The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-06-28

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the mother has been known, in the muller
able anguish of her soul, 10 murder the chill
dren of her own body, to prevent their oth-
erwise inevitable doom of being exposed TO
a southern slave market; and then with
hands reeking with the blood Of her off
spring, TO sever the thread Of her own Cxis-
fence, rather than meet The tortures of that
"execrable commerce." now carried on un-
der the sanction of this law. passed and sus-
tanned by votes of northern representatives.
Petitions are forwarded every year TO Con-
gress, praying that body TO repeal this law,
and thereby release the people Of The north
from the soul.sickening gull attendant up
on this trade in suffering humanity. Yet
these petitions are treated with contempt,
and we are compelled 10 continue involved
IN It's turpIthde, fearing that our release rom
it ,oould affect the interests of The sIduedeai>
ers. To prevent our release from this gull,
every Democratic member ofCongress from
Ohio has, for years, united his influence and
efforts with the shareholders Of the south.
Indeed. they have stood before the world as
she Swiss Guards" of the savedealers !;
ready. on all occasions, 10 fight the battles
of those who follow traffic condemned and
execrated by the civilized world cursed of
God, and hated by man. will not occupy
time by any thing more than mere refer
ence 10 the fact that slavery and the slave
trade exists in the Territory of Florida, un-
der the sanction and appreciation Of the
Congress Of the United States In the
guilt of thus sustaining and continuing tie
institution in that Territory, the peoph, Of
The free States are deeply involved, while
their petitions, 10 be relieved from such
guilt, are Indignantly secuted from the halls
uflegislaiion by their servants in the House
of Representatives.
In former number referred 10 the fact
that the Executive of the United States has
put forth on: national influence for many
years "to prevent the abolition of SLAVERY in
The Islani of Cuba" for the reason that ''tEe
sudden emancihatiOn of a numerous popula-
lion could mol but be uery sensibly feh upon
The adjacent shores Of The United States. II
How far these efforts of our Government
have involved us in the guilt of slavery and
of the slave trade. as they have been carried
on there for he last fifteen years, ! am IN
able 10 determine. refer 10 facts, and
leave them for the consideration of the rel-
der.
The troops Of the United States have Of
ten oeen called on TO support the intuition
OF slavery by the direct interposilion of our
arms. More than five hundred slaves were
captured by our army in Florida, and relur.
ned 10 a state Of intcrminable slavery
Wide ex. doc. 45, of last session Of Con-
gress.) Thus the people of the free State
have been involved in all guilt Of cnslaving
our fellow men, in order that the slavehold-
ers may have the benefit Of their labor.
In my fourth number ! referred 10 the
manner in which fort within the Terrific
ry Of Florida was blown up, and two hun
lred and seventy men. women, and children
were murdered by the crew of gun-boal
detached from our naval force, for the sole
purpose Of robbing them of their lives. for
no other reason Than that they were unwil>
ling 10 be robbed Of their liberty. This nur-
der, unparalleled in the history Of any free
and enlightened government on earth, was
commit ed by persons in our employ-by
our agents, acting in our name and BY oar
authority. We we're thus involved in the
guilt of violently sending two hundred and
seventy Of our fellow beings TO their final
doom, in order that slavery may continue
and prosper.
"The deep damna;ion of their taking off ,
rests on us-on the people Of the free States,
as well as on those of the slave STATES.
10 the general support which our Govern
ment has given 10 slavery. they have invol-
we'd our people of the free States in The gen.
eral guilt of that institution. The late cen
sus has given US some interesting data by
which The number of lives annually Sdcrif-
ced among the slaves may be estimated
with an approximation TO truth. Ii has been
said by some intelligent Shareholders, that
the most profitable time in which 'to use
up a Slere, icaS seuen years BY this ii is
understood that the holder may make more
profit from his slave by driving him so hard
as to make the average length Of life among
his slaves no more than seven years after
they reach maturity. BY comparing the
number of deaths, between the ages of TWEEN
~ and forty, among the slaves of The south
and the aborers of the north. some opinion
may be formed as TO the number of murders
by the abuse of slaves in the United Stuies.
The writer speaks from memory when he
sta ties, that such comparisons show that four
hundred thousand human lives have been
sacrificed to The Mnloch of slavery within
tine United States between 1880 and 1910.
In the gnilt ofihese wholesale murders the
people oflhe free States have been involved,
in lust such degree as they have lent their
influence and aid in supporting that institu>
lion. Every man who uses his influence
to withhold from our people knowledge of
these facts, and Of their rights 10 be exempt
from this inconceivabie amount of guilt, be-
comes accessory 10 the murders thus COM
milied. Our public men and editors, who
endeavor to suppress tho agitation Of our
*Every Denoeratie member from Ohio has, for
years, opposed all attempts to repeal this law, or TO
stop the traffic in slaves.
tSince the publication Of this article, attempt
has been made in Congress disapprove Of a terri