Green-Mountain freeman. [volume], November 20, 1845, Image 1

About Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884

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Liberty and Equality, Man's common birthright, Gforf'a rich est gift Religion and Law their defence.
BY POLAND & BRIGGS.
MONTPELIER, VT., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 184-5.
VOL. II, NO. 47.
YJ
1 - JJL I JL JL 1 1
Common Schools.
For the Green Mountain Freeman.
Common Schools.
' Messrs. Editors: The great evils existing in our
present system of common school education call loudly
for eradication. I am glad to see the appearance of
an awakening interest on the subject, and indications
; that our legislatare, at its present session, will enact
-efficient laws, which will tend to reform existing evils.
I believe, however, that if we look to legislation a
lone, as a reformatory piocess, we shall look in vain
for the removal of all the evils which prevent our
schools from becoming what is desirable. In this, as
well as in all other cases where prominent defects and
glaring evils are suffered to exist and flourish in civil
or social economy, we should look for the cause, and
: direct our efforts to its removal. Any attempt at
legislation which overlooks or disregards this, is but
blind, inefficient, and blundering.
The cause may always be found in a bad state of
public sentiment, which cannot be removed without
disseminating information and exposing errors.
: Much has been said about the inefficiency of teach
ers, and of our liability to be imposed upon by ignorant
pretenders to the science of pedagoguisin. Now,
Messrs. Editors, I certainly am in favor of "a tariff for
protection1 against the importation of such articles
"duty free," either into our State or school districts. I
would have them admitted under such liabilities and
restrictions as will afford ample "encouragement" to
our "native growth" and "domestic manufacture."
But why, I would ask, does the necessity exist for
legal protection? Our teachers do not take us by the
throat and compel us to employ them. The contract
is mutual. Tt is the province of the prudential com
mittee to satisfy themselves of the mental and moral
qualifications of those whom they employ ; and if they
do not do this, they neglect their obvious duty. They
have just as good a right to do this now, as they can
. have under any system of legislation. From tho su
perabundance of teachers they can select whom they
please. School districts should appoint none for com
mittees but those who are qualified to examine and
judge of the qualifications of teachers, and who feel
an interest in the school and are willing to exert them
selves personally to promote its best good.
Again : if parents would take that intelligent inter
est in their schools which they ought, they need not bo
imposed upon very long by any ignoramus. They
would visit the school, and ascertain, in this way, its
condition and prospects. If they found a teacher in
competent, they could discharge him. It is because
parents are too indifferent or indolent to do this, and
because public sentiment is at fault in various other
particulars, to some of which I mean to advert,) that
we need legislative protection, 'restriction, prescription,
and proscription.
But let no one suppose (as many seem to) that the
people at large are a poor, weak, sickly body, liable to
be overcome and trodden under foot by the very pow
erful body of itinerant school teachers; or that they a
lone need protection, and the school teacher has no
rights, or is not subject to abuse, or does not need the
aid of law, as well as his employers.
I believe there is no class or profession, the members
of which are so much abused whose feelings are so
much trifled with, or whose rights are trampled upon
with so much impunity ,os school teachers. Consequent
ly ,none but those who have not learnt this by observation
or experience, or those who "care for nobody," will
engage in school teaching. They dare not encounter
the probable abuse which blind prejudice, or wilful
malice may heap upon them. Tlicy are conscious of
integrity of purpose, and that they have qualified them
selves to teach; but they know that neither, nor both,
will shield them from unmerited abuse and contumely.
School teachers are often looked upon as a sot of lazy,
proud leeches, who are willing to draw money out of a
community without rendering, in return, an adequate
equivalent Good, competent teachers, as a general
thing, cannot command reasonable wages. Their
charges are considered exorbitant, and such is tho
penny wise, pound foolish, niggardly economy practic
ed, to a very great extent, that any one disposed to turn
pedagogue, no matter what are his qualifications, for
they are seldom enquired after, can get employment, if
he will keep school cheap enough. Tims, those who
have talents are driven from the field, or forced to take
up with pitiful wages, which they are made to feel, by
the loud -complaints they hear, are grudgingly given ;
and which are neither remunerating nor stimulating.
