to make us what they some
times venture to call US, " the great slave ma
ton" To this end the Supreme Court has
been packed 70 this end they have been labor.
ing to build up a party in the North, whose
leaders, greedy for Office, would, for the sake OIL
power and pelf, be willing to join them in do.
ing :" the Devils work in partnership" Ir
tins they have fully succeeded, thus far, bu
more remains to be done
A large proportion of the people of the North
looked upon Slavery as u great moral ana polit
cal evil, while most Of the members of Chris
tan Churches considered it utterly opposed t,
the spirit of Christianity. and heinous sin
In this state of public opinion, it became nee
essary to quiet the minds Of those who haC
conscientious scruples on the subject. Tn
anxiety you manifest to satisfy your reader
that Slavery is humane and christianizng in
stltution, furnishes abundant proof that 70,
wrote for this object, and if you have succeed
ed in convincing the North that Slavery, as
exists in the United States, is sanctioned an
approved by Christ and his apostles, you hav