Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-04-27

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Importance. But It is not, aud cannot he the great
practical question tor the decision of tie country
al NE approaching Presidential election. The pub
NC nnh Is not prepared to have abolition can
dldate Tor the Presidency; nor to hHve nm ADOLF
ton President ] cannot act in obedience TO blind
| impulse. | must see that some good is to be Mt
tanned. What possible good can come to aboli.
ton, or to any other interest. by now bringing
this question into the Presidential election?
have never been able to see any cannot now
see any. On the contrary, it seems to me this
cause of abolition would I've deeply iujnred by it.
Abolition is emineny moral and religious en-.
terprise. II owes its existence to Christianity.
Its tIiumphs have been emphaticaly the triumpls
Of Christian principles. Emancipation would not
in truth, he safe without their conservative inAu-
ende. That influence is most emlnenty conspcu-
in produ cling the a,iepicious result of emanci
patton witnessed in the West Indies.
This first step, then, in the great reform must he
in the Church. Little progress can be made in
onghtening and purifying public sentiment on
This question: while the Church-''he Pillar and
Ground oflhe Truth remains insensibie TO The
power of truth. Here is great, and, am sorry
to say, difficult work to be performed. The
darkness which has long hung ever the American
| Church, the subject Of slavery, has been like
the darkness OF Egypt. Ii must be dspelled as
it has been in Great Britain. The obligations of
the Christian religion must be seen and feis to be
obligations which Ano,1 no distinction Of color.
Il The Church must no longer ask, with unteehng
indifference" Who is my neighbour"
And then the moral feeling OF the whole COM
munity is 10, .je awakened. The true nature OF
the slave relation is to be investigated The qnes-
tion-By what authority are men made slaves?
is to he conSidered-not put aside for the next gen.
Grafton to consider. Men who hold slaves, and
men who advocate the right TO hold them, and
{ men who refuse 10 bear testimony against holding
t them, to he made to feel that they all ac-
ting under responsibilities the God OF the slaves
Ito him who has made all OF one blood, AND " ho
hns and 0lies with this
0 Of brotherhood
Here is the foundation ,oork Of abolition. 1t is
e n great work. 1t should he well begun. spirit
e of kindness and good will should strongly charac.-
terze every step in the progress OF it, and stand
j ont in strong contrast with the harslness AMI Sc
verify of ordinary party contests. No tciip Of
SEQ pi0ns should be- wielded-much as there is in
slavery TO excite the feelings but Truth should
have in her advocates, spirit and temper cores
Q ponding with her kind and benficent Offices, aud
: her pure and exalted nature. And patience, too,
h ulusl have its perfect work. The rough and ull-
born taow ground is not to be broken up and the
/, good seed planted in II day Nor can it be expec-
4 ted to spring up and bear fruit in n day. There
are difficulties to be encountered, peculiar to our
e own county; not difficulties to discourage, but 10
s inspire caution, prudence, frmness, and steady
: hold unon the great principles which lie ut the
Il foundation of the cause. Customary political ex-
e pedieniG-ihe eXpedents Of corrupt and eOrrup
e ting state OF poiIcs-mu lie avoided; aud there
o pose which shall commend the cause and its i'd
)" vocates To public confidence. Abolition must NOT
n he suspected of design 10 obtain power for tue
r. sake OF power Its advocates must have no am
II biIion but the ambition OF doing good. man
who is aspiring 10 Office as his chiJ good, has yet
,f 10 learn the first lesson in the school of aboton-
n The work Of abolition is but begun in this coun-
+ try. The cause is in its infancy. 1t cannot
: st,u up in day to manhood, as Minerva sprang
10 foyth, iu armed, from the brain of Jupiter
nt Tnh "w prevail if il Gun hive the aid Of
re Time. II never yet achieved victory without
il; certainly not the victory of reforming COM
a nunity.
e, 1t is thus that The great work is 10 be carried
=, forward 10 its conslinnalion; TINS that the
,e streams of benevolence are to be thrown into
III right direction, and sound and hraliil public
Is sentiment formed on the subject of savery-a
r sen inent elevated by high intelligence, and puri.
is fed by the pervading influence of Christian prin-
I'd cpes. Nothing can exert more healibIul nifiu-
of ence the public mind aud heart than the agi,a-
of ton of the question of abolition, unde tie gui-
s. dance Of these principles. ii will purify The ioun
tains Of national thought and feeling, carry us
i'll back to the better days of the republic, cherish in
nd Us their noble self sacrificing spirit and elevate
s. on TO ihc broad platform wherein our fathers
re gathered when they declared ia the face Of earth
and Heaven. that " all men are created equal"
W You will thus perceive sir, that ] plaee moral
J. abolition in The front, and that would have polit-
H. zeal abolition re in The rear. This will not,
of know, suit the Impotence of many very excellent
l. men, who think that abolition will not thus adj
vance with the desirable rspdity. But it WILL in
It; my judgment, advance more surely to safe re-
Ia suit.
off utterly excluded from the field Of political action.
o. 1t will of necessity, by degrees, enter it. IL can
G. not be kept out. OF the circumstances which will
justify such action, abolitionsts. in the various
1t sections of The country. will oil course Judge,
NJ from considerations which cannot control in deci-
D. ding The question Of bringing out az abolition
he candidate for The Presidency Abolition has not
strength 10 bear sttch a contest. Its infancy must
not be rocked in the whirlwind of Presidential
election.
When and rs fast as the public sentiment shall
. have become purified and elevated by the discus.
81 sions of human rights and obligations necessarily
connected with the progress Of abolition there
will be raised mp, by natural, unf0rced process, as
vegetation springs forth under the genal intiuen-
ID Of rain and sunshine fitted for the politi
re cal duties which abolition is destined to perform.
,e am aware Mr.. Speaker, that in thus ayowing
" my determination in regard to the Presidency
subject myself to the censure OF "sacrIncing my
CT principles of liberty This is the language which
has already been applied TO me for The vote gave
III for You as presi ing officer OF this body and |
ne expect it will be repeated in reference TO NY pres
X eni ayowal. There those who do not perceive
re- what seems TO Inc II very pain distinction between
b. sacrificing principles and failing TO do precisely
re all 10 advance them which some OF their advo-
h Gates deem necessary. They seem not to under
stand thai good cause may I've injured as well by
rs ora doing rs by The opposite. regard the ques-
D ton of anti sarery in It's principles and bearings,
al as the greatest question that agl'ales me world
e. But cannot forget for the history OF all reforms
al a,lmonishes me ihnt time is essential TO
y in the great contest which freedom is wagng a.
gainsi oppression.
NJ The principles on which this cause rests ere as
nj nlnutabc rs Truth aud Justice hut the means
y of giving 10 Them efficacy are various. If lwere
: stakeholder, " aid not withhold justice from