Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-06-21

dollars OF the an,i.republican tendencies
OF that associated wealth there can be no
doubt. and Presiden, of the United States
anxiously desirous to signalize his admins
tration by Incorporating hostility TO an.
ti.republcan tendencies, may find ample oc-
cupation Tor his patriotism in resisting the
usurpations of that same associated wealth,
instead of a pigmy warfare withthe antl-re-
publican tendencies of exchange brokers,
insurance companies, and cotton factories.
consider the assumption Of power by the
American Colonization Society, in constitu.
ting the sovereign Republic Of Liberia, as
one Of those usurpatons Of that associated
wealth by which, aud for whose purposes the
Society was instituted The world has seen
with establishment an English East India
Company exercising sovereign authority
and dominion over millions ofthe people oil
Asia. but the English East India Company
have never constituted sovereign Republics.
The American Colonization Society. with
out even charter from Congress, conlers
upon a few hundred negroes on the coast oil
Africa, the power oil making war and peace,
OF regulating commerce, and OF doing what
ever sovereign and independent States may
do, but all subject TO the control OF this
American private association. 1.-THE People
are the source of all lawful Government
how can a private society in these United
States bestow a Government upon the Re
public OF Liberia, in another quarter OF the
globe2 II the Republic of Liberia is SOW
..frisn state, invested with the power OF max
ing wal and peace, how can they be subject
10 the direction and control OF self-consti.
tGled company Of North Amesicans2 All
the theories of the rights Of man upon which
our political institutions are founded, all the
republican principles Of civil liberty and OF
selfgovernment, are discarded and set nj
naught by this colonial Republic Of Liberia.
The whole undertaking OF the Colonial
ton Society 10 establish colonies OF free ne
groes on the coast Of Africa, 10 disburden
this continent from the load of its colored
population, has, from its first inception, APP
reared TO me a visionary and utterly i'm
practicable though benevolent project. And.
in assigning to YOU, friends and fellow-cili-
zrns, the reasons upon which have declar-
I'd myself not prepared TO vote for the imme-
date abolition OF Slavery in the District OF
Columbia, must frankly acknowledge that
one of my decisive reasons Against 1t is the
same which has deferred me from ever Civ.
ing any aid or countenance to the Colonial.
The immediate abolition OF slavery in the |
District OF Columbia is utterly impractical.
bic.
First, because the public opinion through
OH he Union is against it. The public |
opinion throughout all the slave States is I'M
luminous, or SO nearly so that no one dares to
avow an opinion favorable 10 the measure
No member OF Congress from any one ofthe |
ell he
dare 10 vote for it, nor could he return with !
safety to his person among his constituents
Il be should.
MOI is the public opinion, in any one of
the on-slave.holding States, with the posi-
bic exception Of Vermont, favorable to it,
The party OF the present Administration are
universally against it. if not IN opinion, at
leas, in action. All the strength of Mr.
Van Buren, in the South rests exclusively
upon The pledges that he has given against
this particular measure. All his friends in
the North must and do say a most unjus,ly
prosecuted party in all the free States 1t is
their martyr age, and as they are in a great
measure actuated by religious principle, they
suffer with the spirit Of martyrdom-an in
vincible but necessarily an unsuccessful
principle, inasmuch 'as success leaves il no
scope for action.
The immediate abolition OF slavery, there
fore. in the District of Columbia. is no more
an the power Of any member of Congress 10
effect than the immediate addition OF polyga
my at Conslantinople, or the immediate abo-
l!ton Of widow burning in Hindostan; and
if it were possible even 10 introduce inio the
House Of Representatives bill to that ef. |
feet, should vote against il so long as !
should know it 10 be moi only unwelcome, |
but odious, to at least four-66hs Of the people |
throughout, the Union.
la special manner should be opposed |
TO the enactment of law TO operate exclu-
sively npon the people of the District of
Columbia. against the will Of that people,
and in compliance with petitions from per-
sons mol 10 be affected themselves by the
law This is contrary to the first principle of
our institutions. The declaration Of Inde-
pendence derives all the just powers Of gov
rrnmenl from the consent the governed
When the People are represented in the
Legislative Assembly the consent Of the
whole must be inferred from the voice of the
representative majority but when The PEG.
pie are 10 be bound by laws emanatinp from
Legislative assembly wherein they have
no representatives their will must be ascer.
tnined by manifestations from themselves.
Nov It is certain that great majority of the
inhabitants Of the District are utterly ayerse
20 the abolition of slavery among them BY
iaw, and would consider it as an unconstitu
tional violation of their rights of property
| hold the opinion that one human heinz