Charter Oak, 1839-04

              CHARTER OAK.
VOL. I. F R E E P R I N C I P L E S - F R E E M E N —
April,] PUBLISHED BY THE CONNECTICUT
F R E E S P E E C H - A N D A F R E E P R E S S . NO. 14.
ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY, HARTFORD. [1839.
T H E CHARTER OAK is published on the third
Wednesday of each month, at No. 7, Asylum st.,
Hartford, at the following prices, to be paid in all
cases in advance:
1 copy, . . . 50 cents per annum.
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50 copies, . . . 10 dollars »
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To single subscribers, who tike their papers at
die Office, tweaty-five cents.
All orders and communications for the OAK,
ehould be addressed to S . S . COWLES, Hartford.
F<ar Uie Ujarter Oiik.
Hindrance* to our ProgreNs.
A feeling of deep anxiety for the slave and col.
ored population of our land, prompts an obscure
individual (thougJi one who has iielt deeply for the
slave} to address a few lines to my brethren through
the columns of the Oak.
Sinc« the forioation of the A. S. Society in this
town, there has not been as great progress onward
in the cause at first was fondly anticipated,
though surely it cannot be ^ i d tliat our brethren
have not been zealously engaged in tlie work with
/heir heart and hand, niaJung sacri^oes of time and
jiroperty to aid in inculcating tlie principles of the
iJociety at home, and in extending them to the
-worJd at large: and yet, as I have said, there has
not been as much accomplished as was expected,
or might have been, in the period which has clap,
sed since the Society commenced its operations. I
wish not to discourage, tnucA has been done,
friends have rejoiced, and no doubt an influence
iius gone out that will prwluce great ciTects, the
amount of which it would be difficult to estimate.
But why has no more been done ? Why no great,
cr accessions to the Society in this town, and in
other towns, of the alle and iiiJueatUl part of
oomnwnity ?
In answer to these questions, I propose now to
confine my remarks, sincerely hoping that my
brethren here, and wherever they are guilty, will
iveigh the matter well, and see if much sin does
not remain at the door of our liearts unrepented oil
In the first place, then, why has no n>ore been
done ? I have been led to inquire into and observe
/he causes which have operated most powerfully in
this and in other places, to counteract the well di-reeled
efforts of the Society, and retard the pro-ijress
of the cause; and I have been brought to
conclude, and must say, (to the shame of my
brethren be it said) that the greatest of all hindran.
them, there, we have concluded that it is best for
us, and best for you, to be congregated in a society
by yourselves; therefore, we have provided a place
for you, a rich and fertile porrion of our country,
and we give you the privilege to go, and we wish
you to go; and then if they refuse to go, just carry
them off as we have the Indians. Now, this looks
to me a little like, and a little too much like coloni.
zation, and if it may be qualified, the very worst
kind of colonization; for colonizationista profess to
carry the colored man to Africa only with their
consent, but whether they really enjoy the privilege
of choosing, I need not stop here to inquire. We
can now see why no more of the talented and influ.
cntial part of community are enlisted in the cause,
to assist with their giant strength in rolling on the
wheels of emancipation; for men of wisdom and
honest principles desire to see conduct consistent
with profession, and when they discover the con-trary
in individuals, it may be expected that they
will consider them, and the body to which they be-long,
and their measures, as beneath their notice.
Therefore, my brethren, in view of these things,
it becomes us to scrutinize, and while we go on
zealously engaged in the cause, let us not go with,
out wisdom and discretion. We have been in fault,
and let us acknowledge and correct it. Be cautious
about saying and doing, that the opposer may not
gain strength from our weakness, and thus too we
shall be secure against these detrimental influences.
Brethren, be divested of this prejudice as soon as
may be, and treat men as your brethren, and let
not this sin longer destroy your influence, and clog
the wheels which are destined to roll Hberty to the
oppressed, consolation and comfort to the captive,
and peuce to them who mourn.
Yours in the cause ot Emancipation,
T.
Sieriuan, Feb. 1, 1839.
Fertile Charter Oak.
Litchfield County Society.
The Litchfield County Anti-Slavery Society met
according to adjournment, at Northfield, on
Wednesday, the 3d day of April. There bemg no
presiding officer present, John Gunn, Esq., was
called to the chair. The meeting was opened by
prayer by the Rev. Francis Hawley, of Colebrook.