, Why, sir, a man who knows enough, or has muscular
strength enough to clmp cord wood, ought to have
higher wages than a school teacher, who has nothing
to do but to stay in the school house six hours per day
" board round" for his living, and " go a visiting in the
evening!
.id
Again: the disposition to take sides with the scho
lars against their teachers in cases of discipline, is'grow
ing alarmingly prevalent 1 know there are many who
object to the use of the "rod," or any other corrective
punishment, and contend that a school should be gov
erned by persuasion and love. But I believe such
know but little of the depravity of human natuie. I
. will not stop now to argue tho practicability or imprac
ticability of this policy. There may be one school in
a thousand, and one teacher in a thousand, where, if
the two were connected together, the school for a time
might progress harmoniously on such principles. But
. I believe Solomon lost none of his reputation for wis
. dom, when he said, "Withhold not correction from the
child, for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not
die. ' Thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt de-
iver his soul from hell."
I believe I have never heard of so many cases of
: disturbance or troublesome disobedience in schools, in
. any one year as within the last. I attribute this to the
fact that scholars are getting the opinion that they can
transgress the rules of the school with impunity; or if
they are punished, many will take their part, and per
,haps they can get up excitement enough to turn the
- teacher ou of school. A scholar is justly punished,
but his stubborn will is not subdued. His parents are
disposed to think he is abused straightway a petition
is put in circulation, and a school meeting is called to
, " turn the master out" The large, and sometimes,
tsmall boys, attend. They hear all the angry, vituper
ative abuse, which on such occasions is generally ban
died back and forth against each other, and the teach
er, and if the master is not "turned out," his influence
ia' in a irreat measure destroyed. The scholars treat
,him with a lessened, and perhaps nothing more than a
, forced, appearance of respect But the evil does not
. end here. , Such cases invariably serve to foment neigh
borhood quarrels. Hard feelings and animosities are
engendered, nd hard speeches are made, which are
never forgotten, and probably are never forgiven.
But an unprincipled parent does not always resort to
this policy to get revenge on a teacher who has pun
ished his child. Who has not heard of vexatious pros
ecutions against teachers who, in the discharge of
their duties, and with the necessary efforts to keep
good order in the school, have thus unfortunately and
unavoidably been brought in collision with the angry
passions of bad men. Teachers, for the most part, are
young, and a lawsuit is justly dreaded by them as a
great evil, on account of the expense, vexation and
anxiety attending it ; and on account of the well known
feet, that a man who goes to law to recover his dues or
defend his rights, is not sure of getting justice; though,
in the words of an old song,
" He is sure to get plenty qflaiv."
Bad men, who have not the least shadow of reason
to complain, do not hesitate to take advantage of such
circumstances, to wrong a teacher by an unjust pros
ecution and draw from him, by such legalized robbery,
his hard, honest, and scanty earnings. Lawyers,
to their shame be it spoken, are readily found,
who are ready to engage in such cases ; while the sto
ry is noised about from town to town and from school to
school, until the mouse becomes an elephant, and the
mole hill a great mountain. The teacher is abused
without measure, as a hard-hearted, unfeeling, passion
ate wretch, who has nearly murdered his scholar! when
in fact he has not inflicted tho least personal injury.
Parents must sustain their school teacher in all his
efforts to keep good order, or his efforts are vain and
their money is thrown away.
But I have already extended this communication long
er than I anticipated, and will leave further remarks
for your next number. A. II. B.
Enosburgh, Oct. 8, 18-15.
Peace Department.
For the Groen Mountain Freeman.
Thanksgiving
A Jitting theme for the occasion.
The piety of our forefathers has bequeathed
to us this favorite festival of gratitude to God ;
and, as the past year has been signalized to us
by the unexpected preservation of peace amidst
many rumors and tears ot war, we would invite
public attention to the fact as a special call for
individual and national thanksgiving, and would
suggest to christian ministers of every name, the
propriety and expediency of selecting the sub
ject of Peace, in one or another of its manifold
aspects, for their theme of discourse on that oc
casion.
