Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-03-17

NUMBER v.
HioLniions OfLhe Consultation continued.

Mr. EDITOR: Ia my last communication, re. |
ferred to some Of The instances in which the mon
eV collected from Our people Of the free States,
had been appropriated directly to the support of
slavery. It is now my purpose 10 refer to some
instances in which the people OF the free States
have hceu Completed 10 suffer pecunury incon-
yeuience aud loss, Tor the benefit o the sluvehold-
ing Interests of the south.
1t is more than forty years since The people OF
llayti, following The example which we had set
them, achieved their independence aud established
q government of their owu.-By their acts OF val
or aud patriotism, lhey became rs mach enttled
TO II rank among tue governments OF the earth, as
we did 10y our revelation. This claim HAS been
acknowledged Ivy France and England aud, in
deed, SO far us am informed, by all the civilized
nuloue oi the earth, trcept The United STATES. 60
far from recognizing the government Of iIayt, AT
ri early day passed lazy to suppress ull ccni-
nerclal intercourse het our people and tiie
people OF Iha, Island. Vide act Of Congress, APP !
proved 2SIh February, 1867 THIS was done he.
cause the people bud, most Of them, been slaves
and il WAS designed to Withhold from them our
piovIsio,,s in order to bring upon them famine aud
distress, lest their example might Induce The
slaves in southern States 70 assert their liberty.
|; is true that hazardous and uncertain trade has
existed betwGeH our people of New England and
those Of ilnyii, lat we nre ,ifua'ly cut OFT from
The profits ana advantages of n commerce with
bat island, for the reason ltlnl intercourse with
1Aat people might uAect the slaves OF the southern
States, Uud render Them discWltenlcd IA their
chains Of bondage. Most of this time we have
been virtually excluded from the commerce of the
British West India Islands. In the meantime Hay
Ii has offered 10 our merchants golden temptations
for their American produce. These Temptations
they were compelled to farego in order that The
southern slaves Mght be held ia Ignorance Of their
rights. Our farmers of OHIO have been denied
market for their wheat -four beet, pork, aud 9TH
er prodnce in order 10 manan such slute OF
ignorance in the slave States would enable the
coasters to hold thViy slaves in sihiectOn.
| have already alluded 10 &he iuct that, Ivy law
existing in most OF the slave States, coIeftd sea
meh, when they arrive in port, ara liable to he
seized ard inlrisoncd lest Their presence might
create ii lesire fur liberty aHoHg the slaves II
the persons thus Imprisoned ure found unable to
pay the exuavngant charges tor their arrest und
imprisonment, they are 10 be sold INTO slavery. In
this way The Federal Government has extended
its fostering care that institution, nj the ex
pense Of the people Of the free States For forty
years have thus teeu rendered tributaty to The
slave States. Our Government sill refuses to en-
ter into commercial relations with tilut of Huyii,I
and the interests OF oar shipuwhgvs, oar sailors,
our merchants, our meClnnlcs aud farmers, are
depressed ard discouraged, in order tlat igRursnce
and slavery p4ay he prolonged in The south. And
where are our statesmen, or our editors, OF either
party, who boldly deuounce this Aagraut abuse OF
northern interests end northern rights? Nay, !
appeal to every thinking, candid nan, to say
whether u frank aud temperate maintenance IF
our rights O" ibis subject has net been regarded
as unconstitutional aud dtshoRordJle by n portion
OF our people OF the north! So long, go lamely
and silently, have we been accustomed to yied up
our interests for the benefits OF slavery, that an
open assertion oi our rights, aud support OF oar
interests, is regarded with dislrust and jealousy.
In 1916, our people of the tee States were
deeply engaged in commerce our ships navigaed
every sea; uur sallols were numerous; our uter-
chants were enjoying profitable commerce. Our
farmers were encouraged 10y IL ready market for
thelr products The war, then but just closed,
had lett our nation in debt hundred millions
Of dollars was TO be raised, beside the current ex-
penses of Government. Southern statesmen con-
sidered that The interests Of the slsYeholdng States
would be promoted 10y levy Jag this yast SUM upon
the commerce Of the free States. The coiunand
was gwen, aud The hlow was struck. Twelve
thousand seamen were tIrned uut Of employ,
commerce was crippled, and thousands OF our
shpowners and inerchsns were ruined, and the
industry of ke norlk was, for seasUR parslys
for The i'1rpO'e OF relieving tho slave States OF
their dae proportion of our pubic debt aud the
expenses OF Government.
Al cHgth our people Of the north gradually
conormed to the Tariff Of 1916, and subsequent
amendments, They vested Their fortunes, uccu.
uulated hy industry and economy, in the taclo
ries designed to supply our nation with such tab
RIGS ms Were deemed necessary 10 the comfort OF
our people. Our lnhorers sgaiu found employ
Industry WAS encouraged. Our farmers Ct Ohio
found ready market for their produce; prosperi.
~ again ciIeGred every department OF society IN
the Tree States Our public revenues weIe ample.
Our national debt was tiaid off oar har4or in =
provemenis, tlIe Improvement of our river navi-
CATION and our Cumberland road, we're going tor
ward with rapdny When the slayei,oiding lniu-
eDre became dissatisfied, RHd threatened DISCO
luton of the Union. One Of the slave States az.
nod il t,iltt
prosperity, ~rd TO reduce the Federal Government
TO the necessity Of changing lis policy for the Ian
ced purpose o! forcing prosperity utfon the slave
States, ia defiance Olthat law of Providence which
has ordained thai It shall never result from oppres-
sion and vice. The compromise net OF 1883 was
nothing more nor less than the mandate OF south =
ern statesmen, ly which they directed that our
hofbor and river improvements shouId cease that
the sale OF Ohio wheat, flour, pork, and heel, IL
New England, should stop: and that our farmer.
should Ice deprived OF home market for their
produces e. at the manu- Iacturers OF New England
should he rVined liant hundreds OF thousands o
lahOrers should be turned out of employ tha
inc revenues OF Government should be struck
down; thai IA national debt should be incurred
public credit impaired, and private credit ruined
tor the purpose oil sustaining and encouraging tn,
interests OF Ihe slave States. The mandate wa
hheyed, and The people Of the free States huv,
quietly, and almost sllently, subR,ited TO the los
Oh WnlpIu hllll'hsi Tor lhe henett OF tie sluv
states. The writer Won Il not lIe understood II
saying these were violations OF the Constitution
but that they were as clearly " taiions Of The rghi
Of The free Stdtes as were The appropriations 4
money Tor the express purpose OF capturing fug
tive slaves. IL is lbus that our commerce. vii
HayIi has bean cut off, and our domestic labor la
been lett 10 compete with The paul,er labor OF EI
rope, IN order that The interests Of the slave State
might he protected sustained, aud upheld at til
expense OF northern irceu.n.
Under tho law distributing the proceeds of III
public lands among the several States a fund we
provided, by which all our norlhern States woul
have exricned themselves from their ~ esen en-
barrassments, aud would have been enabled
complete their internal improve nenls already cou
menced Our canals aud railroads would hay
given increased facilities TO our internal commerc,
stimulated our agricultural and mechanical labo