Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-08-16

lrmed without DIVISION IN their ROOM w ell may
we say in view of these facts, in the words Of J.
@. Adams, that the question of slavery is the
great question on which your interests are con-
cerned in the government of the United States.'-
Two hundred and forty thousand shareholders now
rule more than seventeen millions OF people; ana
a much smaller number have governed tins c0un-
try and its politics during the whole period OF our
national existence, with the exception OF Clght
wears. The whole history of legislation, of NOM
nations. and appointments during this time con-
cIusivelv proves that the south are always united
in making the interests of slavery the first and
PARAMOUNT question, while other political
interests and measures are considered of minor
! importance and attended to afterwards. And why
then should not the Free North make the true in
terests the rights and welfare Gilman before which
all other mere political questions dwindIe into
Insignificance, the paramount object of their eff
forts? We need not urge to sensible men, that
this object can never be accomplished by voting
for Shareholders and their apOlOgists for office.
But, Fellow Citizens, we wish more especially
in this address to impress all, our duty free
men in relation to the welfare of this Congresson-
al District Congress, as we all know, possesses
the power to act i'll a variety of ways directly on
! the question of slavery and its abolition while our
state legislatures are confined merely to the ex-
preston of an opinion. 1t therefore is Of the ut
most importance to the cause of freedom to vQ4e
lbr such candidates only unfiinching adyo-
Gates, ready at all times, and especially while in
Congress, to sustain that cause. During the last
summer our present Representative from this dis
triCt was nominated as candidate by convention
of his party. At, and short time previous to
that nomination, he profcssed great adherence to
tic institution Of slavery and seemed entirely will
ling to engage in efforts for its overthrow. in the
fall after his election our State Legislature passed
among others, the following resolutions.
"Resolved, That we regard the right of Peti-
tiNn as sacred, and hold that the doctrine of the
21st Rule (Which excludes all petitions on the sub
lect of slavery and the rejection Of petitions
der it are known and WantOn violations of the
Constitution and laws ofthe country, and if adhc-
red to by any portion of the Union places that
portion in the attitude of hostility to the constitu-
ton itYeIf which forms the only proper bond of
union among the several States.
Resolved That we desire the speedy aboli-
ton of slavery throughout the whole land, and
that we will use all just and lawful means within
our power to accomplish that end.
Resolved, that our senator's be instructed and
and our Representatives in Congress be requested
to present the foregoing resolutions to their rcspec-
tive House and to use their best endeavors to car
~ out the foregoing principles of this State"
The 2lst Rule, to which alluson is made, is in
the following words.
|"No petition, memorial, resolution, or other paper
praying the abolition of slavery in the District of
Columbia or any State or Territory, or the slave
trade b-tWeen the States or Territories of the T.
S. in which it now exists shall be received Nv This
! House or entertained in anv vav Whatever, );
On the Goth dav of last February. while our
Representative and his colleagues were in Con-
gress Mr.. j. Campbell from South Carolina, not
Mr.. Holmes whose name by mistake was inserted
In resolution of the District Convention, brought
forward the Baltimore resolutions, so called, the
several divisions of which were adopted under the
previous question as follows.
The 4th. "THat all efforts of The .AJozitionists
or others 10 induce CONGRESS- to interfere ,cih The
Qesiion of siaUer on take anciDient Steps in yeLu-
lion thereto Gre calculated 10 lead TO The most alar-
ming and DANGEROUS consequences, haze an ineuila-
bic endency 10 e71donper The haDp5ness of the qpo
nile and The permanencv of The Union, md 0lghi
mot To be c0uttenanced bV ANY friend of ouy 9oIIi
cal inst5iuli0ns.,
Here then was a fine opportunity presented for
Mr. Foot and his associates to obey The instruct
ions of our legislature by s'tsng their hest cndca-
yors in carving out the (an1-slayeryA prjncj0lcs
of this state" Ifthey had stood manflv at their
posts and voted against the above atoGious and
/ slaysh resolution thew would have deserved the
thanks of their constituents But in stcad Of this
we find them deSerljnr in a bodV and utterly rf,.
sinn to east their votes AGAINST the most deadly stn
at Liberty. This resolution against which they
refused to vote is if possible ten yea an hundred
fold more oJo1s than the olst Ie hcfoye auotnJ
That RuIe declares that no netifion ar other ma.
per SC. on the subject of slavery shall be received
by this House-but the above resolution condemns
call efforts" including eve,v variety of effort Of
which petition is but one. The anatbemas of tbi.
resolution are not alone Illuminated against the
'poor, despised' Abolitionsts; for it includes cal
Iel1orts If tho oholitionists or Othprs Fven the