Dei^ates were present from Colebrook, Hor-wintofl7
'I'orrlngftl'a, -Wolcottville, Watertown,
Plymouth Centre, Plymouth Hollow, Terrysville,
and Wasliington. TIJC reports of delegates were
cheering for the cause. On motion,
Resolved, That the system of American Slavery
signed to carry my purpose into effect. The min.
ister, and some of his leading men, are abolitionists,
and the cause seems to be in a favorable condition,
but they seemed to need some one to "stir them
up" to more activity.
The next place is Deep River, where opposers
to abolition are about as scarce as obolitionists are
in some of the other towns. It will not be neces.
sary for me to particularize. Let it suffice to say,
the cause is prospering. Our county meeting was
held there with decidedly good effect.
From Deep River I went to Essex. Accompa-nied
by a brother, I called upon the pastor of the
Pettipaug Society, and requested the privilege of
meeting in his lecture room. He said he had no
objection to the discussion of the subject—would
throw no obstacles in the way of meetings—and
wished to be considered entirely neutral. I am
sorry the good pastor could not treat us with as
much courtesy as he did the Colonization Society,
by reading our notices. Lectured one evening.
The weather was inclement, and the congregation
not large. I made appointments for two other meet,
ings in the subsequent week; but the rain fell in
torrents, and the mud was so deep that the people
could not be collected. There is much pro-slavery
aiid mobocratic feeling in Essex. A large number
of vessels from that port are engaged in the south.
groes ! But is this Christianity ? Is this ' think,
ing soberly' of ourselves ? ' For who maketh thee
to differ from another ? And what hast thou, that
thou didst not receive ? Now, if thou hast receiv.
ed it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not re-ceived
it V
2. God regards men according to their MORAL
CHARACTERS, and would have ua ao regard them.
He hos also special regard for the poor and de.
pressed, and requires the exercise of the same dis.
position by us, v. 5. • He accepteth not the per.
sons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than
the poor, for they all are the work of his hands,*
Does God despise the workmanship of his own
hands ? And will he suffer us to despise it, espe.
cially when it is the tabernacle he has prepared for
the residence of his own image ? And, if he re.
gards not the rich more than the poor, can we sup.
pose that he regards one color more than another ?
Has he not made them all ? And has he ever in.
formed us that one color is more honorable thon
another ? Is it in the power of any one to show
what was the original color which he gave to our
species ? Facts and analogies all tend to the con.
elusion that it was not white. Yet, we have set
this up as'our standard, assuming that every other
color is a mark of deformity and degradation!
The colored people in this country are emphati.
, ,', i mentaile e xtent d,o„e's prejudice agai:n„s„t, color exist and who profess to love their neighbor as
in tlie minds of abolitionists, that in more than one
or two instances have the opposers, both among
Christian bnethren and the world's people, been
themselves, to be actively and zealously engaged in
ern trade. Colonization has quite a strong hold j cally the poor of the land. They have been rob.
there too, Doct. Skinner lectured on that subject | bed and despoiled of their rights, ever since their
six evenings not long since, and finally succeeded | fathers set foot upon our shores. They are now
' trodden down, despised, and cast out of society.
The road to elevation and improvement is dosed
against them. They are debarred even from the
house of God, unless they will submit to an indig.
nity which God has forbidden to be exerci^d to-wards
the poor man in vile raiment." Let us
now hear what God snys respecting those who
flius treat the poor; • The wicked in hia pride
doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the
devices which they have imagined.* What an
awful malediction ! Let those who seek to tram,
pie in the dust the poor colored man, think of this
and take warning. ' For the oppression of the
poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will 1
arise, saith the Lord ; I will set him in safety from
him that piiffeth at him.'' How many, who are
regarded as Christians, puff at the black man's
claim to equal Christian privileges! 'He shall
judge ihe pour of the people, he shall save the chil.
drcn of the needy, and shall break in piecea the
in forming a Society.
Tliis communication is becoming so long that I
must content myself with barely mentioning the
other towns. In Saybrook the ministers are with
us, and the cause quietly gaining ground. At
Westbrook they had organized a Society of more
than sixty members the week before I visited them.
The minister is favorable. At Clinton the pastor
is a decided abolitionist, but the friends of the cause
are few, and no efforts have yet been made to or.
ganize a Society. I did not attempt to hold meet,
ings for lack of time. In Killingworth there is no
Society, and but few decided friends of the slave.
