Vermont Watchman And State Journal

Anti-Slavery run mad. In New Hampshire a portion of the abolitionists—or at least two agents of the society—deem it their right and duty to enter public meetings of any sect or class of people at any time, and take the pulpit and lecture on slavery, whether the proprietors of churches or the audience choose to have them do so or not—Of course it is to be supposed that these agents would meet with opposition: they have been opposed, refused admission to meeting-houses, and ousted from pulpits and houses which they had entered without leave, and sometimes entered and commenced speaking in the midst of religious exercises. This sort of opposition these agents call persecution—a violation of the liberty of speech [is it any more so than their stopping the clergymen in the pulpit?] and conclusive evidence that their opposers are pro-slavery men and worse than infidels and pagans. Thus much we have deemed it necessary to say, to introduce the following extraordinary resolutions, which were presented and discussed at the recent annual meeting of the N. H. Anti-Slavery Society, and referred to the next meeting for further discussion. For our facts, stated above, and the resolutions we are indebted to the Herald of Freedom, published at Concord. Such proceedings should call forth the calm consideration of churches and people—anti-slavery men and all men who care for right, order and peace.

[The following were offered by S. S. Foster.]

Resolved, That equal, unrestricted liberty of speech is the inalienable right of every member of the family of man.

Resolved, That the assertion of this right is the imperious duty of the friends of humanity, as the most effectual means of abolishing slavery.

Resolved, That the clerical office is in itself a flagrant violation of this right, and therefore inherently sinful, and ought to be immediately and unconditionally abolished.

Resolved, That the clergy, being a religious aristocracy, are the natural enemies of human liberty, and in opposing the Anti-Slavery enterprise only act in self-defense; and that all hope of their conversion to Anti-Slavery principles, so long as they remain clergymen, is vain and futile.

Resolved, That so long as any portion of our countrymen are held in slavery, it is the duty of abolitionists, so far as is practicable, to enter the public assemblies of all who are concerned in their enslavement, and there demand their release in the name of humanity and the living God.

[The following were offered by P. Pillsbury.]

Whereas, The sectarian churches and clergy of New Hampshire have now fully shown, in resorting to threats, fines, imprisonments, and other heathen means of opposing the progress of truth—that they are not the church of God, but combinations of practical if not real Atheists, Therefore,

Resolved, That no friend of humanity and pure religion will any more support them, than they would the worshippers of Juggernaut, or Moloch—or enter their assemblies, except it be to preach to them the "glorious gospel of the blessed God."

Resolved, Therefore, That no person who has not renounced all fellowship and communion with these churches, and their more guilty priesthood, is worthy to be regarded as a Christian or abolitionist.

[The following was offered by S. S. Foster.]

Resolved, That the revivals of religion which are now spreading over the country under the auspices of the clergy are tainted and spurious, and utterly subversive of the principles of human liberty, and ought therefore to be universally repudiated by the friends of humanity.