It would be difficult to exaggerate the impor
tance of this theme, or the urgency of its claims
upon good men in an age like the present. Peace
is obviously the greatest want of the world, as
well as one of the chief glories of our religion ;
and we can hardly suppose any argument neces-
sary to enlist every true-hearted ambassador ot
the Prince of Peace in cordial, zealous advoca
cy of an object so strictly evangelical, and so
vastly important to the temporal and spiritual
welfare of mankind.
Wc have no wish to dictate, but, accustomed
to solicit lrorn preachers ot the gospel an
annual plea for this cause, relying mainly on
them as its heaven-selected advocates, and be
lieving that the good providence which has thus
far averted the horrors of threatened war, calls
for our warmest gratitude, and demands very
special notice from the pulpit at the approach
ing anniversary of puhlic thanksgiving to the
God of all our mercies, we earnestlv hope, that
his ministers throughout the country will seize
upon the occasion to urge the claims of peace
with zeal and power. We ask them to ponder
the prophecies of peace recorded in the Bible;
to examine the principles of peace taught in the
gospel ; to dwell on the countless, unutterable
evils of war ; to consider how many blessings lo
our land, to Christendom and the world, are in
cluded in a single year of general peace, and how
essential its continuance is to our temporal and
spiritual prosperity, to commerce and every sec
ular pursuit, to the revival of pure religion, and
the success of every enterprise now in progress
for the spread of Christianity, and the ultimate
recovery of our world from sin and its woes.
God grant that his ministers may soon learn
more fully their duty, privilege and power on
this subject ! Let the twenty-five or thirty thou
sand in our own country unite with the still lar
ger number in the land of our fathers and breth
ren, to enforce aright the pacific principles of the
gospel n their application to nations as well as
to individuals ; and how easy for them under
God to insure the perpetual peace of these two
countries, and eventually of Christendom and
the world.
In behalf of the American Peace Society,
Geo. C. Beckwith, Cor. Secretary.
lionton, t0 1-2 CvrnJiill, Oct. 24, 1845.
P. S. If ministers or others wish for help in
the examination of this subject, we shall be hap
py to furnish them at very small expense, and if
they will take up a collection after preaching,
we will gladly send their people in return our
tracts or periodicals for general circulation.
Religions.
Death, and the Victory over Death.
BV THE RF,V. 0UVILL1S DEWEY, D. D.
Oh! Death! dark hour to hopeless unbelief!
hour to which, in that creed of despair, no
hour shall succeed! being's last hour! to whose
appalling darkness, even the shadows of an a
venging retribution were brightness and relief!
Death! what art thou to the Christian's assu
rance ! Great hour of answer to life's prayer
great hour that shall break asunder the bond
of life's mystery hour of release from life's
burden hour of re-union with the loved and
lost what mighty hopes hasten to their fulfil
ment in thee! What longings, what aspirations,
breathed in the still night, beneath the silent
stars what dread emotions of curiosity what
deep meditations of joy, what hallowed imag
inings of never experienced purity and bliss
what possibilities, shadowing forth unspeakable
realities to the soul, all verge to their consumma
tion in thee! Oh! Death! the Christian's death
what art thou, but the gate ol life, the portal of
heaven, the threshold of Eternity !
Thanks be to God let us say it, Christians!
in the comforting words of holy Scripture
" Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory,
through our Lord Jesus Christ!" What hope
can be so precious as the hope in him ? What
emblems can speak to bereaved affection, or to
dying fraility, like those emblems at once of suf
fering and triumph, which proclaim a crucihed
and risen Lord; which proclaim jhat Jesus the
Forerunner, has passed through death to im
mortal Lifet Well that the great truth should
be signalized and sealed upon our hearts in holy
rites! Well, that amid mortal changes, and
hastening to the tomb, we should from time to
time, set up an altar, and say, "by this heaven
ordained token, do we know that we shall live
forever!" God grant the fulfillment of this great
hope what matter all things beside ? God
grant the fulfillment of this great hope through
Jesus Christ !
Walking with God.
