The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-12-06

fec, Of This will be, as it has, indeed oeen'
20 some extent, TO provoke 10 jealousy VIC
opposite parry, and lead those who oeiohg ~
Il ~ see The proprieiy. aud duty. OF uniting
on all nroper occasions, with the wings L"
H.o,;ng testimony against siavery-in sus'
,.;Dinq The right of petition, and 40 adopt
;no measures which the petitions, both TO
,be state and and national legislatures, touch
ing the subject of slavery, have praseu
for.
They believe that ifaboltionis's will have
,.o ,o,;e,ce and perseverance, which the
good cause in which they are engaged ae-
nands. they will, ere long, see In both The
other parties decided advance towards The
rom, of doing oil that can properly be done
!, opposition 10 slavery. And they hope
20 see. in due lime, the WHOLE NORTH,
whatever NAV 30 IFS divisions upon other
matters, coming 10 be of one heart and one
soul upon the great poin, of maintaining ats
riehfs and interests, in opposition 10 the
slave power which hrs SO long ruled the
country. They believe that this result will
be more speedily accomplished without that
sererate organization which, disregarding
every thing else Blu, slavery, arrays itself in
hostility to every other party. and in husiil.
lily peculiarly bitter against all a5ohtioniSt
who do not pronounce its Shibboleih, and
wear its livery.
Inihe spirit, and tone. and temper, which
strongly characterize the proceedings of
that party, and especially in lis 'breathlngs
out Of threatenings and slaughter" against
those alb ,litionisls who viii not WELD lis
weapons and wear its uniform, they see any,
thing but an omen for good TO the cause Of
abolition good can be hoped from
the strong feelings Of repugnance and alien
alton, which bitter Remuneration, will pro-
duce 10 tie bosoms Of those whose cooper.
alton must be finally obtained, in order 10
carry forward, to any practical result the
great movement against slavery.
These, as understand the matter, are
some of the reasons which have induced the
abolirionists of Vermont 10 refrain from
supporting the third party ticket at The late
election, | might add others, bu' forbear
as did not sit down 70: the purpose oil 60
ing fully into the subject-my main purpose
boing TO ask you 10 publish my ''Connecti-
cut letter" "a copy Of which herewith send
you) tina. your readers may see the head
and front of my offending" and possess the
means Of Judging whether deserve the de-
nurciations which it has brought upon me.
TWAS written when | was in very bad health.
and presents but summary and imperfect
view of nv sentiments upon the third party
question.
A worI upon another subject. The Ed
itor of the Liberty Standard charges me
in the article you have copied, with having
voted for 'sthe gags al the extra session of
last year. In your remarks upon 1t you
say.:sAs to Mr.. Slade's course on the gag
resolution, he can speak fol- himself" As
This seems to be an invitation to me to speak
| accep it, and say-that voted for no gag
resolution, in the sense in which that phrase
is usually understood, and in which the Ed
,itor of the Liberty Standard evidently inten-
ded to have it understood in his article
The resolution referred to was to this effect
II have not the resolution at hand, and
cannot, therefore, give its words that, mas
much as the Extra Session had been called
for special purposes connected with the fl
S1ancial condition of the country. it was not
-expedient to consume the time in receiving
and considering petitions upon other sub
Understanding petitions on the subject of
bankrupt law. The resolution did not
single out abolition petitions, but embraced
all petitions except those of the description
above referred to. and this, not from any
disregard of the right of petition, but SIM
ply from desire to confine the Extra Ses-
sion to the urgent business for which it had
been called; so that it might be done, and the
Session closed,as speedily as possible-leav-
ing the ordinary business of legislation. and
the question of slavery among other things
TO be considered at the regular session which
Was to 70 low. The whole matter was very
appropriately treated As a court of justice
would dispose of its business at special
session, held for the purpose of trying par
ticular caus
have never claimed, and do not now
claim, nor do understand any body to claim
that abolition petitions shall be treated with
any more favor than other petitions. In the
res olution for which voted, they were treat
ed Just like other petitions. excepting those
@ connected with the special business ofthe ex-
ira session, and, for obvious reasons, the
bankrupt question. Whatever than this can
a rea ion1bls abolitionisi want? Nothing 1t
seems to me. And yet am charged, in the
name of abolition, with having voted for
"the gagl''
I have sanswered for myself" Let my
Fellow citizens judge between me and my &C
.cuser<
Yours in the cause of Liberty
and Truh,
WILLIAM SLADE.