State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-07-05

than hNe hundred men, eminenty peaCea-
bic and lnoffensive men-were driven from
this temple of the living God by an infilri-
ate mob when we saw with our own eyes
how completely this mob was at the beck
and service of men high ia Office and strong
III influence; when we looked in vain for
the police of our city to come TO our res
cue; when we inquired in vain for the
friends OF law amongst this hitherto law
abiding people; when it was to no purpose,
that we asked where were the hospitable,
the pious, the pititul, the courteous of the
city, in this season of the distress of their
guests, and of the peril of their brethren's
lives, and when we could distinctly trace
this outrage upon our rights and interests,
and this deep disgrace of city hitherto
distinguished for the virtues of its citizens,
to the acting of slavery OH the selfshness
of tile human heart ask, did we not feel,
as we never felt before, that slavery must
be destroyed? And when we have since
heard of similar scenes, and especially of
that very similar one in Boston, in which
numbers of the mob, if | may use the
expression, boosted that they were "gentle-
men Outstanding and property" l ask again
did not the feeling in our breasts, that
slavery must be destroyed wax strong?
EIlCS tIc OuIOuS anu PETlllC eAIlDtlOn
of slavery OH the 2lst of October last, there
have been abundant manifestations of that
power in our national and state councils.
1t has not spared even the venerable Chief
Magistrate of the nation; but has made
him disgrace himself in his old age. 1t
polluted his last annual message with
talsehoods, and made the document the
vehicle OF ISLANDERS against some of the
m Ia, ,I., =,
on the minds Of the governors of our States
as indicated in their messages less remark
able. For instance, governor McDuffie
calls slavery "the corner stone of our re-
publican edilice;" and he recommends it to
the people of the northern States, as an
institution eminently worthy of being adj
opted by them. He unites with Mr. Leigh of
Virginia, and MIR Pickens of Carolina, and
| other Southern statesmen, in recommending
the white fingered gentlemen ofthe North,
to strip their hard knuckled yeomanry-
their farmers and mechanics = of all poiti-
cal rights and TO turn them into slaves. |
! fancy some honest laborcr within the sound
of my voice exclaims, "when the aristocrats
of the North undertake that job, they will
have their hands full" That slavery should
lead Governor McDuf1ie to believe himself
and his fellow Shareholders to be patriarchs
and that he should so compacently take
his seat by the side of Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, is proof of its power over the
imagination scarcely less ludcrous than
painful.
But as we are citizens of the State of N
York, we are more interested to learn what
slavery has done and is doing in her
councils And in the first place, it had a
work for our Governor to do--dnd 1t made
him do it, We often hear of the devils
standing at the elbow OF certain people.
Now it is easy to fancy that Slavery stood
at our Governors elbow when he wrote the
last message; and it is easy to fancy the
dialogue which passed between them.
'Write,' say IS slavery, 'that there will he
n gag law enacted, unless people stop talk
| ing against me; for know that never allow
myself to he spoken of but in terms of
praise Il cannot write that says the
Governor, for it is settled by the terms of
our Government that the freedom of speech
and of the press cannot be abridged "A
fig for your government says slavery:
hdve not my mobs in Utica, and Boston,
and elsewhere, and my whippings and
murders ofabolitionists at he South, taught
you, that l am stronger than the govern
ment" Upon this the poor Governor writes
what is dictated TO him. write now,' says
slavery, that abolitionists are invading the
constitution, and attempting to ruin the
nation. Here again the Governor records
the garing falsehoods; not, however, with
outa suilusion of the check, just enough TO
:, show that conscience is not entirely extinct.
write now,' says slavery, that you know
the abolitonists TO be n pack Of wicked,
worthless fellows, small in number, and
rapidly becoming smaller At this the
Governor bolts outright, eXclairning that he
will do this dirty business no longer; that
: this dictator must tell his own falsehoods,
and that he will not be guilty of the self
degration of telling them TOR him. The
demons eyes flash new terrors, and his
voice assumes the energy of his great mas
ter of the pit, 'Know them he exclaims,
that if not in the semi slave region OF the
north, yet i'll The slaves states proper,
reign supreme, and that their presidential
vote is as surely mine, as if carried it in
my breeckos pocket; and know too, that
none can he benefited by that vote, who
refuse to fall down and worship me- The
Governors bristles are now all fallen, and
his courage which for a moment, promised
something better, now utterly expires
Command me- says the affrighted hum
bled man, as you will; only don't, don't
deprive the republican party of the vote
of the south
When we see the power Of slavery, as
in this instance, over a man justly esteem
ed for his uncommon vigorous and highly
cultivated mind ask you in soberness, do
we not feel that it is time that slavery was
destroyed?
Allow me, sir, to digress for n moment
to subject which on an occasion like the
present. is apt to be unwelcome and often
sve; mean the subject of myself. What
have Just been saving may occasion the