I must walk with God. In Eome way ,oj,
other, whatever be my character or profession,
I must acquire the holy habit of connecting
everything that passes in my house and affairs,
with God. If sickness or health visit my fami
ly, my eye must see and my heart must acknowl
edge the hand of God therein. Whether my
affairs move on smoothly or ruggedly, God must
be acknowledged in them. If I go out of my
house or coine into it, I must go out and come
in as under the eye of God. If I am occupied
in business all day long, I must still have the
glory of God in my view. If I have any affair
to transact with another, I must pray that jrod
would be with us in that affair, lest we should
blunder, and injure and ruin each other.
This is tho language of a real Christian.
But instead of such a spirit as this among the
great body of tradesmen professing themselves
religious what do we see but a driving, impetu
ous pursuit of the world and, in this pursuit,
not seldom mean, low, suspicious, yea, immor
al practices!
Yet I once went to a friend for the express
purpose of calling him out into the world. I
said to him "It is your duty to accept the loan
of ten thousand pounds, and to push yourself
forward into an ampler sphere." But lie was a
rare character; and his case was rare. His em
ployers had said, "We are ashamed you should
remain so long a servant in our house, with the
whole weight of affdii3 on you. We wish you
to enter as a principal with us, and will advance
you ten thousand pounds. It is the custom of
the city it is your due we are dissatisfied to
see you in your present sphere." I assured him
that it appeared; to me to be Ins duty to acceue
to the proposal. But I did not prevail. He said
"Sir, I have often heard from you that it is
no easy thing to get to heaven. I have often
heard from you that it is no easy thing to master
the world. I have everything I wish. More
would encumber me increase my difficulties sj
and endanger me." Cecil.
For
Young Eadics.
A Lovely Bride.
I was spending an hour, not long since, in
turning the pages of a pleasant miscellany, in the
course of which, my eye fell upon the following
rare, but beautiful and touching incident in the
history of one who that day was to become a
bride.
A party of lively and interested cousins and
lriends had early assembled at the bridal man
sion for the purpose of decorating the drawing
room, where the marriage ceremony was to be
performed. At length, this pleasant duty being
accomplished, they retired, happy in contribut
ing to the joy of an occasion, which, while it
would take from them one whom they loved,
would unite that one to the object of her high
est regard. The room was beautifully decora
ted with rich and variegated boquets, and on a
centre table, lay the gaily adorned bride's loaf,
an object of great importance.
I said all had retired from the lovely spot ;
but there was one of the cousins, who, a short
time after, stolo gently back to look once more
at the varied beauty of the scene, and to indulge
by herself the hopes and anticipations of an af
fectionate heart, for the future happiness of her
friend. She gently opened the door, and was
about entering, when she noticed the sofa was
wheeled round to the precise spot, where, that
evening the happy pair were to rise and ex
change their solemn vows ; and there the lovely
bride was kneeling, so absorbed in her own sol
emn thoughts, that the intrusion of her friend
was unnoticed. That friends stood for a mo
ment, gazing, in holy admiration, at I he scene
she longed gently to npproach and kneel by her
side ; but the occasion was too sacred to admit
of social union, and she retired. ,
And what so solemn and absorbing, was oc
cupying the thoughts of this happy being? Was
it the anticipations of wordly felicity that had
brought her there? Looking round upon the
beauty and gaiety of the room, where, in a few
hours, she would give her hand to him, whom
she preferred to nil others on earth, had she, in
the wildness and excess of her own emotions,
fallen ivto a reverie? Nothing of the kind. De
lighted she might be, and justly was; but she
had one duty to perforin ; a high and holy duty,
ere she plighted her vows to the object of her
early affections. There, in that spot where she
would soon stand, and surrender ner eartniy ait
to her husband, she would first consecrate her
self to the Lord. The prior consecration was
due to him. On that altar she wished to offer
an earlier and holier incense; on that spot, to
make a record of the prior deed, which she had
given of herself, to her superior Lord.
