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The Universalist Protest

The Universalist Protest image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
May
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The foüowins noticc of ihis tfdcïimenr, fram the N. Y. Tribuno, embraces ncarly tlio wliolc fit. 'Wc hclicvo thnt by presenting a united front, we can achí somcliing to the moral power thnl is crenting n deep horror at tdc rrifmstroua wrongsof Shivery, and thnt shall gaürer strè'ngih ind grcatnos3 till liumnn nature ennnot wiihstand the m:iji'sty of the dénitind to 'let the bpprjsaed go frCe,' tn-t rfhdil glörify Obd by ioynlty to Rïght nnd Duty. With this dosirc,. hope, and trust, vc öiTer our Protest ngainst xmencan Slavery. in the foUo'wirtg ronsons. 1. Becauso t denies tho cternal distinction butweon mnn and pnipcrty. rankihg-a Irnmn'n being with n material íhitig'. The nttributcs ol the soul forbid snnb a classification; f.r thnt alor.e can be rtc6grtfe&a us propórty wbicli is noi wronged by the net of br-ing owncd by motlicr. To man W8s oiiginnlly givcn dominion over tiic lowcr orders of animnlfi. thut hc miglit hnvc tboiii KSprópériw; !ut Irá has noriyht nor grnnt to own his fellov.beinT. 2. ÍJecnuse Sinvcry docp r.ot nwnrd to thel.i. borer he fruüs of his toii, in nny bighfer pn?f tban to thccattlo. All the claim to any propcrty - oven to tho iruiis of i}kj tilinte of tho smallrst !at of ground- depenfo on tho will oí hiin who claims hy tlie same lenuro botli tlie soil and Inborer. Mali was creatffl to own, and nM to !e owned: the claim of nnotlier upon ihe fruits ofhia toil pon the product of ihe eerviceofn more anfmnl. overlooks the hinher natare and the absolute rïghts of a Inimnn being. 3. Becnuse Slavery trammels the intcllecttinlpowers, nmi provenía thtir expansión. Thn pxpnnaibiKty of the humitn mind is otíe of its chicf glories, nnd cndlcss merina are appropri.tted to il tiy is Crcntor. To labor sysfemmmically to cLw.irf llio intellect, is ip prevent the openine, to ■i fuil visión, of tho eye i lint God nndr, wherewifh man shouli) seo hi;n in tbc manifestntions of himsclf through his laws. Tliis Slavery does, it tïcitiiis to tho plavo even the olphnhet of knowledge, the simplest elementa f inttilcetu .1 .r.v sress. The vcry cmctmcni of laws wlrch ior'iiil. iindejr heavy penahics. any onu to tcoch tho ala veto rena r.nd wriie. irnpliea r.il timt we clnim for his inteliccttiai capnc-ity. nnd nnnifesilv' deul.ires di.-iï hè inaintenancc of io.=yíiem dépeails ujion dwariing ihe iiiteliect. 4. JJer.iusa Slavery checks ihe devclnpemcn! of ilic moral nauíre f íhc slive. It denieé hun rights, and thereby denies him rcsponsibility. - Willi ihc (Jcnial of his rnnnhood, nccofs.irliv gaeg lift ncroti'ntitbilityr for where the dislinct'on Ieween persons nml Üunsjs lost, the diüies nnt! rosponsibilitiLs of ilic person aro mergt-d and list □ the t.hiog. The slave 8, to all intents ond purposos of property. doprived of his moral nature, and iherfcby of iiis pariicipation ir. aromiiioii humanity. 5. Bec.auso Slavery involvcs n pnrt!&al doni.tl of lie iU-liyious naiilie of tho slnve. The Supremo WiH, to ihe glaye, is the wil] of tlie rnasier; orid (bal wiiioh dwnrfs the intellect, and checlts tho dcvtlopment of i!ió m,, ra! nature, must be opposed to Reliyi.ms gfovnh'. ft tókes Ironi the vicïim the means whi.h God has furnislieil to heget nndfostor n trno nnd filial reverence towaru's IJimsefl', und ves hiíri no Itoü?ion but crediiltiy. It shurs up ihe Bible Irom the S'nve as cíectu:illy as ever Pocry (id froni he Ppojiié in the dark d.t) s of i:s most tcrrillc owcr. 6. Bocauso Siavery presenta an insurmnunti!ie liarrier to iho proi'uiljj.itimr óf tiie gre.it triith ■f Universiil Broothcrhot-d, an.l riiffröby htoél efk-ctually prevenís the prbgrttea of trno C'liristanity. lnder ira brrnd !i.idnv, Univrrsalism cannot grow. Thesefed rit !,.