Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-01-23
= . u . G. 3 A p IT o
BRANDON, WEDNESDAY, JAN. %, 1889.


The following rousing production came as
private letter, from my quondam teacher and great
ly beloved friend. But, as it treats SO entirely of
matters of public concernment, and vital impor-
lance, trust he will pardon me for publishing it
If he will not, am quite sure those will who read
1t. If there be Of Vermont, ON her green
hills, or in her verdent vaes, in whose bosom the
general sentiments of the production of his brother
do not find full and hearty response, he is more
or less than the genuine offspring of his parent
State. --.
PUTNAM, Como Jan'y 3, 1889.
: Friend MUrrdy:-lt appears, from the
recent intelligence of Congressional doings,
that Patton is Outdone-distdnced-
completely IN the shade, by the recreant,
crouching, doughfaced, treacherous Ather-
ton Of New Hampshire. Yes, northern
mana New-Eng lander-a citizen of
non-slaveholding State, with unparalleled
impudence, boldly stepped forward in the
halls of professedly republican Congress,
and has thrust the gag into the mouths Of
blow at the vitals of liberty. The course
Of the traitor to the true principles of repub-
II.
A. Anterior of New-Hampshire, has secur-
ed place high, conspicuous, and in inper-
ishable letters, on the roll of infamy, mot
even second 10 that of Of Benedict Arnold.
But while there is a man in the nom
slaveholding States to be found so mean,
false-hearted and base, as Anterior has
proved himself 10 be, trust that N. Eng
land people will Indignantly repel such wick
ed, high-handed insults, and not tameIy. and
spiritlesslv suffer gag to be placed in their
own mouths, and the grossest outrage 10 be
committed on those rights, which the indie
pendent, patriotic spirits Of '76 declared to
be "inherent and inalienable.' The con-
stitution of the United States expressly
declares, that Congress shall make no law
prohibiting the right Of the people peaceablv
| TO assemble, and to petition government for
redress OF grievances. Now the design
of this constitutional guaranty is, that the
people shall be heard-that this is The chan
mel through which they may speak-and
that whenever petitions, memorials or re-
monstrances, couched in respectful terms,
are preferred to Congress, they shall obtain
fair, impartial, and attentive consideration.
In the exercise Of this constitutional privi-
lege and right, hundreds Of thousands of
| our citizens, through their petitions, have
| spoken out, and are still speaking, on a
subject which they deem Of vital importance
| to the best interests of our common country
and which if long neglected, they truly fear
will plunge her in irretrievable ruin,-and
vet Congress turns deaf ear 10 our sup
plications, and treats our sacred rights with
/ the basesl contempt, by barely receiving
them, and instantly laying them on The
table, virtually declaring, that there they
may lie, and moulder into dust, before they
shall be read, or printed, or referred, or acted
on in1any manner. Under existing circum
stances, we may as well seal our petition:
and forward them to the savages beyond The
Rocky Mountains, or to the canni5als of The
Islands of Samatra and Bornee, hopius
with as much certainty, and the same sue
; cess, TO obtain redress, as under the present
! state OF things to transmit them to the dem
ocratic, republican, e? Congress of the U
States. These iberty-ioring democrat;
have gravely declared, that man robbie,
Of his iiberty-of himself shall not ute
his grief, nor proclaim his wrong, nor ask
remission Of the intense suffering he has 70
: ages endured,-neither shall the citizens o
liberty Boosting America, whose land "i
an ylnm for the oppressed" be permitte,
/ TO offer PRAYER in behalf Of a robbed, an,
perishing fellow-man.
The truth is, the freedom Of petition i
. Eirampled on with insolence. the sacred right
Of the people wantonly invaded, and thei
. dearest privileges wrested from them.
Now, friend Murray. if these things b,
i true-which presume no one will DENY
very important question presents itself
1t is this:-Is the right of the Americal
people topetition TO be withhold lheirlips I,
Dc Perpetualiy sealed2 This isa question, SiI
OF deep and momentous interest to freemen
but a question which may be answered with