I know not of an earthly scene more lovely,
or of an immorlal being in similar circumstances,
in an attitude more becoming. And I am sure,
that if her intended husband had himself the
love of God, reigning in his heart, and could he
have seen her there, whatever he might have
thought of her before, his love would have said
not perhaps with perfect truth, for others, it is
to be hoped have done so before" her but he
might be forgiven if, in his ardor and admira
tion, he had exclaimed, "Many daughters have
done virtuously, but thou excellest thern all."
What a beautiful example for the imitation of
those who are about to be led to the hymenial
altar! Most beautiful ! most becoming ! I know
not the subsequent history of that "lovely bride,"
but I am certain she never repented of that act
of self dedication to God. She may not, indeed,
have escaped sorrow and afllictiont but. if they
were not her lot, I know that God would remem
ber the kindness of her youth. He would not
fors.ike her. She might bury husband, children,
and friends ; she might suffer sickness and pov
erty; but in no hour would her Heavenly Fath
er forsake her ; he would guide her by his coun
sel, and afterwards receive her to glory. Youth
ful females ! would you lav the foundation of
future peace ; would you provide against the re
verses of fortune ; would you have a friend and
protector through this world of vicissitude ; would
you1 have consolation in the darkest night of ad
versity which may set upon you ; imitate the ex
ample of a "lovely bride." Mother's Mag.
THE FIRE-SIDE.
Early Rising
The lark is up to meet the sun,
The bee is on the wing;
The ant his labor has begun,
The groves with music ring.
And shall I sleep, when beams of morn,
Their light and glory shed ?
Immortal beings were not born
To waste their time in bed.
Shall birds and bees and ants be wise,
While I my moments waste ?
O let me with the morning rise,
And to my duty haste.
Birds, Clouds, and Flower
s.
See how the morning breeze is sporting with
the leaves of the birch tree, and with the thick
hazel bushes beside that fence? It is the breath
of the earth, and upbears upon its bosom the
dear little birds. How brilliant their plumage !
how their eyes sparkle! how sweetly do they
sing! To inhale the pure air of heaven is their
greatest luxury. Here is this nest above us
a redbreasted robin is feeding her second brood
of little ones there on that decayed tree a
woodpecker is hammering away with its thick
bill, ever and anon uttering a loud scream, as if
he wished to make all the noise. Within a few
feet a mocking bird is chattering loudly, mock
ing not only his companions, but ourself too, as
if be thought us an old fool. Among the clouds
the lark is pouring out under the open sky en
joying their daily holiday.
The clouds are they not magnificent, those
morning clouds, floating so silently in the calm
ocean of the sky ! They are forever changing,
and everv moment become still more beautiful.
It would seem as if God had traced them
with his own hand, that man might have a faint
conception of the poetry of heaven. It may be
they are the vehicles whieh angels employ when
they rise to hover over our world, to weep for
the wickedness of man, or rejoice at the triumph
of virtue. It is indeed a charming superstition
that would people the sky, and the air and the
clouds with "beings brighter than we have seen."
For ourself this would indeed be a sorrowful
world, were it not that we can at times go out of
ourself, as it were in imagination, and hold sweet
converse and have fellowship with such beings.
If the sordid, and selfish among our fellows,
augh at us because we love the clouds and the
feelings they inspire, we would ask why is it
that God has made them? Why do they meet
our sight at morning, noon and evening? Give
us a reasonable answer to this, ye worldly, and
then will we acknowledge that it is folly to love
the workmanship of God ! We love the clouds
because they are the shadows of heavenly glo
ries. The flowers are they not smiles of earth ?
But, if this be true, why is it they are weeping
when every thing around is so bright and joy
ful? 'Tis but the dew of heaven, in which they
have been bathinr all night long. Here at our
feet, a little blue-bell lies prostrate upon the
damp earth. Some lazy ox has crushed it be
neath his tread. We cannot no, wc would
not banish the thought; it reminds us of a
much-loved friend, who was the playmate and
companion of our boyhood. It reminds us of
her, because
" Her bloom was likj the springing flower
That sips the early dew,
The rose was budded in her cheek,
Just opening to view.
