Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-03-06

lSfadual emancipation did not prevail, but
1t was sustained by large and respecta-
bic minority. That minority had increas-
ed, and was increasing, until the aboli-
tloniSts commenced their operations The
effect has been to dissipate all prospects
whatever, for the present, of any scheme
OF gradual or other emancipation. The
people of that State have become shocked
and alarmed by these abolition move
meats, and the number who would now
favor system even Of gradual emancipa-
ton is probably less than it was in the
| years 1883. At the session of the
Legislature held ia 1873, the ques-
ton Of calling convention was submit
ted to the consideration of the People by
a law passed in conformity with the Con-
stitution of the State Many motives ex-
| listed for the passage of the law, and
among them that Of emancipation had its
influence. When the question was PASS
ed upon by the People at their las. annu-
al election, only about one fourth of The
whole voters of the State supported call
OF convention. The apprehension of
the danger Of abolition was the leading
consideration among the People for OF,
posing the call. But for that, out for the
agitation of the question of abolition in
| States whose population had no right, in
the opinion OF the People of Kentucky
/ 10 interfere IN the matter the vote for a
| convention would have been much larrer.
[ II 1t had not been carried. | felt myseIf
constrained 10 take immediate, bold, and
decided ground against it.
Prior TO The agitation of this subject of
abolition, there was progressive melio-
ration IN the condition Of slaves through
out all the slave States. In some of them,
schools OF instruction were opened by hui
name and religious persons. These are
all now checked and spirit of insubor-
dlnatIon having shown itself in some 10.
caiItles, traceab4e, it is believed, to abol;.
ton movements and exertions, the leo isIa.
tive authority has found it expedient 10 in
fuse fresh vlgor into the police, and laws
winch regulate the conduct of the slaves.
And now, Mr.. President, if it were nos.
sIble to overcome the insurmountable oh.
! stacles which lie in the way of immediate
ABOLITION, let US briefly contemplate some
OF the consequences which would inevita |
bly, ensue. One OF these has been occa. |
! slonally alluded to in the progress of
these remarks. 1t is the struggle which
would lnstantaneously arise between the
two races IN most of the Southern and |
southwestern States. And what dread |
tul struggle would it not BEG Embitter-
ed by all the recollections of the past, by
the uncomfortable prejudices which |
would prevail between the two races, and
stimulated by all the hopes and fears oil
the future, it would be a contest in which
the determination of the blacks, or their
ascendancy over the whites, would be the
sole alternative. Prior to the conclusion,
or during the progress of such contest.
vast numbers, probably, of the black race
would migrate into the free States: and
what effect would such migration have
upon the laboring classes in those States
Now the distribution of labor in the
United States is geographical; the free
laborers occupying one side of the line,
and the slave laborers the other; ca h
class pursuing its own avocations almost
altogether unmixed with the other. But
on the supposition of immediate abolition.
the black class, migrating into the free
States, would enter into competition with
the white class, diminishing the wages Of
their labor, and augmenting the hardships
of their condition.
This is not all. The aboIitionists siren
uoHsly oppose all separation of the two
races. confess to you, sir, that have
seen with regret, grief and astonishment,
their resolute opposition to the projected
colonization. No scheme was ever pre-
scented to the acceptance OF man, which.
whether it be entirely practicable or not,
is characterized by more unmixed human
ity and benevolence than that oftransnort-
ing, with their own consent, the free neo- y
pie OF color IN the United States to the land {
oftheir ancestors. 1t has the powerful rec
ommendation that whatever it does is
good; and if 1t effects nothing, it innicts
no one evil or mischief upon any portion
of our society. There is no necessary
hostility between the objects ofcolonization t
and abolition. Colonization deals only t
with the free man of color, and that with {
his own free voluntary consent. Il has
nothing TO do with slavery. It disturbs i
no mans property, seeks to impair no
power IN the slave States, nor to attribute
any TO the General Government. All lis
actions and all its ways and means are
voluntary, depending upon the blessings
OF Providence, which hitherto has ora
ciously smiled upon it. and yet, benef-
Client and harmless as colonization is. no
portion Of the People of the United States
denounces it with 50 much perseverin1 {
zeal and such unmixed bitterness as do tho +
abolitonists.
They put themselves in direct opnosi-
ion to any separation whatever between