The voice of freedom. [volume], January 19, 1839, Image 4

About The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848

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THE VOICE OF FREEDOM,
POETRY.
My .TOTIIEJi.
BY ELIJAH T. LOVEJOY.
"Men forget but all will not be forgotten."
Thero is a firo thai b;irns on earth,
A pure and holy flame;
It camo to men from heavenly birth,
And still it is the annua,
As when it bum' J the chorda along
That bore the first-horn seraph's song
Sweet as tin hymn of gra'ilude
Tint oweU'd to heaven "when all was good:"
Mo passion in the choirs ahovo
L p.;ror than a mother's love!
My Molhsr! how tha' name endears,
Through Memory 'r rtri.iis and Sorrow's tears!
I se? thea now, as I have seen,
With thy young boy bide thee:
Thou didst not i r.o.v, nor could.;', thou deem
The i!bi (hat nonld bolide mo;
For sorrow than had disnm'd that ova
Which ban.'d with only cxtacy.
Ah! life was then a joyous thins,
And time bore pleasure on ils wing.
How buoyant did the minutes move
Fori wan hope, and thou wert love!
Beneath thy smiles I closed the day,
And met them at the morning ray;
My infant heart was full of glee,
And every chord struck harmony.
And often as there would betide
Some little griefs my heart to gall,
I bore them to my .Mother's side,
And one kind kiss dispeU'd them all.
Anil I have knelt wilh thee, when none
Wert near but thou and I,
In trembling awe before the throne
Of Mercy in the s'y ;
And when thy me'ted'heart was pour'd
Before the IJein;; thou adored,
How holy was that prayer of thine,
Fit oToring for a heavenly shrine!
Not for thyself n wish not one
Cat snile upon, Lord, b'e.ss my son!
And I have risen, and gone my way,
And seem'd to have forgot;
Yet oft my wandering thoughts would stray
Bic to that hallow'd spot;
While feelings, new and undefined,
Would crowd upon my laboring mind.
0 days of inocenc.e and peace!
O ill exchanged for manhood's years!
When mirth, that springs from youthful bliss,
Is drown'd beneath misfortune's tears.
My heart has since been sadly worn,
While wave on wave has o'er it borne;
And feelings, once all f.e.ih and green,
Are now as though they ne'er had been;
And hope, that bright and buoyant thing.
E'en hope has lent despair its wing;
And sits despoil'd within my breast,
A timid, torturing, trembling guest.
1 dare not look upon the past,
I care not for the future cast;
Yet o'er this darkius.; of the soul
There comes one cheering beam,
Pure, warm, and bright, of rapture full
As angel visits seem
A Mother's love, a mother's care
My aching heart, there's comfort there!
It is as if a lovelv rose
Should bloom amid the icy waste;
For while the heart's life-streams are froze,
Its fragrance o'er it still is cast.
Weary and worn, my be.l I've sharod
With sio';ness and with pain;
Nor one, of all tha ;av me, cared
If e'er I rose u;;;Ha;
Heedless ami (inc I hoy pass'd along.
With noisy mirth an 1 ribald song;
And not a band outstretched, to give
A cordial that should hid nie live.
And woman, too, that nurse of ease,
.Made up of love and sympathies
Av, woman, she she pass'd me by,
AVilh cold, averle I, careless eye;
Nor deign M to as';, nor seem'd to caro,
If dealh and 1 were strue-'ulmg there!
Ah! (hen I've thought, and felt it, too
My Mother is not such as vou!
How would she sit beside mv bed,
And pillow up my aching head;
And then, in ascents true as mild,
"Would I were suToring for thee, child!"
And try to son! he my griefs aivav,
And loo's e'en more than she could soy;
And pi ess her rhee'e to mine, nor fear
Though plague or fever wanton'd there;
And watch through weary nights and lone,
Nor deem fitigue c.r.iild he her own.
And if, perchance, I slept, the last
I saw, her eyes, were on mo cast;
And when I wo'.:e, 'twould bo to meet
The same hind anxious glance, so sweet.