But love had, like the canker-worm,
Consumed her early prime;
The rose grew pale and left her cheek,
She died before her time." Mai.i.ut.
There is a deeper philosophy in the language
of flowers than is generally supposed. Its foun
dation is based upon a motive more important
than mere amusement. The life of every flower
that ever bloomed has power to bring instruction
and pleasurable feeling to the human heart.
We love them, not because of thir beauty alone,
but because they always remind us of a kind
and merciful Cicator. We love them, because
thev are the stars in the green firmament of
earth. Monroe (Mich.) Gaz.
Retirement. There are seasons when we wish to
be alone with Nature to converse with the leaves and
the flowers, the rills and the birds. Seated on some
mossy bank, surrounded with bloom and beauty with
the leaves our canopy and the green grass our carpet
we drink in an ocean of pleasure, forgetting the world,
with all its care, disappointment and sorrow. When
the sun is decending in the west, and the clouds are
imbedded in silver and gold, tar from the riin ot bust
ness and the bustle of life, how surpassingly glorious is
the scene ! Bright waters sparkle in the distance moun
tains tower their heads, and all nature seems an epitome
of paradise.
Many an hour thus retired do we enjoy. Who can
tell the pleasures of ret irement to t he care-worn spirit ?
to the mind pent up in the hazy atmosphere of a city ?
Truly can we exclaim with the poet :
"How calm and quiet a delight
It is alone,
To read, and meditate, and write,
By none offended, and offending none ;
To walk, ride, sit or sleep, at one's own eabe,
And, pleasing a man's self, no other to dispnae."
Anti-Slavery.
cTr C U I?A u
BRITISH AMERICAN INSTITUTE AND
CANADA MISSION.
The undersigned, as the Committee of the In
stitution above mentioned, beg leave to bring be
fore the Christian public a brief statement of its
condition and wants, as well as the mission with
which it is connected. This institute, which is
conducted on the manual labor system, especially
for the benefit of refugees from oppression and
slavery, has its location in the township of Dawn,
Canada West, at the head of navigation on the
Sydenham river, CO miles North by East of
Detroit. Its site is commanding and beautiful,
and in the midst of a fertile section of the coun
try, where the climate is mild and healthy, and
in that part of the province which is the easiest
of access to the numerous emigrants from slave
ry. It has attached to it 300 acres of first qual
ity land, held equally by white and colored trus
tees, who are all British subjects. Sixty acres
or more have been cleared of the heavy timber,
and brought under cultivation, during the last
three years. A large school house, and several
dwellings of moderate dimensions, have been e
rected and are now occupied ; a framed barn
was built the last year, and a pot ashery started.
During the present year, a brick building, 30 by
32 ft., 2 stories high, the foundation of which
was laid last fall, has been erected and will soon
be completed and in use. Another building, of
hewn timber, 22 by 34 feet, two stories high,
is. now in progress, and will probably be occu
pied by the first of December next.
Our agent, Bro. Josiah Henson, who labored
assiduouously last winter and spring in New
England, returned in May with a report of his
services and success highly satisfactory to the
committee. As the result of his agency, a pay
ment of $220 has been made upon the last pur
chase of 100 acres of land for the institution,
and the deed secured its operatiens have been
sustained through the season, and its debts con
siderably diminished. (He has spent most of
the summer itinerating at his own charges among
the colored people of Canada.) Our present
number of scholars is over 80. Applications
for admission are frequent. We shall doubtless
have at least 100 scholars the coining winter,
and might have three times that number had we
accommodations for them.
The Institution is now in debt to the amount
of about 500, which is mostly due to the stew
ard and others immediately concerned, for ser
vice rendered and monies advanced for its relief.
By reason of the late spring frosts and sub
sequent drought, our crops have come short.
