Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-09-04
THE NATIONAL EMANCIPATION
CONVENTION.

\
were clcrgymcn. The controlling minds
| seem to have been Elihu Burritt and Gcrrit
Smith. Rev. L. p. Elliott. of Indiana, was APP
/ pointed temporary Chairman. and Rov. G. W..
Donison, of Buffalo. Secretary
Elihu Burritt explained the design Of the
movement as follows:
Mr. Burritt said the great idea Of the
movement was cooperation. They wished 90
say to the South Let us unite as brothors
and abolish slavery by emancipation if il
costs you more than you receive by the rise
| in the value Of real estate we will unite in
making up TO you the loss If man thought
the increase in value of land at the South
would be sufficient TO make good to the slave
holder the loss Of his slaves that was no roa-
son why he should not cooperate with them,
providing he was willing 90 make up the de-
felt in case there should be one. lie thought
we should not content ourselves with mounting
the Pisgoh Of self-righteousnoss, and launch
ing from thence our arrows Of condemnation
upon our brothers. We should stretch our
hands across Mason and Dixon's line. and
say Let MS unite in a kind, brothery, and
honorable scheme Great as was the benefit
which would accrue to the poor slave from
such a contamination, the advantage TO the
country in re-establshing feeling of kind
ness and brotherly love between the North and
the South would be scarcely second TO it,
Mr. Burritt said he had passed through
most Of the Free and many OF tho Slave States.
and found to his astonishmcnt that a goncr-
Gus feeling favorable 60 emancipation was pro-
valent everywhere. This feeling did not cm-
brace any one political party or religious
creed lie found it to be almost universal
A couple of Quakcrs from Kentucky pre-
scented their credentials and asked 20 be re-
cognizcd as members They both declared
themselves favorable to a free inquiry into
the subject, and then they would be better
able to come 90 some reasonable conclusion.
Rev. John Rankin spoke warmly in favor
Of the movement, although he denied the NOR
al right Of the STAKEHOLDER to compensation.
Gerritt Smith believed that shareholders had
a moral right to compensation, and that the
discussion Of some plan by which that just
compensation could be secured 10 him, would
meet with the approving smile Of Heaven.
OF the proceedings of the second and third /.
days Of the convention we have as yet no
clear and full account.
A member offered an amendment TO the .
original resolution, which in bold terms de- F.
nounccd slavery as inhuman, domoralizing
and unjust. and should be abolished-which
amendment was adopted, and the whole laid
on the table
On motion of Mr. Smith, all persons diff
fering with the views of the Convention were
invited to take part in the debates, and the
afternoon session was taken up by two gen
temen in opposition to The compensation
An evening session was held,
at which Gerritt Smith spoke for an hour to
a crowded audience.
IN, fho ftI Ia i too,
of the forenoon wns taken up in discussing
resolution fixing maximum price for each
slave. emancipoted. The sum fixed for each
slave by the resolution, was two hundred and
fifty dollars. This sum was objected as rath-
sr high, for if the North pays that sum and
The South nothing, then the South will reap
The greatest amount Of benefit from the PLAN
because they will be rid Of the curse, and
hence all kinds of trade and commerce will
improve their lands will double in value at
once, while the North viii only reap the re-
ward OF assisting to rid The nation Of the ac-
cursed blight
Gerritt Smith was of the opinion that when
,ne State began 90 give up the institution it
would be the end of slavery one after anoth
ar would fall into the measure. and the whole
thing would be blotted out Of existence at
once Kansas would never hold a slave in
that event, and all the southwest would yield
from the force of pecuniary advantage. He
thought the uniform plan the better, stipulat
ing the price by State enactment and the
North pay that price, leaving the balance to
be made mp by the Slavcholding States
And, said he, in response to the advanced
doctrine of compromising the slave, this mat
ter should be left entirely to the generosity
of those Immediately interested when the
great work of emancipation done, ho thought
the slave would be fully as well off as during
his onslavement, perhaps a little better and .
so far as the master and slave were concern
ed he was of the opinion that it would be an
even exchange. The master should not com
plain if the slave did not.
Mr.. Burritt thought that the North was
able to be generous with the South. He said
that generous spirit should peryade our en-
tire free North and say to the South Gen
tlcmon, agree upon the price of your slaves
and free them: then hand in your bill to us
and we will pay it"
The most of the afternoon was taken up in
discussing a resolution introduced by Mr. /
Smith, TO the effect that should the South re-
joct this brothcrly Offer in spirit of cor
tempt, then there was no further use of offer
ing peaceful terms, and the conclusion to ar
rive at was that slavery engenders the most
hateful of vices
Mr.. Smith expressed his disappointment at
the absence of Southern men from the couvcn-
ton, and the unanimous neglect Of the South
ern press to speak kind word for it, They
were cold and sulen, suspicious and unlriend-
ly on the subject.
Mr.. Burritt defended the South, and CON
tended that there was no reason for saying
that II would roiact tho oon,nonso t;o,, ,,f.,,