And so endearing, that it seem'd
As from a seraph's eye it beam'd,
My Mother! I am fir away
From home, and love, and thee;
And stranger hands may heap the clay
That soon m:iv cover me.
V'et we shall meet perhaps not here
Hut in yon shining azure sphere:
And if there's aught assures me more,
Ere yet my spirit fly,
That Heaven has mercy still in storo
For such a wretch as I,
'Tis that a heart so good as thine
Must bleed must burst along with mine.
And life is short at best, and Time
Must soon prepare the tomb;
And there is sure a happier clime
Beyond this world of gloom:
And should it be my happy lot,
After a life of care and pain,
In sadness spent, or spent in vain,
To go wdiere sighs nnd sin arc not
'Twill raa'ic the half my heaven to be,
Mv Mother, evermore with thee!
MISCELLANEOUS
Twenty-sixth Animal Kcport of tho Vermont
Kiblc Society.
Twenty-six years have passed since the
Vermont Bible Society commenced its be
nevolent work of facilitating the circulation
of the Word of Life, amongst the destitute of
this and other lands. Its Directors find occa
sion for thankfulness to God, in the belief that
the Bible cause still maintains an increasing
interest among christians and philanthropists
of every name.
The last report of the American Bible So
ciety brines cheering Intelligence ofincreas
ing demands for the scriptures in christian and
pagan countries. The obstacles which have
hindered their free course, appear to be van
ishing away, and the time seems to be at
band,- when, if the friends of this cause make
efforts equal to the circumstances which de
mand them, every member of the human
family will read m his own tongue, the won
derful works of God. While the Sacred
Scriptures are finding free access to China,
Japan and other pagan countries, from which
they were till recently excluded by govern
mental authority, it is gratifying to learn that
national societies for the circulation of the
Bible without note or comment, are sustain
ed to a considerable extent, in most of the
Catholic countries of Europe. Notwithstand
ing thepecuniary embarrassments of our own
country, during the past year, the cause in
general has advanced as much, it is believed,
as during any previous year. The A. B. So
ciety reports 23 new auxiliary societies, in 11
different States, formed during the year.
Eighty-five thousand six hundred and seventy-six
dollars and eighty-three cents have
been collected, in payment for books sold, in
bequests, and in contributions. There have
been printed 3 -,U00 bibles and 102,000 testa
ments, in English, German. Spanish and
French- making in all 1;"2,2D2 copies, and
an aggregate since the formation of the so
ciety, of two millions three thousand two
hundred & ninety-eight. This report spreads
out before us many interesting facts concern
ing the operations of local societies in dif
ferent parts of the country, which we have
not room to notice in derail.
It appears that extensive fields arc opening
for the circulation of the Scriptures, at home
and abroad, and in many of these the work
is progressing with encouraging success. The
boatmen upon our rivers, lakes and canals
are receiving the Word of Life : the sailor too
has this precious boon of philanthropy, that
when far from the sanctuary and christian
friends, he may sit down in his ocean soli
tude, and read of God, and Christ, and the
sacred duties in which he had been instructed
in childhood, that a mother's prayers and a
father's solemn counsels and the thundering
(ones of gospel warnings from the desk of
the long-forgotten sanctuary, may live afresh
m his memory.
Calls for bibles have been received from
Canada and from Texas. In some parts of
South America there is a desire abroad for
reading the scriptures. In Spain, even, where
civil war is raging with more than its usual
violence, the providence of God is at the same
time opening the way for the diffusion of his
long-excluded Word. A proieslant merchant
residing there, in soliciting from the society a
grant of Spanish Scriptures, writes:
"There is not the least doubt, in my mind,
that Divine Providence is now opening a way
for the dissipation of the horrible abuses and
crimes which, under the holy name of rcli-
on. have so long stained this most unhap
py, but finest country of the globe, and of
which the intelligent portion of thenation now
begin to see the effects. Believe rne. sir, when
I tell vou. from mv own personal observation,
as well as collected information, that the way
is now open ; and if proper and prompt meas
ures are adopted we may reasonably expect,
ny, even in our time, to see the Gospel, found
ed on the a, 'jostles and umpliets. and not on
trillion, that great corner stone of Romish
superstition established m tins country.