Had they been plentiful as usual we could hard
ly expect a supply, as the Institute is yet in its
infancy, in a new country, with small improve
ments, yet rapidly increasing in numbers. But
lately it has had important accesions from the
house of bondage, of those who promise fair for
usefulness, if educated. Several of these have
been hopefully converted to God in the midst ofj
a precious revival of religion nowin progress in
in the Institution and community. At such ac
cessions we rejoice, but our sympathies are
moved and our souls weighed down with sorrow
when compelled to turn away importunate ap
plicants for want of a shelter and the means of
subsistence. The principal labor for young
men in the winter season is chopping and clear
ing land, the fruits of which we cannot begin lo
realise till the ensuing summer; yet every ad
vance made upon the surrounding forest tells to
the future advantage of the Institution by fur
nishing increased facilities for its expansion and
support. Hence such aid as may easily be fur
nished by generous friends at the West, in the
form of produce, (freightage paid,) to be ship
ped upon the Lakes and water courses to De
troit, Mich., care of Messrs. Gillet &. Desnoyers,
would be thankfully received ; also such im
plements as axes, hoes, &c.
The importance of our work can scarcely be j
appreciated by those who have not by personal
observation, become acquainted with the condi
tion of the colored people, and the cruel preju
dices of a share of the white inhabitants. We
add that such is the destitution of the colored
people in the western portion of Canada, as re
spects common school institutions, that we feel
bound to act in their behalf. We have resolved
to keep up intimate correspondence with our
brethren in every part of the province, with the
view of supplying the destitute.
It is proper here to allude to what has already
been made known, that it is a prominent and
fondly cherished object of the Manual Labor In
stitute to rear up Teachers of the right stamp,
for the destitute and benighted poor. Thus ac
ting for the welfare of the refugees and their
children generally, and in harmony with the
committee of the Canada Mission Board in Roch
ester, N. Y., we earnestly solicit help Tor the de
stitute, and would state that such means as may
come through the Committee above named, or
through any other channels, designated for the
support of common school:., will be appropriated
accordingly. This arrangement we doubt not
will meet the approbation of all who feel an in
terest in the prosperity of the Canada Mission ; &
for the more effectual prosecution of the great
work before us, we have extended a call to a
most devoted and untiring friend of the oppres
sed, who, it is hoped, will soon be associated
with us to promote equally the interests of the
Institution and Mission which are indissolubly
connected. We now ask the generous concur
rence of Christian Philanthropists, with the gen
erous designs of heavon in the prosecution ?nd
consummation of this good work, which seeks
the disenthrallmenl and elevation ol the deeply
injured race with which some of us are connected.
In the fullness of confidence and fraternal soli
citude, we commend to the kind consideration
and sympathy of the Christian public, our beloved
biethren Hiram Wilson rind Josiah Henson, as
the accredited agents for oor Christian enter
prize. PETER B. SMITH,
JAMES STUMP,
EDWARD HARBERD,
GEORGE JOHNSON,
' WM. P. NEWMAN, Committee.
Pawn Mills, Canada Wen, Oct 4, 1P1S.
Appeal
The undersigned as agents for the British A
merican Institute and Canada Mission, having
a great work upon oor hands which aims at the
intellectual and moral elevation of thousands of
our afflicted brethren in Canada from the house
of bondage, would come with confidence before
the Christian public, with an appeal for help.
Conscious of our own weakness, we would glad
ly retire from so conspicuous a position, to la
bor and suffer and"endure hardness as good sol
diers," in a more silent and obscure capacity,
could we do so consistently with the will of our
Divine Redeemer. But we need make no apol
ogy. Our cause is one of intrinsic excellence,
and ought to be sustained by' the prayers of the
faithful, and the supporting hands of the benev
olent. Our work we admit is unpopular, and is like
ly for sometime to remain so; indeed we would
not have it otherwise until popularity changes
sides from the support of despotic power to the
succor of the weak and powerless. We ask
neither the sympathy nor assistance of those who
fellowship iniquity or sanction oppression either
in Church or State.
