Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-08-23
THE GOLD MAN ELOQUENT"A
j, G.. BIRNEY.

The following extract is from letter written by
James G. Birney, short time since, in reference
to John Quincy Adams:
His course, in my judgment, has been ecccn-
trio, whimsical, Observation-Disclosures, in part, by
weak and nconcusive, not to say frivolous argu-
ments and taken as a whole, thus far, is unworthy
Of statesman of large views and right temper, in
a great national conjecture. Mr.. Adams owes
much of his present popularty-mdy not say near
Ia ALTO his connection lUiih the anti slavery agita-
ton .4boliiionists hare contributed more than any
other class Of persons to'swe the tide of his infu-
ence. That influence is now active in terrifying
against them every practicable point at which they
have attacked slavery in this country and his qua
81 sympathy with them, gives to it an independent
and unusual force. There is no one tcho is doing
so much 10 deaden The awakening sensibltieS of our
countrmeu against The private iniq,nty and public
disgrace Of Slavery, as Mr.. Adams"
Such is the assault of professed friend of Hu.
man Rights upon the most fearless, the most pow
erful, and the most effective opponent of Slavery
which this country has produced. We cannot bet
ter illustrate the injustice of the assault than by
giving the following letter.
LETTER FROM MIR. ADAMS-EMANCI-
PATTON.
The anniversary of West India Emancipation
was celebrated on the LIST at various places in New
England. AT Concord an Grafton was delivered
by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and at bingham there
was meeting of 500 in grove, pic mic, &c.
The following letter was read -
Miss Tharter-In declining the invitation which
received last summer to attend the celebration of
the First of August, it was in wise my intention
to express disapprobaton of the celebration itself.
The Abolition Of Slavery in the Colonies of Great
Britain by the Parliament of that realm, was an
event, at which if the whole human race could have
been concentrated in one person, the heart of that
person would have leaped for JOY The restoration
of eight hundred thousand human beings from a
state of grinding oppression to the rights bestowed
upon them by the God of Nature at their birth,
was of itself cause of rejoicing to the pure in
heart throughout the hosptable earth. But that
Is not the only nor the most radiant glory of that
day. 1t was the pledge of Power and of Will of
the mightest nation upon the Globe that the bon
dage of man shall cease that the manacle and
fetter shall drop from every limb; that the ties of
nature shall no longer be outraged by mans inhu-
manity to man that the self-evident truths of our
Declaration of Independence shall no longer be
idle mockeries, belied by the transcendent power
of Slavery welded into our Constitution. 1t was
the voice of the herald, like that of John the Bap-
fist in the wilderness, proclaming, as with the
trump of the archangel, that the standing, funda-
mental policy of the British Empire was thence
forth the peaceable Abolition of Slavery through
out the world.
Well, then, may the friends of Freedom and of
Man rejoice at the annual return of that day. Well
may they, from far and wide, assemble and meet
together in mutual graduation at the return of SO
blessed day. We'll may they come in crowds to
cheer and encourage one another, to contribute,
cry one according to his ability, to the final con-
summation of this glorious and stupendous under
taking. My unwingness to participate in it arose
only from shame for the honor and good name Of
my country, whose Government under false and
treacherous pretence OF cooperating with Great
Britain for the suppression of one of the forms of
this execrable system of Slavery, has been now for
| series of years pursuing and maturing counter
action of the purpose of Universal Emancip patton,
and organizing an opposite system for the mainten-
ance preservation, propagation and perpetuation Of
Slavery throughout the earth.
| For the last fifteen years this unhaowed purpose
has been constantly, perseveringly and unblushing
ly persisted in, with pertnacity of exertion and
perfidy in the use of means never surpassed by
any conspiracy formed against the liberties of
mankind. The dismemberment of the. neighbor-
ing Republic of Mexico, the Redistribution of sla-
very throughout immense portion Of her terrific
ny, and the purchase or conquest Of California, with
the lying pretension of re annexng Texas to this
Union, have been and yet are among these profit
gate and unprlnciped means. An absurd and pre-
posterous attempt to pick quarrel with Great
Britain, upon false and frivolous pretences, Is an
other The utter prostration OF the exclusive Con-
stutional power of Congress to declare Wharf.-The
whole compound budget of blunders and of crimes
the abortiye negotiation of treaty of plumber
and robbery, which the Senate had the common
sense and common honesty almost unanimously to
reiect-the garng falsehood by which the Texans
themselves were inveged into the negotiation--all
these, and many more enornties of the deepest
dive, are but parts and parcels Of the agony of Sla-
very, struggling for existence and perpetuation a.
gainst the awakening conscience of mankind.
The abortion Of save-mongering diplomacy, mis-
called Treaty, attempted in the last hours of an
administration detested and despised even by its
own partzans, is the last act of this knot of con-
spirators against Human Freedom. Their foul and
filthy purpose has at length been extorted from
them. Iii by an exterminating war; to rob Mex