In regard to the operations of the Vermont
Bible Society during the past year, the Direc
tors regret to say, that less has probably been
accomplished than during either of the pre
vious throe years. But they do not think that
this is owing to any diminution of interest
in the bible cause; for, wherever its claims
have been presented through your agent, it
has met with most gratifying encouragement.
Liberal contributions have been made by
men of all denominations and by all classes
of the community.
While it gives the Directors pleasure to
bear testimony to the continued faithfulness
and zeal of your agent, from the pecuniary
embarrassments of the times, and for other
reasons which seemed to render it expedient,
he has been excused from the service of the
society during seven months of the year.
One occasion of this suspension of his opera
tions was the urgent demand for ministerial
labors in several towns where the seed of the
Kingdom had been scattered the preceding
year the result of which has been the gath
ering of some precious fruits into the gospel
garner, and lite organization of two churches.
His labors in the services of the society
have been confined to Washington & Orange
counties. As far as the agent has proceeded
in them, the re-supply, contemplated in the
resolution of last year, "to place a copy of
the bible in every family in the State, and a
new testament in the hands of every child
under fifteen years of age who can rend it."
has been thoroughly attended to, so that the
counties of Chittendon, Franklin, Oilcans.
Essex, and Washington and a part of Orange,
arc now supplied and additional evidence
is furnished at every step, in the progress of
this work, that this labor of love, of the So
ciety, is greatly needed, and shall not be in
vain, and demands imperatively the carrying
out of the resolution of last year without
delay. No town has been explored without
finding an unexpected number of families,
either entirely destitute of a Bible, or pos
sessing only the fragments of one. In one
town, where the agent was assured by those
best qualified to judge, that there was not a
family destitute of a bible in town, six fam
ilies in one school district were found who
had just claims upon the bounty of the So
ciety and one. of these was the family of a
preacher of the gospel. The children and
youth in everyplace receive the precious gift
iff a nov-teslainent with readiness, and with
expressions of joy and gratitude which seem
to give assurance that the word shall not re
turn void.
In alluding to the claims which the bible
cause in general has upon the christian pub
lic, the directors feel that notbingcan be added
in its support beyond what is evinced in its
own manifest excellence. Addressing itself
as it does, with equal courtesy to christians
of every name and denomination, its concil
iating spirit must be recognized, and Ihe great
benefits it is designed to confer upon the world
cannot fail to be appreciated. The influence
of this cause in respect to denominational
prejudices and interests is beatifully illustra
ted in tbeobscrvation concerning the late John
Nitchie, Esq., treasurer of the A. B. Society,
whose death is noticed in its last annual re
port. " His constant intercourse with chris
tians of different names, so harmoniously
blended in this society, had led him well nigh
to forget his denominational predilections, and
to value most those, of whatavcr church, who
most loved the simple word of God, and en
gaged with the greatest zeal in the work of
its dissemination."
The cause of the Bible must and will car
ry its own interest 'along with it. If its pre
sentation at Exeter Hall to the assembled vir
tue of the British metropolis enkindles in their
souls the spirit of philanthropy, it possesses
none the less interest when presented at the
door of the retired cottager. The eloquence
of the most talented philanthropist the world
has ever seen, cannot describe what is realiz
ed by the humble peasant who has read the
bible as the book ol life, and left the breath
ings of its sacred power. The truths which
it reveals take hold of the deepest interests
of man. From a knowledge of these truths
is derived all the permanent happiness of this
life, and all the anticipated enjoyments of the
heavenly state. Heathen philosophers have
attempted to teach their disciples the art of
being happy, but some have defeated their
ostensible object in accommodating their pre
cepts to the corrupt passions of human de
pravity, while others have merely speculated
upon abstract precepts which no one over did
or ever could observe, and have come to the
conclusion that man is, and necessarily must
be, a vicious and miserable being.
