Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-09-02
cry respectfully, yours,
AMOS TOWNSEND, 7
WASHINGTON. March "a. Il


Dear Sir: Your letter of the 18th int.
has been received I'll health has prevented
a seasonable reply; and am now able %
answer but briefly and mperectly the que
ton which you propounded to me-
You ask whether, in my opinion, 9Th,
best interests of our whole country, nclud
ing the enterists of the ensaved laborer a
the South as well as those of the free Labor
or at the North, will be promoted at the pres
ent Juncture Of our national affairs, by run
ming third party ticket at the eleGRons now
taking place"
If felt at liberty to decline an ANSWER to
this question, should certainly do it Vt the
present moment but entertain too much
respect for you, and too decided an aversion
to the concealment of my views upon any.
subject, to permit it.
have heretofore expressed, and still en-
terrain, the opinion, that the cause of eman-
cipatIon would be better promoted by throw
ing the weight Of abolition influence, as far
as possible, into all the parties that divide
! the country, rather than attempt, by an or
ganization entirely independent, to gather
party band, exclusively upon the ground of
the abolition of slavery. | have long been
I
feel deeply the Importance of other interests
and those Immediately connected with the
question of slavery. cannot overlook these
interests, deeply as | abhor and detest slave
~, and firmly as ] am resolved TO oppose it,
and labor to the end Of my life for its des-
truction. An independent abolition party
will, almost of necessity, overlook them, en-
cept as they are involved in the question of
slavery. They are the interests of present,
pressing importance. Action upon them
cannot be postponed. Though the abolition
of slavery would undoubtedly remove one OF
the great and leading causes Of the financial
evils which now press upon the country, yet
{ it is evident that legislation must reach and
remedy these evils long before slavery can
be abolished, or there will be destruction
Z of confidence, arrangement of currency
and prostraton of industry, which must III
volve the North and the South, the East and
! the Observation-Disclosures Shareholders and all
in one common ruin
For one, | cannot act, either as repre-
sentative of the people, or as freeman al
the ballot-box, without an immediate respect
to these great questions. | must endeavort
in some way while am laboring to advance
+
time with view to their speedy and just
settlement. How | shall do this will often
be matter of considerable difficulty 10 de.
termine. But that difficulty does not alb.
solve me from the obligation as represent
alive of the people, and as one of the people
tofendeavor to perform the complex duty
Especially do feel restrained from dsre
garding this duty, in reference to the grea
pending question of a protective tariff, mas
much as that question involves so direct
ly the question between the labor of freemer
and the labor of slaves.
Slavery looks with jealousy at the prosper
lily which the universal, untiring industry o.
the North gives it over the unproductiyenes:
of slave labor, and the dleness, dissipation
and extravaganza which are ipseparable
from state Of slavery. 1t seeksto conceal
the true cause of Southern poverty, by main.
tanning that the duties paid under tariff loI
protection are mainly drawn directly or in.
directly from the South. 1t calls protection
TO free labor OppreSSiOn," and on this
ground has nullihed the laws of the United
States, and forced " compromise which
unless arrested in its progress, will PROSTATE
the industry of the North and West, anc
drag it down, as far as any thing can drag
down the industry and enterprise of freemer
10 level with itself Its hostility to free
( labor is as deep and relenting as its hostility
to freedom. Surely abolitionists are the las
who ought to disregard such question Al
that of protection to free labor; and yet i
seems to me they will practically disregard
it, If they insist, under all circumstances ant
on all occasions, upon running third part,
tickets with respect to it,
attach more importance to this view o
the subject from the fact that, generally, Sc
far as my knowledge extends, those who arr
induced to support third party tickets arr
those who have been and still are in prnci
pie, favorable TO the interest Of protection