The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-11-16
VOLUME Il.
gg[ElA VOICE OF NlaLAA D0&Io
From the Pennsylvania Freeman.
Political Action.

Monroe county, New York, in favor OF a distinct
political organization on anti.slayery grounds
We sat down to its perusal, predisposed to with
hold our assent to its arguments but we are free
10 confess that we have found ourselves unable to
answer them, in a manner satisfactory to our
own mind The course heretofore recommen-
ded, viz: to withhold our votes from pro-slavery
candidates and give them only to men favorable
to our principles as it has ever seemed
to us in theory has thus far proved practical
failure. Witness the New York and Massachu.
sets election last year. Abolitionists hare been
false 10 their duty!-they have covered them
selves and the cause of freedom with disgrace
Vermont abotionsm has often been cited as an
evidence of the efficiency Of this action: yet the
abolitionism Of Vermont is not represented on
the floor of Congress.--One of her Senators
meaniv apologized last year for the passage of the
anti-slavery resolutions Of the Legislature: and
that verv Legislature elected another Senator
who is reportet to have exuted over the duped
friends of freedom, who were prevailed upon 10
give him their votes, and in the excitement of
victory to have reioiced thai he "could go into
Congress- without niger on his back The
aboitionists of Rhode Island at the late election
for Congress had noble opportunity to discrinli-
nate at the ballot box between friend and an eli.
emv of freedom. Thomas w. Dorr, member
of the Executive Committee of the State Society,
was candidate for Congress, and was basely de-
serted by the protested friends Of the slave. OF
the eight hundred anti-.lavcry men who four
years ago signed the call for the Rhode Island
Anti-Slavery Convention, a few only were found
willing to sacrifice their party predictions. The
Democratic abolitonists had no confidence in the
integrity of Wing Candidate; the Wing had
no faith in the man who was held up as Van
Buren, partizau ard The consequences has been
that both have voted with their respective parties.
In our S,ae-New Hampshire-the friends OF
emancipation at the last Congressional election,
took the bold step of nominating list ofthorCugh
anti-savcrv candidates. With but little effort
with all the scruples and difficulties attendant
upon new movement to contend within
State where abolitionism had been crushed down
by the united energies of both political parties
EIGHTEEN HUNDRED-good men and true, deposit
ted their votes for the anti-slavery ticket. Had
the New York aboi,ionsts at the election last
year been as faithful the vote of Lit. Gov. Brad
ish would have exceeded that OF the pro-slavery
candidates by majority Of more than 10000
votes.
We leave these facts, for the consideration Of
our readers. The question, whether we shall
vote for men nominated by others, and for purposes
foreign to our cause, nominate candidates OF
our own, is not one of principle, but simply of
expedency; and our only aim should be to do
what is best calculated to promote the slaves
freedom. We may hereafter find room to publish
the Rochester address, not endorsing in all re-
spects its conclusions but regarding it as an able
and important document deserving, to say the
least, the candid attention of the friends of eman-
cipaton. We perceive by the last Liberator that
the Board of the Massachusetts Ant-Slavery
Society, have issued long address to the aboli-
tionists of that State, in which they deprecate the
nomination of distinct anti-savery candidates, not
as wrong in itself, but asba dpocy With the gen.
eral tenor of this address we agree. We believe
with it: "That our cause is indissoubly con-
nected with the politics ofthe country-that it has
always contemplated the use Of political action
for the overthrow of slavery-that its success is
involved in the fidelity with which its electoral
friends bestow their sudrages, irrespective Of par
Nv lines and badges" And while we are oppos-
sed to any attempt to FORCE into life distinct po-
litical party in favor of Emancipation we cannot
undertake to censure our New Hampshire friends !
for their course last year, believing as we do that
this matter must be left to abolitonists in their
various localities to decide for themseves-|
We sincerely hope that our friends in Massachu-
sets will at the coming election wipe out the
deep and black reproach, which now rests upon
cause IN consequence Oh the mlSereole results
ofthe last election. In the name of the abolition
lists of Pennsylvania, we entreat them to remem-
Der the slave on the day of election and to for
get on that day all their dissentions-to stand for
that time, at least, shoulder 10 shoulder, an UNI
broken phalanx of consistent men. They are
strong in numbers, and ifthey are faithful in this
srial-time of their integrity they will secure the
respect of the STAKEHOLDER and the fear and
dread of the answering adherence TO the RICH; !
w be felt by both political parties at the north.
For ourselves, we are soicitous mainly for the
integrity of the friends Of the slave So long as
they vote, as they have heretofore to great ex-
tent for mere party candidates with the collar OF
political servtude upon them, irrespective Of
their sentiments and practice on the question of
emancipation, they undo the day of election
all which they may have done fer the bondren
in the other 1854 days of the year. They are as
Justly chargeable with the guilt of uphodng
slavery, as the electors of Maryland or Virginia
The cause cannot prosper with such uuxiliaris
The prayers of such will be an abomination be-
fore the God of the oppressed; and when they
appeal to the STAKEHOLDER and urge lin to the
sacrifice of his property we'll may the latter re-
tort upon them: "HNpocrites first sacrifice yowr
oun pYejudiceS and partialitieS, before yo~ ask