-?t. sownanioni; ihorna thnt choke is vej.eta;ion. Unilcr ihe leifimnto infliuMirrs of sucli a pySiem, thé sonl cinnoi record ri;h favor the Religión which hiy tlie 6,11111; Voico and tono, ihe samo uötfininnds and waniinjrs. hë sanie hopes and promises. for him who is icgarded as a thing and clasecd with cattlc, and for tbc most eleva:cd nnd giffed of ihe hum. in race. An I in.ismnch as SlaVSry' deniós theequ.'ility ihrit OJtiats, by ihe attn!uics of Jiu- man niiure. botweon ir.nri nnd mini. it cannot but frown on tho religión of Chri '., whieh is basedon tlinl eqiialiiy, and vvhoso ■.'r(fl' an!' fuiidaincritnl principio C mornÜty is. - 'Do mito oili c-rsasyö woul'i th:ii lltéy sliouM do unto you.' 7. Bocause tlie osseh:iiil nature of Slaveiy cannot Lc ahcicd !- ny kindacss how gtc.il so évee, piacticcJ loyJ.'.rJ 1I10 b!ave. Kiiidm ses are but flowprs n ihc ünks of ibecha'in vviiost ion cniy itiM ilics.)u!. and no swofinoss eau Itill die mom! pciijü iuto íoryu;í ful oi w!i,it SIüvcy lii'jlicst k(nJneS3 is coinp.-irntive.'v iothing, Vliilcj the inaiiliood oí llio slavc is iluliedoriorgoiton; for the lirel cleinnnd oí love is, o rt-8eci tlio riglits of nnothur. Wliilc mnny l.ivclioldoiö m.-iy. accudiiiij lo fl::;ir prrccplión ï things. priictice die uthibSi kindnrss to thcil (ve?, '.lint ttuinot alter iüü luaturc ordcllruii) u the systom ol ltfery, 8. Bcauseili long ctmiimwnco of a .--ysicin f wrong' cariiiót pallinte it, luit, on ilio otlie'i and, auginciiis the dumatul for ivf allnin. - few vifeiím are iláheTcil into exietïtteti cvt-ry ay, wlnle the nattiüil i.ffctioni and i'ic saiictfea of niarri.ige and domcsin' lit aie disregaidd, and made subordínatelo the interest of propny. 9. Becau'sc, wlnle e woultl in all c'haiity reneifiber rtiat pcculianties of i;uhtion ni(iy arteot ie judement and moral seiise. iUll wo imiat ml 'orget, that no peculi.nity of itnation eau exusu a perpetual doráal of uniyetfi&l principies and.il.li.Kioiw. Frefcdomia'rím the sif of charters .md coiiiiiiiiniiii's; it is nol a benefit bcstowcri In geographjcül localaiCsJbiu U ia ulieren in man na irinn, y iho auributts of lus nature. Onr reli_''nd,'n.iinlá of Ü9, with a voice lint cannot bc site locd. ihi no limit of tcrrïtory k!l.;1 be pórmilted o excludo man from our symjKillty-, ;iu! 110 convfii!in):il lnv iiiill snpenicÜo the etcrnnl roiiii8Í!Íns ut' jiifciico an'l mercy. Atucriran (Slacry ia nüystiMii of wrong Trom iis principie foíta'crowrting'assúmptíon; and in lts train of evild are fi'ünd nll tho miquities thai in ( . c'.'itcn out tlie lifc of conimuniiics and na:ions. lt legiüzes friti3 iliat are nbhorrent lo the simplust moral sense; and in thflintroaaing Utollrgeflué and philaiithropy of the present ."!c. il becomea inoro and more a stigma on our Nntionnl Name, a curso to our Country's prosperity. and a gianl moral evil thot n ust be overthrou-n, or it will ovcrtlirow us by the rcttiljuüvc justice of Mini who hns declarcd the truth. - 'iligUteousnpss exüheth a nation, but si is a reproach to any pcoptc.' For theserensons wc protest ngainst the system f American Slnvery as utterly wrong, and eoness cür obligado)) to uso ail justifiable means to )ronioie it3abo!rion. Ampng tho cignamres to tho Protest we are jritilied to find the name of tho venerable Hoska Íalt.ou, of Boston, who is remorded os the Patrinrch oí i lic denomi.'iation.Wc cannot attlird room for the nnmes oí ihc Cleigyinen wlio bave uttered lilis tcslimony for llihieousncss and Lilicrty, but wc have classiled ihém by Siaics as f'ollows: Mnine, 31 l'cnnsvlvania, 7 New Ilampsliire, 23 Ohio, 25 Vermont, 19 Indiana, 1 Mass.icUusetls, DG Ultnoi, G Connectjcut, 10 Wisconsin Ter. 2 Ilhode Iilarid, [) iilichignn, 8 New York, (5 Missouii, 1 New Jeiscy, 1 Travelling, 1 Totnï, ?, Í4 About thrcc-fourtlisof all to whom the PiMicst wos presented aro said to havo signed it. THe moral weight of the Universalist denomination ia tlnis enst on the sido of Freedom, wiih ihat of ihe Ünilarians. Will not other denorntnatiops