To impart to the ignorant and dark-heart
ed heathen a more sure word of prophecy, is
certainly a work becoming tho spirit of elms
lian philanthropy; for when all the airy vis
ions of human speculation shall have vanish
ed into confusion, the bible shall still abide,
the friend and counsellor of man, in all its
clearnessand in all its life and power. It will
survive when the heavens and the earth shall
pass away. Infidelity will see it in the hands
of Him who sitteth on the great white throne,
from whose presence the heavens and the
earth shall flee away, and out of the things
which are written therein shall the dead be
judged, according to their works. When the
judgment shall have passed, and the society
of the blessed in heaven shall be constituted
in their eternal organization, the bible shall
still live the light of heaven's glory and the
text-book of eternal song.
What better boon can friendship or benev
olence impart to our fellow-men, than this
blessed book? Would we give them bread ?
this is the bread ol life. Y ould we give them
treasure? this may secure them a treasure
imperishable m the skies. Would we give
them friendship? this will direct them to a
Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Would we give them pearls? this may se
cure them thepearl of great price, and prepare
even themselves to shine as jewels in the
crown of their Redeemer and King.
THE VERMONT BIBLE SOCIETY, IN ACCOUNT
WITH J. LOOMIS, TREASURER.
1837. Nov. 10. Dr.
To paid Am. Bible Society by draft $1360 00
April.
To paid Am. Bible Society by draft 165 00
To paid premium for draft 7 62
For printing annual Reports, and covers 97 75
For transportation of Bibles and extracts 75 33
For 14 boxes and packing Bibles 5 34
To paid Joab Seely, agent, in part for services 274 07
To paid expense of annual meeting, Oct. 1837 2 00
To paid poslage on letters and extracts 8 44
To room rent for Treasurer 6 00
To Stationary for ditto 3 00
1838, Nov.
To paid premium for draft on Boston 50
To paid Joab Seely balance of his account 69 98
To paid C. L. Knapp, Secretary, for cash paid out 6 19
To one bill on Roxbury Bank (broken) 1 50
I o extra services of I icasurcr for the year ending ) 0 .
October, 1838 $ Z0 W
To preparing County Reports for the press 5 00
2107 78
To balance credited in new account
2761 18
$4,S68 96
1837, Oct. 18. Cr.
By cash in Treasury from settlement of last acc't '1750 63
1838, Uci. 17.
By cash during the year received from all sources,
and for various purposes, as by the several Coun
ty statements appears
From Orange County 1222 48
" Washington 694 94
" Caledonia " 199 00
" Rutland " 220 51
" Windham 83 30
" Windsor " 79 25
Essex " 106 07
" Addison 238 08
" Franklin " 147 00
" Orleans ' 16 65
" Lamoille " 19 00
" Female B. Society, Royalton 12 00
For Bibles sold from Treasury 38 03
Annual members, Phinehas White 2 00
Samuel Clark 2 00
Robert Pierpoint 2 00
Joseph Howes 2 00
Elijah Paine 2 00
Widow Jane Benedict, Ogdensburgh, N.Y. for China 2 00
Contribution at Annual Meeting, Oct. 1338 29 49
Supposed error in adding County returns 53
$4,868 96
OFFICERS.
IIo.v. PHINEAS WHITE, President.
T47.W vr n iriTTni.''!? )
Hon. SAMUEL SWIFT, 1 res
C. L. KNAPP, Esq., Montpelier, Cor. S'y
Rkv. B. W. SMITH, do liec. S'y
Hon. J. LOOM IS. do Treas.
Hon. JOSEPH HOWES, do Auditor.
Gen. E. P. Walton,
Hon. Geo. Worttiington,
Rev. Daniel Wild,
Rev, Austin Hazen, Directors.
