Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-06-28

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now TO require more OF her than has been re-
quired ofthem.
The petitions against the admissions Of any
state hereafter, the Constitution OF which
shall tolerate slavery, were not susceptible
of an affirmative answer A negative reso-
luton TO that effect would have no binding
force, even il adopted by both Houses Of Con.
gress for they cannot crcumscribe the pow
ers of their successors. But, with the ex-
ception Ct Florida, never would consent to
the admission ofany new slave State.
have now fully and freely exposed to
you, fellow-ctizens, my views with regard
to the multitude Of petitions which you have
committed to my charge. The opinion Of the
civilized world has been for ages maturing
into a settled conviction that slavery, in any
of its FORMS is sin and reproach 10 any
people More than three thousand years
ago, the debasement Of the human character,
by its operation upon the slave himself was
noticed by the greatest of the Poets, who
says, that the day which makes man slave
takes away half his worth Its degrading
and corruptng influence upon the heart and
mind of the masters is not less philosopher
ally true The new theory which attempts
TO convert slavery into blessing, and slave
holding into q virtue, is, in my deliberate
judgment, more lamentable debasemcnt of
the human soGl than the mere endurance Of
servitude can effect. 1t places the animal
man below the level of the brute CREATION
1t surrenders his soul to the dominion OF his
vicst passions, bellies the Divine revelation
of God Of mercy and insults the throne of
Omnipotence. Ii reduces the natural rela-
ton between man and man exclusively 10
the standard Of physical force and makes
tyranny and oppression, inflicted by the
strong, and suffered by the weak, to compro
mise The whole duty OF man.
This system bears the same relation TO
that of the Declaration Of Independence as
idol worship to the worship of the true God
The substitution Of its creed for that Of the
natural rights of man would bring him back
TO the alternative of the worship Of Moloch
and Mammon,
And devils 10 adore for deities.'
Should this system become the prevailing
doctrine the South it is impossible that this
Union should long continue. As its avow-
ed basis rests exclusively upon physical
force, to physical force it will resort, not only
TO sustain its own institutions, but TO eneroach
upon the institutions of freedom elsewhere.
This disposition is already manifested in
many ways in the brutal treatment expe-
| rienced by citizens OF the free States, if but
suspected Of favoring abolition in the slave
holding jurisdiclions--in the insolent de-
mands upon the free States to deliver up
their citizens for alleged offences against the
slave laws-in the conspiring of American
Shareholders in a foreign land against the
life Of one Of the great champions of human
ibery--in the rutfian threats of assassina-
ton, addressed 10 members Of Congress for
daring 10 present your petiiions--in the sur
render OF the post Office 10 lynching lawn
the murder Of Lovejoy--in the burning Of
the Pennsylvania haIl--in Southern com
mercia conventions 20 force the naturotehan
nels of trade from North to South-in South
ern railways and banking companies COM
bined TO link the Mnmmon Of the West with
the Moloch of the South, and in the strains
of commentator upon the land. robbing prac-
tees Of the Anglo Saxons, and their virtu-
Gus adherence of Custom, embelished by
their blackleg reverence and punctuality for
their debts of honor.
Fellow-citizens, when | witness scenes
like these transacted in The face of day when
hear principles like those issuing from the
professors chair, from the chancellor's
bench, from the diplomatic saloon and from
the land jobbel's gaming and dinner table,
all in frightfu harmony with one another.
hang my head in dependency at the pros
poets Of the rights Of man, lorthe short Iem-
nant of my days. throughout this Union, and
even in the District OF Columbia Yet do
not despair for the cause of human freedom
believe the cause which its votaries are
now called to defend, and which they may
yet hope to defend and TO vndicate, is that OF
our free institutions against the daring en-.
croachments OF slavery upon them. Ii is for
them that you will have ultimately TO stand
to your arms and it is for them that would
gladly now see you buckle on your armor.
desire not to interfere with the institutions
of slavery where they are established-I
would not abolish slavery without due re-
gard to indemnify the STAKEHOLDER for his
loss and, to avoid the necessity for that,
would begin the process with generation
yet unborn. | adhere faithfully TO the stip-
uatioSs of the Constitution Of the United
States. which have pledged my faith before
God to support; and I can lend my hand TO
no project for the abolition OF slavery in these
United States without The consent OF their
masters. That the day will come when sla-
very shall be exlnguished not only in the
District of Columbia, but Throughout. our
country, and throughoutihe world, believe,
because it has been explicitly promised in
the holy Scriptures, and because the progress
towards that improvement in the condition
OF man upon earth is clearly indicated by the