Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-11-04

10 THE EDITOR OF THE VoIcE OF TRrupoM

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OF the Vermont election, in which the Edi-
tor, in undertaking to account for the dimin-
ished liberty vote, compared with that of tho
last year, is pleased 10 consider my influence
as having been very efficient in producing
the result. lie refers to my "Conncc,cut
letter" as showing "how zcalously am will
ling to work to turn the whole current of alb
clifton influence TO the support Of tho Wing
party" and copies an article from the Lib
crty Standard, gravely setting forth "thc dam
ger of allowing political parllzans to become
counselors in regard to the cause of lIbcrty,"
and holding up my course as "a wa,uing to
abolitionists," and SO forth.
The Editors of the Emancipa,or and
STANDARD give me too much credit for the re-
suit, which they so much dcplorc. was at
Washington from the LIST of December last.
until within less than week previous to our
election, during the whole of which time,
10 not recollcct that correspondcd with a
single aboliionist in this State on the SUBJ
Ject of the election nor am able to learn
that my "Connecticut letter" has ever been
published by more than one newspaper in the
State-and that, not an abolition" paper.
The Editors of whom speak should give
the credit ofthis result to the good sense of
the abolitonists of Vermont, and not TO me.
The great mass of our abolitionists think that
every just purpose of abolition may be bet
ter accomplished without, than with, distinct
political organization. They think, indeed,
that so far as political action is concerned,
that action may be rendered more safe and
eilectua, by Incorporating abolition, as far
as practicable, into all the parties, and infus-
ing its spirit as occasion may require, into
their movements and measures, than by a
separate organization, which shall make the
abolition of slavery exclusively the object,
and leave unregarded, and undecided at the
Ballot Box, many great and important qucs-
tons which must be acted on long before
slavery can be abolished.
The aboilionists of this State are mostly
"whigs" in principle, and do not see how
they can discharge their duty as freemen,
without voting to sustain Wing principles, in
opposition to the monstrous combination of
Tylersm and Locolocoism which is slrur-
Cling TO rule and ruin the country. They
have, moreover, watched the course Of the
two great parties, and found that the Wing
party has manifested a disposition decidedly
more iavorably TO the great object of aboli-
ton, than the opposite party. They have
seen evidence of this in all the votes on the
several gag resolutions in Congress. They
have seen it in the votes on the questions
growing out Of the attacks of slavery there,
upon its distinguished opponents, Mn. AD-
ANS and Mr.. GIDDINGs. They have seen
it, to considerable extent, in all the move
ments in the Legislatures Of the free states,
touching the subject of slavery.
| Ii is true, they have not seen, nor do they
YET see, in the Wings all they desire to sec,
IN this respect; but they have seen, and do
see much to commend, and much to inspire
the hope that the spirit Of abolition will be
more and yet more, dillnsed among thcnr
and that Ii will come, gradually, to exert IA
more efficient influence upon their political
action. And they hope that the effect of
this will be, as it has, indeed, been, to some
extent, to ''provoke to jealousy" the Oppo-
site party, and lead those who belong to it,
to see the propriety, and duty, of uniting, on
all proper occasions, with the Wings in bear
ing testimony against slavery-in sustaining
the right of petition, and in adopting the
measures which the petitions, both 10 the
state and national legislatures, touching the
subject of slavery, have prayed for.
They believe that if aboltionls,s will have
the patience and perseverance which the
good cause in which they are angaged de-
mands, they will, ere long. see in both the
other parties decided advance towards the
point of dong all that can properly be done,
in opposition TO slavery. And they hope to
see, in due time, the WHOLE NORTH, what
ever may be its division upon other matters
coming to be of one heart and one soul upon
the great point of maintaining its rights and
interests, in opposition to the slave power
which has SO long ruled the country. They
believe that this result will be more speedi-
ly accomplished without that separate organ
ization which, dsregarding every thing else
bu! slavery, arrays itself in hostility to every
other party, and in hostility peculiarly bitter
against all aboltionists who do no, pronounce
its Shbbolelh, and wear its livery.
In the spirit, and tone, and temper, which
strongly characterize the proceedings of that
party, and especially in its "breathngs out
oflhreatenings and slaughter" against those
abolItionists who will not WELD its weapons
and wear its uniform, they see anything but
an omen for good to the cause of aboition,-
unless good can be hoped from the strong
feelings of repugnance and alienation, which
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