In Durham there are a number of ardent and in-ttUigent
abolitionists, but they have yet taken no
measures to form a Society. I think they will at.
tend to that matter soon. I distributed more or
«88 publications in almost every town, and organ,
ize'd a number of Cent Societies.
I have now passed rapidly over the several towns
in the county. In view of all, I must say we have! uppresttor.' Is he not an oppressor, who seeks to
reason to take courage and be of good cheer. If' deprive a man of a respectable seat in God's house ?
the friends of the slave will exert themselves—will! What would a white man think of the Christians
be willing to expend a Httle more time and a littlejof Abyssinnia, if, on going into their congrcga.
more money for the advancement of the cause, I j lions, he should find a wall of separation between
have no doubt that the time is near when Middle-j himself and the rest of the worshippers, because
beside the most advanced i of his white skin ? Then let the white man, who
the cause of immediate eniancipation—the only I sister counties. There is now, at least one • would thrust the negro into a corner, fear Him who
remedy now offered for the sin. Anti-Slavery Society in every town in the county
heard to brand ashypoeritessomeofthetirstmem. ^^^ recent course wh.ch many but three, and out ot nineteen parishes there are
Lers of our Society, aSd distinguished in the Church If, » ^ T n'f'
for zeal and pietv. WWKhanft ?• Tmnui.sstt aa mmaann,. «griifft,e«dd,. ' '"S .. , . -. aug- u,r s well for their in.
succeeds in winning the affecdons of a white girl,! . That the late attempts to subvert the
and leads her to t L h y m e n i a l a l t a r , b e s a c r i f i c e d i cause, by opposing voluntary assoc.
upon the gallows b e c a L God, his maker, gave I inconsistent and disorganizing m their
hfm dark skin ? And yet an abolitionist-line of;
A. S. Societies in all but six.
Yours, as ever, W. L. W I L S O N.
Middletown, March 15, 1839.
mm a uurK. bkiii J ^hu yci on u u u i n w i i i o i — ; Christ
the first to enlist in the cause, and a zealous ad vo-l ,rL„ . ' ^ j i .u » -o
cate of its great principles, declared to me his wish I „ ^ '"ee/" g was addressed by the Rev. Francs
that it was the law of the land to hang white or! Colebrook, and the resolntions advoca-
Wack, who should presume to offer his or her hand
in marriage to one of a different color. Such ex.
urbitant expressions are unqualifiedly detestable;
they are not consistent with our profes8ion,and ought
never more to como from the mouth of an aboli.
tionist. Nor is this all, my brethren, about which
I complain,—a number of you have been heard to
utter feelings and make declarations like the fol.
lowing, viz: I don't believe in their mixing together
in society, and I am not going to have the colored
man at my table, or at the fireside with my family,
nor yet in my slip at church. Are these facts ?
They are; and why is it? Well now, my brethren,
can we reasonably expect to be called any thing
short of hypocrites ? You may think me too se-vere,
but when I see such sins in my brethren I
feel bound to reprove. We must be consistent, or
all that we do, or all that we say, will be but as
casting mfluence into the treasury of our opposers
to help them build up the strong hold of Satan which
we have been laboring to demolish. O! this pre.
judice, this prejudice! As Mr. Birney well said,
the South will believe Northern abolitionists to be
hypocrites until they treat free colored people irre.
xpective of color. Nor even yet, my brethren,
have I done complaining; but wish the task was
over. Worse things than I have mentioned, and
more detrimental to the cause, if possible, have
been thrown out by abolitionists. Such, for in-stance,
as the following. As strong an abolition,
ist as I am, I believe it the best thing we can do
with the slaves, to do by them as government has
done with the Indians. Just provide a portion of
our territory, then emancipate them, and say to
with abihty and effect; and although the audience
was small, yet there is great cause for encourage-ment
from the reports of delegates and the una-nimity
of feeling expressed, and the determination
to adhere to principles.
D. G. P L A T T , Secretary.
Washington, April 4, 1839.
From our Afreni*
(Concluded)
From Chester I crossed to Hadlyme and lectur-ed
two evenings. Found a small Society compos-ed
of good and substantial men. At our first meeu
ing the house was filled to repletion; there were
fewer present at the second on account of a storm.