Alfred Pitkin, Esq.,
Rev. N. W. Asi'inwall,
Hon. Jeduthun Loomis,
Divine Providence. The chariot wheels
oi
God's providence attend not on the haste and ca
gerness of man. lie hath eternity to work in ;
and his dealings refuse all such measurement and
reckoning as can be applied to them by the creat
ures of a day. Phil. Observer,
The Hope of the Christian,
What is its foundation? The merits and the
promise of Jesus Christ. He is the grand Polar
Star to whom the eye of faith islurned amidst all
the tossincs and tempests which the believer en
counters. Here, he anchors his hope, and loolts
upwards with an unchanging confidence, that his
Redeemer will keep that which he has committed
to his hands. His language is
"In vain we seek for peace with God,
By methods of our own ;
Blest Savior, nothing but thy blood
Can bring us near thy throne."
What is the influence of the Christian's
hope? It makes him more holy. When he
thinks of the depths of sin from which be hits
been recovered, he is led to magnify the riches of
Divine grace. UJten he inquires, with devoted
gratitude
"Why was I made to hear thy voice,
And enter while there's room?"
The hope of the Christian produces a tender
concern for the salvation of sinners. It is among
the first impulses of the renewed nature to care
for others. A professor who feels no emotions of
sorrow and pain when he sees the transgressions
of the wicked, has strong reason to fear that his
hope rests on the sancl. The Psalmist was pain
ed in these circumstances, and said "Rivers of wa
ter run down mine eyes, because men keep not
thv law."
What, Christian professor, is the character of
vour hope? Does it make you watchful, ana con
scientious, and devout? Does it check the risings
of envy, and malice, and every unholy passion?
Does it draw out your soul after uod, in sweet and
holy aspirations? It cannot be long before your
hone will be tried and proved. If it is found to
be 'delusive at death, and in the judgment, the loss
you will sustain will be an irretrievable and an
eternal loss. Who can conceive the anguish of
that soul that awakes in eternity, and, for the first
time, learns that he has built "with hay, wood,
and stubble?" But there will be thousands of such
cases. Shall yours increase the number? Phil.
Observer.
Rev. John Wesley on his Death bed. The
"Life of William Wilberforce, by his Son," con
tains the followinp- letter from the late Rev. John
WTesley, to Mr Wilberforce, urging him to reneW'
ed and unceasing exertions against Negro Slavery
They are probably the last words he ever wrote;
for the letter was written on his death-bed, the day
before he sank into a lethargy from which be was
never aroused:
February 24, 1791.
"My dear Sir Unless divine power has rais
ed you up to be as Athanasius contra mundum, .
see not bow you can go through your glorious en
terprise, in opposing that execrable vilhany which
is tha scandal of religion, of England, and of hu
man nature. Unless God has raised you up for
that very thing, fyou will be worn out by the op
position of men and devils: but if God be for you,
who can be against you? Are all of them togeth
er stronger than God? Oh! be not weary of well
doing! Go on, in the name of God, and in the
power of his might, till even American slavery,
the. vilest that ever saw the sun, shall vanish a-
way before it. That He who has guided you from
your youth up, may continue to strengthen you in
this and nil things, is the prayer of, dear sir, your
affectionate servant. JOHN WESLEY."
vs oitrc roil abolitionists.
the Abolitionists of Vermont :
To
At the last Annual Meeting of the American Anti-Slave
ry Society, the following Resolution was adopted
" Resolved, That it be recommended to such State, or
other auxiliaries, as are disposed to take the charge of the
abolition cause within their respective fields, to make ar
rangements with the Executive Committee of this Society,
Guaranteeing to our treasurer such stated payments as
may be judged reasonable, and then assume, within their
own limits, the entire direction of lecturers and agents, in
forming local societies, collecting funds, circulating memo
rials and establishing libraries ; and that this society will
not send its agents to labor for these objects in such States,
as carry out this plan, except in concurrence wilh the State
Executive Committee."
The subject of the above resolution, claiming the attcn-
tontion of the Executive Committee of the State Society,
it was our unanimous judgment, that the interests of the
cause would be beat subserved by tho Society's acceding
to the proposed measure ; and in its behalf we have accord
ingly renewed the pledge made at the last Anniversary of
the parent Society to pay its treasurer two thousand dol
lars within the current year, with the additional stipulation,
that this sum is to be free from all expense of collection ;
and have also taken the general supervision of the abolition
cause in this State, during the remainder of the term of our
appointment.
