Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-11-22
Slave Breeding.

There is an awful phrase, in familiar and un~
questioned use, and unquestoned because it is de-
scriptve Of fact; it is the phrase "Slavebreeding
States J" And it is cooy calculated, if Texas is
annexed, that their number will be increased
Yes, as famliary as we speak of the cotton plant
ing States, or of wool growing, or cattIe-breeding
States. And Virginia, the "Ancient Dominion"
of honor; and Maryland, chvalrous old Maryland,
are willing to be called slave breeding States =
And Kentucky and Tennessee and North CARROLL
nd, if Texas is annexed, to come under the
same horrible description! Why, are the Defend
ers of slavery so blind as to suppose that the world
can tolerate such thing: that the organs ofhuman
speech can utter such phrase without shudder-
ing that they will not spit it out in oathlng and
sc0rn! States that call themselves free, that boast
Of their freedom, and their characteristic business
is to breed men for The SLAVE market! Yes, the
business is breeding They do not marry; they
breed. Their dwellings are not homes, but stalls
and syes. They are torn asunder-husband and
wife, parent and child, and sent to far distant
plantations, in as utter disregard of their groans
and tears, as fthey were Heating sheep, or low
ing cattle. And these-God pity them-these
are men And this is called the virgintial crop.
The slave trade that we abhor so much Why,
this is slave trade 1t is not so bad, grant, as
Selling and selling men who are free; and yet, in
some respects 1t is worse. 1t is not Selling upon
wild barbarians whom never saw before; but
it is taking men and women and children who have
grown up with us, VINO nave hreathed the same
air and walked in the same fields, whose faces
have become as familiar as household things; and
| it is selling and scattering them away into home
| less and hopeless bondage. Nay, and there are
not wanting insances-tOr the sake of humanity
letuS hope they are few-where parents thus sell
| their own children
And all this mass Of horrors in the domestic
slave-trade, is certain to he extended and plolong-
ed by the annexation of Texas. Let me not be
told that is rich country, great acquisition; all
this weighs nothing with me against the nsnpera-
bic moral objection. II its plains were paved with
gold, and its. mountains were studded all over with
diamond rocks, | would not take it on the terms
proposed. IF were the paradise Of Heaven
would not take it on these terms
Nay, and if thought it probable, as some be-
leve, that the annexation of Texas would shorten
the term Of slavery, would uot take it. To ex-
tend the system over territories, is certainly
very strange way of shortening its reign; and this
far enough, know, from the purpose of its
leading roectors and advocates. The Texans de-
clared in their constitution that slavery there shall
never be abolished There is such thing doubt
less. as weakening thing by diffusion; but can
not see in slavery any such tendency. Let it alone,
1t must die out ofitSelf; its only chance Of living
is to take root in new and richer lands. Is not
that the very argument ofmany of the advocates
of annexation "Our prosperity is failing US; il
must have another field" But even if | thought
it might sooner die in that richer field would not
consent to take it. cannot eSpouse the system of
human bondage, in order to gain relief from it,
cannot do wrongin order TO destroy wrong. Or
UiHe Deuey's discourse on Slavery and The .4nner-
alton Of Tepas.