Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-07-04


a. the abolitionists see it. When "South-
ern Chivalry" and the purity Of South
ern society are spoken OF now, it is at once
replied, that large number Of the slaves
show by their color, their indisputable
claim to white paternity. and that notwith-
standing their near consanguineous rela-
ton to the whites, they are still held and
treated in all respects, as slaves. Nor is
il forgotten now, when the claims of the
South to hospitality" are pressed, to OBJ
ject, because they are grounded on the un-
paid wages Of the laborer-on the ROBBIE
nv Of the poor. When "Southern gene
rosity" is mentioned, the old adage, "be
just before you are generous" furnishes
the reply. II is no proof Of generosity
(say the objectors) to take :he bread of the
laborer, to lavish it in banquetings on the
rich. When "Southern Chivalry" is the
theme Of It's admirers. the hard handed,
but intelligent working-man of the North
asks, if the espionage Of Southern hotels,
and Of ships and steamboats, on their ar
rival at Southern ports; if the prowl by
day and by night for the solitary stranger
suspected Of sympathizing with the ensla-
we'd, that he may be delivered over to the
mercies Of a vigilance committee, furnish
es the proof of its existence; if the unlaw-
ful importation Of slaves from Africa
furnishes the proof IF the abuse-the
scourging-the hanging on suspicion,
without law, of friendless strangers, fur
nish the proof;-if the summary execu-
ton of slaves and of coIored freemen, al
most by the score, without legal trial, fur
nishes the proof; If the .cruelties and tor
lures to which citizens have been exposed,
and the burning to death of slaves by slow
fires, I furnish the oot;-all these things,
says he, furnish any thing but proof of
true hospitality, or generosity, or gallant
ry, or purity, or chivalry. Certain it is,
that the time when Southern slavery re-
ceived countenance in the North, from
the supposed connection of "chivalry''
with II, is rapidly passing away. South
ern Chivalry" will soon be regarded as
one Of the by-gone follies Of less intelli-
gent and less virtuous age-it will soon
} be cast out-giving place to the more rea'
J sonable idea, that the denial Of wages to
} the laborer, the selling of our felIow-men,
! the whipping of husbands and wives in
each others presence to compel them to
} unrequited toil-the deliberate attempt to
; extinguish mind, and consequently to de-
: stroy the soul-and all this for money
= is not only among tine highest offences a.
gainst God and man, but unspeakably
= mean. disreputable and ungentlemanly.-
= The impression made on the minds of the
: people as to this matter, is one Of the e.
E vents of the last two or three years, thai
!. does not contribute TO lessen the hopes Of
e expectations Of abolitionists.
= 4. The ascendency that Slavery has &C
n quired, and exercises, in the administra
e ton ofthe government, and the apprehen
i sion now prevailing among the sober an
n intelligent, irrespective Of party, that it will
j. soon overmaster the Constitution itseI
e may be ranked among the events of tn
s last two or three years that affect tn
IS course Of abolilionists. The abolitIonsl
U regard the Constitution with unabated a
e lection. They hold in no common vene
n ration the memory Of those who made
L They would be the last to brand Frankli
'. and King and Morris and Wilson an
m Sherman and Hamilton with the ineffac'
- able infamy Of attempting to ingraft on ii
g. Constitution, and therefore to perpetuate
l. system Of oppression in absolute antag'
- nism to its high and 2rofessed objects, or
Of which their own souls hated, and whlc
IS their own practice condemned,-and tn
y. too, when they had scarcely wiped ava
n the dust and sweat of the Revolution fro
n their brows. Whilst abolitionists feel 81
It. sneak thus Of our Constitutional fatheI
Is, they do not Justify the dereliction OF pri
" cipIe into which they were betrayed. VIII
n they impaired to the work Of their han
w anv power to contribute to the continuan
he of such system. They can onIy pallis
it. it, by supposing, that they thought, slav
we nv was already waning institution, dt
ge tined soon to pass away. In their tin
he (l7s7,) slaves were comparatiVely of lit
ire value-there being no great slave-lab
om staple las cotton is now) TO make the
r." profitable to the holders. / The circu
SIS stances Of the country remaining as tn
ose then were, slsve-labor-always and eve
a. where the most xpensive-would ha
hat disappeared before The competition Of fl
bic labor. They had seen, too, the princip
the Of universal liberty, on which the Revo
ent ton was justified. recognized and emb'
nj led in most Of the State-constitutions tn
DO had seen slavery utterly forbidden in 4
Of Vermont-instantaneo abolished
the that Of Massachusetts-and laws enac
to in the other New-England States and
'se- Pennsylvania, for its gradual abolition
me Well might they have anticipated. t
per Justice and Humanity, now starting 70
ose with fresh yigor, would, in their mar
- sweep away the whole system more Is
hat cially as the freedom of speech and of