In order to the successful prosecution of the anti-slavery
enterprise within our limits, in accordance with the respon
sibilities thus assumed, the concerted, harmonious, and vig
orous co-operation of all the friends of the cause through
out the State, is indispensable, and to this end the Commit
tee would earnestly call your attention to the following sug
gestions. We have associated for the'purpose of abolishing Amer
ican Slavery ; and that, only by moral, peaceful means. We
have identified ourselves with the slave, and resolved nev
er to remit our efforts until lie he is restored to his inalien
able but plundered rights. To effect this great object, great
sacrifices must be made ; time, and talent, and money, must
be freely offered up, and every friend of Humanity, who
has a heart to sympathise with tho suffering slave, must
contribute according to the ability with which God has bless
ed him each, in that department of labor which conscience
and duty point out to him, must put forth his energetic ef
forts, or the work cannot be done. Compassion for the slave
and his oppressor, and regard for our country's weal, and
for the stability of her republican institutions, and the se
curity of our own liberties, and even economy in the work
itself, demand that it be done immediately. The longer
it is deferred tho stronger is the opposition and the greater
the obstacles to be overcome.
With this view of tho subiect. the work before us is
plain :
1st, Our pledge to the parent society must bo promptly
redeemed.
2nd. Anti-slavery societies must be formed in .every
town, village and county in the state, where it has not al
ready been done.
3rd. Anti-slavery libraries must be established if possi
ble, in every town.
4th. Petitions or remonstrances to the state or national
legislatures must bo circulated in every town in the state ;
And speedy and vigorous efforts must be used to enlist
tho strong and abiding moral influence of the whole state,
against slavery and in favor of anti-slavery principles and
measures.
To effect these objects we must not, we cannot depend
on permanent and paid agents ; we can neither get the men!
nor the means, and if we could, it would not be good econ-J
omy to do the work by these instrumentalities alone. The
county and town societies must each perform their part oil
the labor, by the help of volunteers and local agents of their!
own. We would, therefore, propose the following
PLAN OP LAB Oil.
I. County Societies.
1. Let each county society hold regular quarterly moot-l
ings, in different parts of the county, and letpreffSns notice!
be duly given of them in the newspapers. Let suitable!
means be used to secure a large attendance of friends from
all parts of tho counfy, and others desirous to become ac- I
quainted with our principles and measures ; let the execu
tive committee of the county see that suitable speakers are
provided for these meetings, and let no pains be spared to
make them interesting and instructive.
c. x.ei mo secretary oi me county society Keep a com
plete list of all the local agents and volunteer lecturers in
the county, and let him furnish the secretary of each town
society with a copy of this list, that they may know who ta
call upon for any particular Se, when needed.
3. Previous to each electionf members of the state a-
gislature, let the executive cTinmittee of the county socio-
ty address tho following, or a similar query, to every can-.
didate for the office to be filled :
Will you, if elected (senator or represetative, as the case
may be,) use the utmost of your ability to procure the im
mediate abolition of slavery and the slave-trade in the Dis
trict of Columbia and inter-state-slave-trade, and also to pre
vent the admission of Texas or any new state into the union;
with a constitution allowing slavery within its limits ?
II. Town Societies.
It is advised,
1. That town societies hold meetings regularly once a
quarter, or oftener if practicable, for the purpose of lectures
and discussions, of attending to the various subjects con
nected with the cause, and of sustaining a lively interest
therein, which can alone warrant any reasonable hope of
success.
2. That each society appoint one man and one woman,
members of the society, as agents to take charge of each
school district in town.
3. That those agents have a complete list of the heads
of families, and the names of every person over eighteen
years of age in their respective districts.
