The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-07-28
ABOLITIONISM RAMPANT!
JIoyd Garrison and his Massachusetts
Radical Fanatics Celebrating the
Fourth Of July.
From the Boston Liberator, July 9.

FohfW U ""ty.
From the Boston Liberator, July 9.
ANTI SLAVERY CELEBRATION OF INDEpEN-
DENCE DAY.
In accordance with the call of the |
Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, no.
tees of which had been extensively cir-
culated, a very large assembly OF long
tried friends Of the anti-slavcry cause,
together with many new ones, fresh re-
cruits in freedoms service, and animated
with generous enthusiasm, assembled on
the morning of Monday, July 5, at the
well-known grove in birmingham, where,
on so many like previous occasions the
bold and eloquent words of faithful anti
slavery men and women have been wont
to be. uttered.
Mr.. Garrison took the chair and said:
Friends of Freedom-To the great mass
of our unrehecting follow-countrymen this
is day for proud cxultation, for osten-
tatious parade, for extravagant vain glory
ing, for rcvelry and dissipation, for the
ringing of bells and the firing of cannon;
but to the friends Of the slave it is day
for heartfelt sadness. for the deepest hu-1
initiation, in view of the hypocrisy and
blood-guiltness of the nation. Wherever
else the American flag is unfurled to the
breeze, l thank God it is not waving over
our heads, aud that it would not be toler-
ated on an occasion like this, for, il the
language Of the British poet, Campbell
United States! your banner wears
Two emblems-one Of fame;
Alas! the other that it bears
Reminds us of your shame.
The white mans liberty in types
Stand blazoned by your stars;
But what's the meaning of your stripes?
They mean your negroes scars"
Yes, they mean-at least they symbol
ize the stripes continually inflicted on the
: bodies of the manacled slaves-and, there
fore, away with that flag forever. 50
. long as beneath it four millions OF men are
; driven with impunity to their unrequlted
toll, like brute beasts, and every slave
! ship is to be protected from search or
5 visitation under it, let the true friends OF
freedom discard it with indignation aud
t horror. Instead of making q speech,
will read few passages strikingly appll-
cable to the present condition OF our
country from an old book, so valued and
so precious in many respects-paSsages
: which cannot become obsolete or trlte
while oppression is in our land. Mr.
Garrison here read portions of the sec
ond and fifth chapters Of Jcremiah) Inc
, congregation here united in singing, tc
, the tune of AuM Lang .Syac, the first
piece selected for the occasion being Geo
Thompson's lines:
4Land of the brave, thy hallowed shore
f Is stained with tints of blood, &c.
G the singing being led by O. choir of ou1
lIopedale friends.
Mr. Garrison said he had two series o
resolutions which he would like to prcsen
to the meeting. We give below few o
= the resolutions adopted:
al. Resolred That, instead of glory
h ing in the deeds of our fathers, and burn
ing incense at their shrnes, it becomes
solemn duty, on day like this, to confess
: their shocking Inconsistency, to deplor'
their wickedly compromising spirit, t.
blush for their self-evident injustice, t.
: shun the evil example they set and t.
e leave posterity no cause for loathng ou
II memories, through still more sigma
n treachery to the cause of impartial free
4 dom on our part.
"3. Resolved, That the 4th of July
l776, was day Of transparent hypocrisy
of political assembling, of utter self-con
e demnation, on The part Of those who aflix
d ed their signatures to the Declaration c
l. ndependence-many of whom were the
q holding, and through life continued
d hold, multitudes of their fellow-men In
is bondage, lone hour of which," according
y to the admission of Thomas jefferson
& "was fraught with more misery than age
e of that which they themselves rose in re
d bellion to oppose; and, therefore, to dee'
s. them worthy of reverence, under sue
1t circumstances, is to be partial in Jnds
5, ment, and to infict a grievous wound upo
I'd the cause of justice and righteousness.
n "Resolred, That it is because Wasl
ington, and Jefferson, and Madison, an
lg Patrick Henry, and Pinckney were slav
S. holders--and because Hancock, and AZ
1T ans, and Franklin, and Hamilton, al
e. noger Sherman were willing to strll
,h hands with shareholders. and to sacriii
at principle to expedicncy, in order that t
of link which bound them to their moth
ne country might be severcd--that the lar
is now cursed by the sway of the slav
,s power and the cause of freedom is tres
cd with contempt; for had those men be
X loyal to the "selCevident truths" th
IL enunciatcd, emancipated their own slav'
and insisted on liberty being proclaim