Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-03-31


the money, collected from our people of the
free States, had been appropriated directly
to the support of slavery. 1t is now my
purpose TO refer to some instances in which
the people Of The free States have been com
PEELED to suffer pecuniary Inconvenience and
loss, for the benefit Of the slaveholding in
terests of the south
II is more than forty years since the peo-
pie Of Hayti, following the example which
we had set them, achieved their independ-
cnce, aud establish government of their
own. By their acts of valor and patriotism
they became as much entitled to rank a.
mong the governments of the earth, as we
did by our revolution. This claim has been
acknowledged by France and England, and,
indeed, so far as | am informed, by all the
civilized nations Of the earth, Except the u
nited States. So Ear from recognising the
government Of Hayti, at an early day we
passed law to suppress all commercial
intercourse between our people aud the peo-
pie Of that Island. wide act of Congress,
approved 2Sth February, 1907 This was
done because the people had, most of them,
been slaves; and il was designed to with
hold from them our provisions in order to
bring upon them famine and distress, lest
their example might induce the slaves in
our southern States to assert their liberty
1t is true that hazardous and uncertain
trade existed between our people of New
England and those of Hayti but we have
been virtually cut off from the profits aud
advantages of commerce with that island
for the reason that Intercourse with that peo-
pie might affect the slaves of the southern
States. and render them discontinued in
their chains of bondage. Most of this time
we have been virtually excluded from the
commerce of the British West India Islands.
In the mean time Hayti has offered TO our
merchants golded temptations for their A
merican produce. These temptations they
were compelled to forego in order that the
southern slaves might be held in ignorance
of their rights. Our farmers of Ohio have
been denied market for their wheat, -four,
beef, pork, and other produce, in order to
maintain such state of ignorance in the
slave States as would enable the masters to
hold their slaves in subsection.
have already alluded to the fact that, by
law existing in most of the slave States,
colored seamen, when they arrive in port.
are liable to be seized and imprisoned, lest
their presence might create desire for lib
erty among the slaves. If the persons thus
imprisoned are found unable to paw the ex-
travagant charges for their arrest aud i'm
prisonment, they are to be sold into slavery.
These proceedings have operated as tax
upon the commerce of our northern States.
Thus have our interests been made to SUBJ
serve the Interests of slavery. In this way
the Federal Government has extended its
fostering care over that institution, at the
expense of the people of the free States
For forty years we have thus been rendered
tributary to the slave States Our Govern
ment still refuses to enter into commercial
relations with that Of Hayti, and the inter
ests Of our ship owners, our salors. our
merchants, our mechanics and farmers, are
depressed and discouraged, in order that TO-
norance and slavery may be prolonged in
the south. And where are our statesmen
or our editors, of either party who boldly
denounce this fragrant abuse of northern
Interests and northern rights! Nay, | ap-
peal to every thinking candid man, to say
whether a frank and temperate maintenance
of our rights on this subject has not been re-
garded as unconstitutional and dshonorobr
by portion of our people Of the north D.
So long, so tamcly and silently, have we been
accustomed to yield up our interests for the
benefit OF slavery, that an open assertion of
our rights, and support of our interests, is
regarded with distrnst and jealousy.
In 1916, our people of the free States
were deeply engaged in commerce our
ships navigated every sea; our sailors were
numerous our merchants were ENJOYING
al,
encouraged by ready market for their pro-
ducts. The war, then but Just closed, had
LETT our nation in debt a hundred millions
of dollars was to be raised, beside the cur
rent expenses of government Southern
statesmen considered that the interests Of
the slave holding States would be promoted
by leyyIng this vast sum upon the commerce
of the free States. The command was civ
en-, and the blow was struck Twelve thou-
sand seamen were turned out of employ.
commerce was crippled and thousands Of
our ship owners and merchants were ruined
and the industry of the north was, for a sea-
son. paralyzed for the purpose of relieving
the slave States of their due proportion Of
our public debt and the expenses of Govern
ment.
AT length our people of the north gradu-
ally CONFIRMED to the tariff of 1916, and
subsequent amendments. They vested their
fortunes, accumulated by industry and econ
omy, in the factories designed to supply our
nation with such fabrics as were deemed
necessary TO the comfort of our people,
Our iaborers again found employ Indus
try was encouraged. Our farmers of Ohio
found ready market for their produce; pros
perity again cheered every department of
society in the free States Our public rev.
enues were ample. Our national debt was
paid off; our harbor improvements, the inn