4. That the agents be furnished at once with subscrip
tion papers, pledging those who sign them to pay annually
or quarterly during the continuance of slavery, or until their
names are withdrawn, the sums annexed to their names :
and (hat the agents circulate those subscription papers
throughout the town ; neglecting none because they are not
members of the society, if they are friendly to the cause,
nor any because they are unable to subscribe largely only
let an equal distribution of the burthen be made, according
to each one's ability, and none will be oppressed. The
agents should also see that the subscriptions are promptly
paid as they become due.
5. As fast as tho collections are paid over to the treas
urer of the town society, he should remit all that is design
ed for the state society to its treasurer, and all money for
the American society should also pass through the hands of
the treasurer of the state society. Punctuality and prompt
ness on the part of individuals and town societies in redeem
ing their subscription pledges are indispensable to the suc
cessful prosecution of our whole enterprise. Every in
stance OF DELAY OR FAILURE TENDS TO EMBAR-
IlASa THE WHOLE MOVEMENT!-
6. Where it has not already been done, immediate meas
ures should be taken to establish a Library of Anti-Slavery
Literature in each town in the state, with branches in dif
ferent places, so as to render the books of easy access to all
who may bo induced to read them. The following are re
commended as among the more important ; which, togeth
er with a large assortment of anti-slavery books and pam
phlets, may be had at the Depository of the Vermont A. S.
S. in Vergennes, kept by J. E. Roberts, at wholesale pri
ces for any amount over ijjlO, and in all cases at the New-
York prices : Jay's Inquiry, Thome and Kimball, Child's
Appeal, Charles Ball, Rankin's Letters, Anti-Slavery Man
ual, Weld's Bible Argument, Wythe on the District of
Columbia. These books, and others which may be added
to the library, should be placed in the hands of active, effi
cient librarians, who will not only see that they are prop
erly used, but that they are read and exchanged. No book
should be allowed to remain in the same hands more than
two weeks. The books read and exchanged among parents
and children under such simple regulations as the society
may desire, cannot fail to produce the most favorable results.
7. Circulate the constitution of the town society in ev
ery school district once in three months,
8. When blank petitions or remonstrances for the stats
or national legislature are sent out, let the agents in each
district immediately present them for signatures to every
man and woman of lawful age in said district.
9. Let the agents also supply every family in town with
an Anti-Slavery Almanac ; let those who will not purchase
be furnished with them at the expense of the town society.
A better tract for general circulation can rarely be found.
10. On the first of January the secretary of each town
society should forward a report of the doings of the society
for the year to the secretary of the county society, stating
the number of its members ; the names of its officers ; tha
amount of funds raised ; the number of meetings held, and
of addresses delivered before it, and by whom ; the num
ber of volumes in its library ; of almanacs distributed, and
of names obtained to petitions and remonstrances, and any
other facts of interest or importance to the cause.
11. The establishment of an anti-slavery paper in this
state, as an organ of communication among ourselves as
well as a means of spreading out more widely our princU
pies, has long been regarded by the committee as an object
of very great importance to the cause ; and we now have the
pleasure of informing you that we have secured the labors
of C. L. Knapp to take charge of a paper to be published
at Montpelier, weekly, at 2,00 per annum in advance, un
der the title of " The Voice of Freedom." In his abil
ity to discharge the duties of this responsible department of
labor, and his zeal and fidelity to the cause, we have the ful
lest confidence, and we trust our friends throughout the
slate will not be wanting in their cordial and efficient
support to a measure which promises so much advantage ta
our enterprise. Let every agent in the school districts cir
culate the prospectus for The Voice of Freedom thoroughly,
and forward the names to Allen & Poland, publishers,
Montpelier.
12. Finally, let every friend of the cause who receives
a copy of this, prosorve it in some placo where it will often
meet his eve and remind him of his duty. Let these re-
commedations be carried out, and we shall find the work
rapidly advancing. And it can never be done unless every
abolitioniist will take his share of the responsibility, and
pel lor m nis snare 01 me lanor.
In behalf of the Executive Committee of the Vermont
Anti-Slavery Society,
ROW'D T. ROBINSON,
HARVEY F, LEAVITT.