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


BILE reply; and am now able 10 answer but
briefly and imperfectly, the question which
you have propounded to me.
You ask whether in my opinion, "the
best interest of our whole country, including
the interests of the enslaved laborer at the
South as we'll as that of the free laborer at
the North, will be promoted at the present
juncture of our national affairs, by running
third party ticket at the elections now ia
king place."
Ill felt at liberty to decline an answer
to this question, l should certainly do it at
the present moment but | entertain too
much respect for you, and too decided an
aversion to a concealment of my views up
on any subject, to permit it.
L have heretofore expressed, and still en-
terrain the opinion. that the cause OF eman-
cipatlon would be better promoted by
throwing the weight of abolition influence,
as far as possible, into all the parties that
divide the country, rather than to attempt,
| by an organization entirely independent, to
gather party, based exclusively upon the
ground of the abolition of slavery. | have
long been placed in a condition which has
led me to feel deeply the importance of oth-
or interests than those Immediately connec-
ted with the question of slavery. | cannot
| overlook these interests, deeply as abhor
and detest slavery, firmly as am resolved
to oppose it and to labor to the end of my
life for its destruction. An independent
overlook them, except as they are involved
in the question Of slavery. They are inte-
rests of present, pressing Importance. Ac-
ton upon them cannot be postponed.--
! Though the abolition of slavery would un-
doubleday remove one ofthe great and lea
ding 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 of confidence,
a arrangement of currency, and prostra-
ton of industry, which must involve the
| North and South, the East and the West
-abolitionists, shareholders and all, in one
common ruin
| For one | cannot act either as a represen-
tative of the people, or as a freeman at the
ballot box, without an immediate respect
to these great questions. must endeavor,
in some way, while | am laboring to ad-
vance the cause of abolition, to act, at the
same time, with view to their speedy and
Just settlement. How shall do this will
often be a matter of considerable difficulty
to determine. But that difficulty docs not
absolve me from the obligation, as repre-
sentative of the people, and as one of the
people to endeavor to perform the complex
duty.
Especially do feel restrained from dis
regarding this duty, in reference to the
great pending question of Protective Tar
if inasmuch as that question involves so
directly the question between the labor of
freemen and the labor of slaves.
Slavery looks with jealousy at the pros
perity which the universal untiring industry
of the North gives it over the unproductve-
ness of slave labor, and the idleness, dissi-
patton and extravaganza which are insepa-
rable from state of slavery. 1t seeks to
conceal the true cause of Southern poverty,
by maintaining that the duties paid under
a tariff for protection are mainly drawn,
directly or indirectly, from the South. 1t
calls protection to free labor oppression"
and on this ground has nullifed the laws
of the United States, and forced
compromise" which, unless arrested in its
progress. will PROSTATE the industry of the
North and West, and drag it down, as far
as anv thing can drag down the industry
and enterprise of freemen to level with
itself. Its hostility to free labor is as deep
and relentless as its hostility to freedom
Surely abolitionists are the last who ought |
to disregard such question as that of pro- |
lection of free labor and yet it seems to |
me they will practically disregard it if they |
insist, under all circumstances, and on all |
occasions. upon running third party tickets
without respect to it.
attach more Importance to this view of
the subject, from the fact that, generally, so
far as my knowledge extends, those who
are induced to support third party tickets
are those who have been, and still are, in
principle, favorable to the interest of protec.
ton, and to the other interests of the coun.
try which are sought to be secured and
maintained by those who are denominated
Wings. The effect, therefore, of third
party organization, is to give an immediate
advantage to the opponents of these inter-
ests which its members generally would,
but for their Independent organization, aid
to promote. 1t seems to me much better,
in the present state of things, that they
| should select from the existing parties men
who are in the main, sound in their views
on the subject of slavery, and say to those
parties, We will support these men; and
we submit IT to you TO say whether, to secure
our support, you will present them as can
didates and thus enable US to advance the
cause which we hold especially dear, while
at the same time, we sustain those other in.
terests which you,as parties,are endeavoring
TO promote. May not aboltitionists better
suhserve the cause of abolition by thus al
ding TO secure the election of men who are
willing TO take moderate ground against
slavery, than to lose their influence as to
all present, practical purposes, by shutting
themselves up within the straitened enclo-
sure of a third political party.
This has been, substantially the course