The congregations were inteUigent, orderly, and
attentive. On the second evening a few lawless
young men came around the house and two large
stones were thrown, one of which passed through
the window and struck a female upon the head,
but produced no serious injury. I know of no par.
ish in the county where I think A. S. labor can be
expended with a better prospect of success than in
Hadlyme, and had circumstances permitted, '
should have been pleased to have complied with
the request of our friends, to deliver two or three
more Icctures. The minister is not an aboUtionist.
From Hadlyme I called at MiUington. There
was an interesting revival in progress at that time,
and the evenings occupied by religious meetings,
so I promised to visit them again, but was prevent,
ed by the badness of the travelling and the impos.
sibility of crossing the river at the time when I de-
Froiu the Negro Pew.
DistinctionM in tite house of God
UnMcripturat.
' If there come unto your nwembly a man with a gold
has declared that he will ' break in pieces the op.
pressor.'
But, listen again, to the mandate of Jehovah:
• God standeth in the congregation of the mighty:
how long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the
persona of the wicked?* Is it not judging un-justly,
to despise the negro, on account of his color ?
Is it not accepting the persons of the widked, to
give the most honorable seals in the house of God
to rich worldlings, while the colored man, though
ring, in goodly apparel; and there come in also a poor he may be an humble follower of Jesus, is shut up
inuu, in vile raiment; and ye liave reopect to him that in a box, contemptuously styled the negro pew ?
weareth the gay clotiiing, and soy unto him, s t thou here,
ill a good place; and say to tiie poor, stand thou there, or
sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in
yaurselves, and are become judges of evil tliouglits?
Hearken, my beloved bretliren. Hath not God ctiosen
the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the
kingdom which he bath promised to them which love
him ? But ye have despised the poor 1 If ye fulfil the
royal Inw, according to the Scripture, Thou shall love
thy aeigiibor us thyself, ye do well: But if ye have
respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of
the law as transgressors.'—JAMKS ii, 3—6, 8, U.
The following principles are plainly deduced
from the passage above quoted, viz:
1. We are not to regard or treat men according
to their outward appearance. Whether this ap.
pearance, or outward show, which takes our fan.
cy, be a»gold ring and goodly opparel,' or a white
skin and features and proportions which suit our
taste; or, on the other hand, whether it be poverty
and vile raiment, or an ebony colored skin and
African features, which displease us; it makes no
diflerence: the principle is the same. If a man
is not to be despised, on account of his inle rai.
ment, why should he be, on account of his dark
akin? We have already shown that this color is
of itself no mark of degradation. It is very prob.
able that proud worldlings and fashionable Chris,
tiana would feel as much repugnance to being seat,
ed by the side of a ' poor man in vile raiment,' us
they manifest to being placed in similar relations to
the man with a black skin and woolly hair. It is
not that his being thus near them, is so repulsive j
for they feel no such aversion to the presence of a
black waiter, even though he stand at their elbows
at the public table. But their dignity is offended
at the idea of being placed on a level with ne.
But the Lord commands us to ' Defend the poor
and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and
needy;' and 'he will maintain the cause of the
afflicted, and the right of the poor.'
Again he says, ' Whoso stoppeth his ears at the
cry of the poor, he also ahall cry himself, but
ahall not he heard.* Has not the cry of the poor
colored man come up to us ? Hear him plead his
cause : ' We do not ask you to break down any of
the rules of society. Treat us just according to
our moral worth, and nothing more. We want
you to treat us us honest people. Leave us the
same chance to hnd our level in society that other
men have.'* If the church stops her ears at this
cry, which is*coining up from every quarter of our
land, will the Lord answer her prayers ? Has he
not, even now, a controversy with the American
church ? Where are now those extensive revivals
which once shed their refreshing and genial influ.
ence over the length and breadth of our land ?
What could the church do more calculated to
grieve the Holy Ghost, than to adopt a regulation
which operates to exclude any class of the poor
from the house of worship ? And how can her
prayers be answered, while she refuses to hear the
cry which culls for the admission of the colored
man upon equal privileges.
Again, it is written, 'He that oppresseth the
poor, reproacheth his Maker.' And why ? Be.
cause the Lord is the Maker of the poor; and to
despise the work of his hands, is to reproach him
fur what he has made. But has he not made the
•Speech of Bev. T. S. Wright.