The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-03-30


asked fifty years ago that is now asked, can the
negro be continued forever in bondage? Yes
and it will continue to be asked, in still louder
and louder tones. But says the Senator, we are
yet prosperous and happy nation. Pray, sir, in
what part of your country do you find this pros
perity and happiness In the slave States No
no! There all is weakness, gloom and despair
while in the free States, all is light, business and
activity What has created the astonishing diff
ference between tie gentlemans State and mine
between Kentucky and Ohio? Slavery the
whitening curse of slavery is upon Kentucky,
while Ohio is free. Kentucky, the garden of the
West, almost the land of promise, possessing all
the natural advantages, and more than is posses
ed by Ohio, is vastly behind in population and
wealth. Sir, can see from the windows of my
upper chamber, in the city of Cincinnati, lands in
Kentucky, which, | am told, can be purchased for
from ten to fifty dollars per acre, while lands of
the same quality, under the same Improvements,
and the same distance from me in Ohio, would
probably sell from one to five hundred dollars per
acre. | was told by friend few days before |
left home, who had formerly resided in the county
of lands, adjoining, believe, the county in which
that county was more than four hundred less than
it was five years since. Will the Senator con-
tend, after knowledge of these facts, that slavery
in this country has been the cause of our pros
perity and happiness No, he cannot 1t is be-
cause slavery has been excluded and driven from
a large proportion of our country that we are a
prosperous and happy people. But its late at
tempts to force its influence and power into the
free States, and deprive our citizens of their I'M
questionable rights, has been the moving cause of
all the riots burnings and murders that have taxi
en- place on account of abolitionism and it has,
in some degree, even in the free States, caused
mourning, lamentaon and woe. Remove slave
ry, and the country, the whole country, will re-
cover its natural vigor, and our peace and future
prosperity will be placed on more extensive, safe
and sure foundation. 1t is waste of time to an
swer the allegation, that the emancipation Of the
negro race would induce them to make war upon
the white race. Every fact in the history of eman-
cpation proves the reverse; and he that will not
believe these facts, has darkened his own under
standing, that the light of reason can make no i'm
preston he appeals to interest-not to truth
for information on this subject. We do not fear
his errors, while we are left free to combat them.
The Senator implores us to cease all commotion
on this subject Are we to surrender all our
rights and privileges, all the official stations of
the country, into the hands of the slaveholding
power, without a single struggle ? Are we toI
cease all exertions for our own safety, and submit
in quiet to the rule of this power Is the calm of
despotism to reign over the land, and the voice of
treemen to be no more heard This sacrifice is
required of u.s. in order to sustain slavery. Free
men, will you make it? Will you shut your ears
and your sympathies, and withhold from the poor,
famished slave morsel of bread? Can you thus
act and expect the blessings of heaven upon your
country beseech you to consider for yourselves.
Mr.. President have been compelled to enter
into this discussion from the course pursued by
the Senate on the resolution | submitted a few
days since. The cry of Abolitonist has been
raised against me. If those resolutions are Abo-
itonism then am an abolitionist from the sole of
my feet to the crown of my head. If to maintain
the rights of the States the security Of the citizen
from violence and outrage, if to preserve the SUI
premacy of the laws, if insisting on the right of
petition, as medium through which euery person
subject to the laws has an undoubted right to APP
proach the constitutional authorities ofhe country,
be the doctrine of abotionists, it finds response
in every beating pulse in my veins Neither
power, nor favor, nor want, nor misery, shall de-
Ter me from its support while the vital current con-
tinues to flow. Condemned at home for my OPP
position to slavery, alone and single handed here,
well may feel tremor and emotion in boarding
his lion of slavery in his very den and upon his
own ground. | should shrink, sir, at once from
his fearful and unequal contest, was | no. thor
oughly convinced that am sustained by the pow
er of truth and the best interests of the country.
listened to the Senator from Kentucky with
undivided attention. | was disappointed sadly
| had heard of the Senator's tact
n making compromises and agreements on this
floor, and though opposed in principle to all such
yet hoped to hear something on
which we could hang hope that peace would be
'estored to the borders of our own States and all
uture aggression upon our citizens from the slave
States be prevented, Now, sir, he offers us moth
ng but unconditional submission or political death;
md not political alone, but absolute DEATH We
nave counted the cost in this matter, and are de-
ermined to live and die free Let the savehod-
er hug his system to his bosom in his own State,
We will not go there to disturb him but sir,
within our own borders we claim to enjoy the
same privileges. Even, sir, in this District, this
en- miles square of common property and COM
non right, the slave power has the assurance to
come into this very Hall, and request that We
yes, Mr.. President, that my constltuents-be de-
MED the right of petition on the subject of slavery
N this District. The most extraordinary petition
against the rights of others to petition on the same
of theirs is graciously received and order