The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1863-09-29
The Day of Free Speech. ---Tht
Abolition of White Slavery.

Thank God deyoutly, for this new
era in Tennessee. True, it has cos
the loss OF property and life the des-
olalion OF many home the shedding
Of the blood Of many citizens, botl
patriots and traitors. But the liberty
OF speech, the breaking OF the chain:
which so long bound, not the bodies
but the very souls Of her white CHI.
zens, have been cheaply purchased
by what would be for any other world
ly good TOO heavy an outlay. Priol
to the breaking ont OF the rebellion
did free speech and free ptess really
exist in this state !? Did candidate.
for office, high or low, dare TO say II
" ! doubt the policy, justice, and econ.
omy OF Slavery, and would like to see
il removed from our midst n Ne
man could have carried single coun-
ty in the state who should have ven,
tured sentiment so frightlully rad.
ical.' 1t would have sealed his po-
litical death. warrant. Mechanics
tradesmen, professional men, teachers
and laboring men were permitted to
say with impunity; :" ! think the
steam engine is curse. | regard
the threshng machine and the sub
soil plough as nuisances. / don't be.
lieye in railroads. think religion i.
humbug. | believe the Wing party
or the Democratic party are hot-bed'
of corruption. ] think it would be q
blessing it all the churches were pull
ed to the ground. believe colleges
and female academies are unmitigalet
evils" And so one could go on rail
ing, abusing aud vilityiug every law
system, institution and custom Of til,
Commonwealth, saving and excepting
alwasy the system Of negro slavery
People might take exceptions 10 one
views and attempt to eontrovert them
but still, any one, or all OF these viewi
could he expressed in Tennessee ant
their holders live unmolested. l}u
name Slavery in like manner and
thousand eyes in an instant are blaz
irg at the daring speaker with malig
nant fire, and lynch law usually ter
minated the audacious utteiance. NJ
man WAS suffered to attack Slavery
although only one man in thirty own
cd slaves. Discussion Of this subtc
was forbidden thing. 1t was 10 b.
accepted by every one as humbly a
il it had been a gift from heaven
While none were permitted to speal
or write against Slavery, orators an
newspapers all over the State wer,
making infiamitory speeches in it
behalf. Slavery, strange TO tell, claim
edand exercised the night to agitate tn
State, and at the same time, with thl
voice Of iyrant, commanded th'
State on its peril not to asitate Sla
very Slavery, Slavery was highe
than the State Slavery was th'
/ tyrant, despot, unquestioned, uncon
trolled dictator OF the State Il rule,
the cottage +; it ruled the pulpit i
ruled The counting room yea, il rule,
the humblrst Workshop like bloody
minded Nero. resolved to rule with
out a rival. Do we exaggerale I w
do not We have fallen short Of, rath
cr than gone beyond the truth.
What was the consequence Of al
this iusolent despotism which bride'
every mouth and every newspape
in the State 7 Why thu non-slaye
holders were afraid TO allow them
selves the luxury Of a moments indie
pendent thought. They iremble lik
Persian slaves at the nod OF the mer
ciless master who reigned over them
/ InfiJel clubs were tolerated book
and pamphlets in defense of Atheism
Mormonism, Mesmerism, Spirit-rap
pnas, we're circulated openly Jews
Geniiles, Mahomedans, and the en-
thousand and one sects of Chr stianit,
could all proclaim their own views an
and denounee these Of other people
but The noE-slaveholder dare not opel
bis lips aesinsl Slavery. This i u
exaggertion, no eHirsvsgsni picture