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Encouragement In State And Church

Encouragement In State And Church image
Parent Issue
Day
3
Month
November
Year
1841
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The followmg cormnunication was crowded out of last wcek's paper, but it is still in me. For the Signal of Liberty. I woultl say tothe frienda of liberty that ie signs of the times are truly ominous of ood, truly indicating that God is hastenng on the consummation of that great vent, most devoutly to be wished, the mancipation of the slave. Every thing eems to conspire to bring itabout; bolh ie enemy and the friends of universal 'reedom, alike co-operate to effect the obect. The slaveholder foams and rages, nd makcs such unreasonable demands pon the "white slave" of the north, that ie northern chattel begin to see and cel the imposition. It is not enuugh that ie South seats herse'.f in the cxeculive ïair forty years out of two, she must kuwise occupy the velvet cushion, preared for the President of the Senate all ie time, or if a northern man seats himclf there, he must have none but southrn principies. The North does not preurae to think that she has a son qualified o act as speaker of the House. Thus the outh controls the appointment of all the ommittees, and having the casting vote in the Señale, in her own hands no man can be appointed to an important office, unless she feels disposed io grant the boon. And if the north happens to be so fur beside herself, as to ask for a singleL'oreign Embassy, out of the many, estowed by our government, she fijnls ne of her most favorite sons laid on the able for a numbcr of weeks, that the South may propound a number of imporant quesüonsconcerning the institution of lavery. Lest wo should forget, we will sk in lliis place, how it happens, that our )ulitical papers are perfectly silent upon lis subject? Is there no indignity offered o the north? or are they afraid to inform ie people, fearing that they will feel and et like lieemen? Teil those sapient ediors that the people have other sources f information, besides those truckling parizan papers. The people are learning tiis fast, and a few others; and though low in their wrath, yet ihe day of venjeance will soon arrive and then let the unfaithful watchmen who have volunteered to stand upon the walls of our political Zion, tuemijle! The South likeviïc make the INorth ontribute towards the support of her sared institution. If there is a portion of ic surplus revenue to be divided, orthe avails of the public lands to be distributed, nsiead of the number of free inhabitants bcing the ratio for the división, the South ells us that it is according to the principes of the magna charta, our glorious onstitution, that it should be made in the alio of representation, and they prove it oü! for, say they, does not this same gloious consiitution give us from twenty-five o thirty representatives, by counting our )!ack cattle? Ergo,U means that the surplus funds should be divided upon the same principie. John Randolph's dough faces could not at fírst, seo how this wa3a natural consequence of the piemises laid down, but finally concluded that it must be so, yct fearing that their constiluents mighl doubt such a demonstration, wisely concluded that it was best to say nothing about it at home. What a fine thing it is to be a southern planter or nabob, with black slaves to do their work, and white slaves to furnish them with spending inoney.I said ihat tho friends of ireedom were co-operating with its enemics to hasten on ibe glorious era of universal ernancipation. The ministers oí' the gospel, have taken hold of thework in earnest, although most of thern in a left handed vvay. For a few years, we really thought they were in earnest, when they eloquently preached against the sin of oppression, ot holding property in flesh and biood, intellect and soul, when they lervently prayed that "the bonds of the oppressors might be broken, and the oppressed go free," we almost feit as though they were trying to enlist our eympathies in a cause that did not belong to them or us. Yet we supposed that the legitímate object ot' preaching was lo make men act; many of us come to the conclusión ihat it was our solemn duty to act, and afier revolving the subject over and over again, we honestly cuncluded that the only efficiënt way of acting was through the ballot box. But the minister cries " do not go to that unholy place! You wül thus mix religión and politics! I want to preach a great deal more to you on this subject; but f you carry it to the polls,you thus close my tnouth." However, we not being papists, saw fit not to obey. The result has been, in mahy instance?, that the poor sluve is no longer remembered in the sermón or in the prayer. By the way, did you never observe the effect upon a sleeping congregation to have the minister stop abruptly, in the midstofan animated harrangue, how the sleepers start up to sce vvhat is the matter? Öince man of the clergy have iKusbecome pro-slavery,there have beer. somo uaexpecled conversions.And sometimos when they have have refused to give notico of anti-slavery leclures, or given tlicm n such a manner that the people could not understand the appoiniment, the house has been well filled. This, however, is a very delicate subject, and we will only modestly allude to it. Whatever may bc the cause, one thing is certain, that the people are look ing at this subject most intensely, and a goodly number are taking hold of it, in earncst. - Those who fear that they throw away their votes, by casting them for liberty, may rest assurcd thal if they do thcir duty this fall, they never need to throw away their votes again. Remcmber that whether whig or democrat, succeeds at this eleclion, is but of little consequence, neither of them will kill or burn our houses, but show them this time our real strength, and the next contest will annihilate them both and place liberty in the ascendant. Boaneiiges.The following proamble and resolutions have been adopted by the Presbytenan church and session in Salem, in this County. They take the right ground. Should every church in the F ree States adopt the same course, slavery would be annihilatcd immcdiately. We have occasion to feel more and more the truth of Mr. Birney's declaration, that the AmericRn churches are the bulwark of slavery." For the Signal of Liberty. Whereas, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church did in 1839 'solemnly réfer to the lower Judicatonea the subject of slavery leaving it to them to take 6uch order thereon as in their judgeraent will be the most judicious and adapted to remove the evil." And moreoverj believing that holding human beings in slavery is both an evil and sin, sin against God and an invasión of the dearest rights and interosts of moral beings, consequently subject to the cognizance of the Judicatories of the church of Je6us Christ, therefore, Resolved, That this session will not receive to its fellowahip and cominunion any person known to be a slaveholder. Resolved, That this seesion will consent to the admission of no professed minister of the gospel is the spiritual guide of this church and people, who is a slaveholder. Resolved, That in the opinión of thia session elavery is aniong 'the transgressions of the divine law against which the embassador of Christ is to cry aloud and 6pare not" in the Sacred Desk. Resolved, That as members of this church we fully concur with the session in the above