The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-08-24


tive Office, who is not in favor of the immediate
ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.
90 Resolved, That every abotionist who has
a right to vote, be earnestly entreated to lose no
opportunity to carry his abolition principles to 'he
polls and thereby cause our petlllohS 10 heafo
through the medium of the ballot-boX
Whereas the subject of nominating distinct
antslaverv candidates for offices in the gift of the
people, has been presented to this Conventlon,-
Therefore
Resolved, That it be recommended to aboli-
tionsts to adopt such course in their respective
sections of country, in regard to this matter,
will, in their judgment, best subserve the cause of
immediate abolition"
Mr. GoodeIl said that the few remarks he had
now to submit, would have reference to the two
first of the resolutions which had been reported.
He wished TO present few reasons why aboli-
tionists in pursuing their grand object, ought to
act poItically-and his first reason was that they
owed it to se(-consstcncy AS aboIitionists they
had long been in the habit of sending petitions to
the legislature in behalf of their cause. In their
petitions they asked their rulers to put forth poit-
cal action. With what consistency, then, could
they afterwards refuse to act politically themselves?
The duties of their rulers were not more imperl-
Gus than their own. II it was the duty of egisa-
tors to use their constitutional power against sa
very, surely it must be the duty Of abolionsts to
do the same Legislators were their representa-
ves how ridiculous it was to ask their own
representatives to put forth political action, whilst
they themselves with a full knowledge that their
rulers would not comply with the request, still
persevered in giving such rulers their votes. The
one act contradicted the other. By their words
| they declared themselves aboltionists, by their
votes th ely declared the contrary
Again, their reputation for sincerity required
this course. When men acted with pal pable in
consistency, they exposed themselves to the sus-
pcion Of inSincerity, 1t was true, that men might
sometimes be inconsistent without being insn-
cere but when the inconsistency was so open and
elaring, it was calculated at least to induce sus-
picion. When they petitioned for the abolition
of slavery in the District of Columbia, and vet
voted for men as rulers who would not only not
grant the petition, but not suffer it even to be read
could men believe them sincere When, as alb
oitionsts, they sent up their petitions, what did
they say =? The very annunciation of the subject
spoke for itself, and showed that they regarded
this subject paramount to all others The subject
of human liberty need but be named it spoke its
own importance; it asserted its own claim of SUI
pcrorily over all other interests in free State
above all, over the little contemplate oues-
tons of dollars and cents, and the best mode of
collecting the revenue. If their petitions meant
any thing, they meant that this interest was in
their view, paramount But if while presenting
such petitions, they would still cast their votes for
men who openly refused to legislate against sIu-
very, it was but obvious they must do so only for
the sake of party politics. Did they not thereby
show that mere party questions involving differ
ence of opinion on political economy, were of
more importance in their estimation than the
questions of liberty and slavery? In their petit
tons, they prolessed TO place the abolition quest
ion on moral grounds far above all considerations
of merely temporal and political chamberlain
vet they would vote for men who placed every
thing above it. Surely their actions and their
clifton was all important; by their votes they de-
clared that the subreasury question was more
important than it.
Once more, as Christian citizens they asked of
God TO give the country wise and good rulers,
men that would execute judgment in the morn
ing, and deliver the oppressed but when they
voted, they contradicted their own prayers. With
the weapon of accomplishment in theirown hands
they refused to use it to effect the object for which
they prayed but wrestcd the sceptre out of the
hand of the Almighty, and used it to secure 10
themselves evil rulers.
They were bound to act politically for exam
pies sake.-Al great moral relormationS had
been carried by the force OF example What was
the true secret of the success which had attended
the temperance cause? |! was the irresistible
power Of consistent example. And now what
was it they asked from the South? What was
it less than to break every yoke, to revoke and
reverse the evil laws. they had themselves passed,
and to PROSTATE, by legislation that system ofsave-
ry which their hands had set up? Now, unless
they, who asked this, exered their own poIitica
power to accomplish the same object, what a.
mount of moral suasion could they expect to exert
upon the South? Their arguments had not the
weight of foather--so long as they refused to
make use Of their own franchise. They asked
Virginia and Maryland to repeal the slave laws
in their respective States, while they, the petition
ers refused to repeal those laws in the District Of
Columbia. Why did slavery exist in the District?
Congress had established it there.-Let him not
be told that slavery had existed there before the
cession of the District to the United States. What
of that? In the very act of cession all the slave
laws wonld have died Of themselves had they not
been continued and revived by the prospective leg
isIalon of Congress- They, the people of the
northern States, were just as responsible for The
existence Of slavery in that District, as were the
people Of the southern States. Northern voters
were as much called upon to abolish il there bv