Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-04-30
The Unjust Judges.

Not long since there was u farmer VIII" had "a
large and Furnishing flock Of hens. He pro
vided a nice commodious yard for their use land
everything about it was arranged for their COM
fort and convenience. He also supplied them
with plenty of wholesome food, and they pos
sessed every advantage necessary for their hap
piness. Their ancestors prmarially belonged
to various stocks. but in the course of time
these different races became 50 intermixed that
it was impossible for the individual members Of
the flock to trace their lineage back more than
two or three generations. They presented
great diversity of COLOR some were white,
some Of a dun color, some mottled, and others
jet black.
For while, these hens lived together in
unity and friendship, and there was rarely ever
any disturbance in their midst. But at length
some of the white and light coored ones, on
account of the many privileges they enjoyed,
and their imagined beauty and excellence, began
to grow conceited and they felt that they be-
longed to a superior race. They first displayed
their supposed superiority by slightly annoying
their more peaceable neighbors However, in
II short time, their acts of intolerance and in
justice became insupportable, and the injured
party called loudly for redress of their griev-
ances.
TO put stop to the alarming excitement,
the whole flock assembled in one portion of the
yard to settle the matter. A large black hen
appeared as plaintiff, and white one as de
fendant. The assembly appointed several of
the older and more experienced members of the
flock as judges to hear the case, and the trial
commenced.
When the evidence on both sides had been
given, a long and exciting debate ensued, after
which the case was submitted TO the judges for
Il decision. After an adequate time for cons:d-
Grafton of the matter, they proceeded with great
gravity to deliver their decision The amount
of it was nearly as follows That the plaintiff
belonged to degraded race, which was, and
always had been, considered inferior to the
white and lighter colored races; which did not,
nor never had possessed certain immunites and
privileges in common with them, and that there
fore the plaintiff had no right to call upon the
Authority for redress of grievances,
The Assembly was then dismissed the dark
colored portion Of which retired, silently to en-
duro the injuries inflicted upon them by their
more numerous and powerful neighbors, who
pompously strutted about, exulting in the base
designs they had acco nplished.
The owner Of the flock witnessed the whole
proceedings from the beginning (but the " I'm
just Judges" and their aceomplices were so en-
crossed with their business that they seemed to
be unconscious of his presencc,) and when he
saw the unfair dealing, his "ange- was kin.
died against the perpetrators and abettors OIL
the mischief, and he rcsolved to destroy them as
soon as practicable for when he made the yard
and placed the hens in it, he endowed them al
with d" Equal Rights - Then the farmer with
drew to u shed near the yard, leaving the usurp
ers exulting in their wickedness, and commenced
preparations to deprive them Of life