The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1857-10-22


him" No underground Rail Road was
necessary. Here was broad track cl
light above ground, deeply imbeded in
the plain statute of Heaven. Every fu-
gitiye slave law in oppsition to this, is
null and vsid being rendered unconsti-
tutional By the "ligher Law" If your
servant or laborer leaves you, can any pow
cr on earth force him back? No. Why
not? Because he, like the Jewish SER
want, is not an involuntary slave. Slave
ry lives by might, and not by right $50
l returned, and considered all the oppres-
sions that are done under the sun; and
behold the tears Of such as were oppress-
ed, and they had no comforter; and on
the side of the oppressors there was pow
er; but they had no comforter Take
counsel, execute judgment; make thy
shadow as the night in the midst Of the
noon day; hide the outcasts; bewray not
him that wandereth. Let mine outcasts
dwell with thee; be thou a covert to them
from the face of the spoiler." The gos-
pei enjoins, "B : not forgetful to entertain
strangers" And commends the widow,
"If she have lodged strangers" Now,
how long would slavery exist in this
country, without an enactment to return
4 ifugitives?
6 The lar condemned nan-steq}tng,
man-aelling, and naau-holding.
I q" If man be found stealing any of
his brethren of the children of Israel, and
maketh merchandise Of him, or selleth
him; then that thief shall die; and thou
shalt put evil away from among you"
Do you say that although we may not
make merchandise Of our brethren, We
may Of others? Why, under the gospel
we are all brethren. But, forever to
silence such pro-slavcry pleading, God
has repeated this law; and given it uui-
yersal application. He that stealeth q
man (any many and sclleth him, or if he
be fonnd in his hand, he shall surely be
put to death" This section Of the law,
not only declares the slave trade piracy
but, that that person who shall steal
man away from himself, or sell man
away from himself, or hold man away
from himself, in either case he is worthy
Of death.
Jarchi, celebrated Jewish commcn-
tater, says, "po use man against his
will, thaugh he use his services ever SO
little, the person compelling him shall
die as thicf." A stolen man cannot
be sold until the title becomes good.
Your claim to sheep that has been sto-
len, is not diminished though it may
pass through 4 thousand hands. How
much then is man better than Sheep
What right Of property in Christ did
Judas convey to the priests fer thirty
pieces of silver? None. The same
right has the slave trader to tie flesh
and blood he brings from the African
coast. The same right, and 70 more,
have all the holders CT stolen humanity
in this union.
The Lord says, All souls Cor persons)
are mine" He gives infants during
their minority, to parents for education,
saying, "Take these children and train
them up for me-" Government also
owes them instruction and protection.
Besides, Personal liberty belongs to every
man as the gift of God. It is the birth
right inheritance, inalienable except for
crime. Slavery worse than Herod siezes
one hundred thousand of these helpless
iunocents every year; steals them away
from God, away from their parents, away
from the protecting arms Of Government,
away from themselves, and dooms them
to hopeless bondage. Then, this hell
born monster demands that we, like so
many blood hounds, shall engage in per
petuating and extending the enormous
crime; and attempts to brand us with
treason" against the union and Democ-
racy, if we refuse to steep cur souls in
the crimson dye.
Thus have We seen that the Old Tes-
lament no where sustains slavery, but
everywhere, and in erery possible way
denounces it as a most gigantic sin. 1t
teaches Us that property II man is an ut
ter nnpossibility.
VII The neto Festaaaeat fap0sa free
dom. a1s ae vfeaaa
After the lice upon Gae" o. the jew