We make no pretentions to sacerdotal skill in
the "fine art" of sanctifying slavery in any form
or circumstances, so as to make it compatible
with Christianity. Hence we make no appeal to
slaveholders for aid, but on the contrary, would
utterly repel from our hands, from our skirts,
from our treasury, the fruits of extortion and
the price of human flesh; and blood. . For the
Manual Labor Institute at Dawn, for the sup
port of primary schools in other places, for the
support also of itinerating as well as local mis
sionaries among the poor refugees from oppres
sion and slavery, help is wanted and most re
spectfully sought by us. Not from any sect or
party in religion or politics, but from pure-minded,
true hearted, liberty-loving people of a catho
lic spirit not from jarring sectaries, nor unfeel
ing misanthropes, who, like the priest and Levite,
pass by the bleeding victim on the other side.
But from those Samaritan-like sympathies, who
tenderly recognize as a neighbor, a brother, the
poor forlorn victim of robbery and wrong.
Having mutually toiled, and prayed, and suf
fered many long years for the sake of the Lord
Jesus, and his benighted poor in this refuge
land, we hereby renew our covenant to toil on
beneath the bondmen's burdens, freely partici
pating with him in his afflictions, till complete
in the redemption from the thraldom of slavery
and the bondage of ignorance and sin shall be
his blessed boon, or death interpose to sever the
ligaments of holy love which bind us, and bid
our breath and pulsations cease.
Confiding in the great God of heaven, and
not in any arm of flesh, our motto is onward.
Hundreds of promisiug vigorous minded youths
in Canada are now panting for the privileges of
the Institute, and could have the best of instruc
tion with profitable labor to enable them to sub
sist, but are denied these privileges for want of
shelter for their heads. Hundreds more are
emerging anuually from slavery, who might, if
educated, be eminently useful in the Lord's fine
yard, and
"Shall we whose souls are lighted,
By wisdom from on high,
Shall we to man benighted,
The lamp of life deny ?"
Shall those who are panting for the light of
knowledge and the lamp of eternal life, of which
they have been cruelly deprived, be left still be
neath the shades of moral darkness to pass into
eternity and up to the bar of God with the woful
tale upon their lips, "no man cared for our
souls!" Sons of freedom in the North and West,
Sons of Pilgrim sires in New England, Daughters
of Zion, sivters of the poor eternity-bound yet be
wildered slave friends, followers, lovers of the
lowly Lamb of God, forbid it, by coming up to
the work.
IIlT.AM W ll.SON, ) ,
T ,r Agents.
Josi.ui He.vson, j
Dawn Mills, Canada West, Oct, 8, '45.
N. 11. The public are hereby notified that
Mr. Geo. Johnson, one of the Trustees, is the
Treasurer of the Institution. Rev. William P.
Newman is the Corresponding Secretary, to
whom all communications upon financial matters
should be directed. Their address is Dawn
Mills, Canada West.
Boxes should be sent by freight lines to
the caie of Messrs. Gilbert & Desnioyers, De
troit Mich. We beg our friends at the east to
avoid sending by express, as the expense is more
than we can bear.
Texas as a Slave State,
The plan of action noticed in Thursday's
Herald, proposes to resist the admission of Tex
as as a Slave Sloic. This is the least that
freemen caw do. Multitudes of the People of
this country have been befooled with the no
tion that the annexation of Texas would draw
oft' the slave population from the Northern slave
States, and finally result in the extinction of slave
ry. Supposing the former conjecture should
turn out to be true, the latter part of the predic
tion would by no nieans follow. A transference
of slave population from a region where slave
labor is unprofaable.to a conutry where it is just
the reverse, so fir from weakening, will strength
en slavery, mid multiply its victims. But, an
nexation will not eause such a transfer. Slaves
in the Northern States for many years were
chiefly profitable as marketable commodities.
Those States became slave-breeding States. But
the market South, within a few years past hav
ing become over-stocked, slave-breeding itself
has become so bad a business, that in Virginia,
Maryland, North Carolina and Kentucky, we
find mantlest movements movements against
slavery; and a growing sentiment against it as
ruinous in an economical point "f view. But,
let the uew market in Texas be fairly opened
let adventurers from other parts of the country
begin to crowd its territory, and the demand for
slaves will caure a frightful increase of slave
breeding; unless, indeed, someoftbe reformat
tory movements now on foot, should effectually
counteract the evil influence. We arc not left
tnffnjf.cture nFtothe effect ni slavery w th