The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-08-15

into lnsigni!icance, the paramount objec
OF their efforts ? We need no u 10 sensi'
Bile men, lhatthis object can never be ac-
complished by voting for shareholders or
for the nominees of slaveholders and their
apologies for office.
But, Fellow Citizens, we wish more
especiallyin this address to impress on all
our duty as freemen in relation to the wei.
fare of this Congressional District. Con.
gress, as we all know, possess the power
10 act in a variety of ways directly on the
question of slavery and its abolition while
our state legislatures are confined merely
10 the expression of an opinion. 1t there
fore is Of the utmost importance to the
cause Of freedom 10 vote for such cdndi-
dates only os are ~un1inching advocates,
ready a! aIltimes, and especially while in
Congress,to sustain that cause. During the
last summer our presentRep'sentative from
this district was nominated as candidate
by a convention of his party. AT, and a
short time previous 10 that nomination he
protested great adherence 10 the institu-
ton OF slavery and seemed entirely will
ing to engage in efforts for its overthrow.
In the fall after his election our State Leg
~islature passed among others the follow
ing resolutions,
Resolved, That we regard the right of
Petition as sacred, and hold that the doc
lrine Of the 2lst Rule (Which ex.
cludes all petitions on the subject o~fslave.
ry) and the rejection of petitions under it
are known and wanlon violations of the
Constitution and laws of the country, and
if adhered 10 by any portion of the Union
places that portion in the attitude of hos
tillly 10 the constitution itself, which forms
the only proper bond ofunion among the
several States.
Resolved, That we desire the speedy
abolition o. slavery throughout the whole
land, and that we will use all just and
lawful means within our power 10 accom-
plish that end.
Resolved, that our senators be i%ns.ruc-
ted and our Representatives in Congress
be requested to present the foregoing res
o%lutions to their respective Houses and 10
use their best endeayors 10 carry out the
foregoing principles ofthis State
The 2lst Rule, to which a%llusion 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 be-
tween the States or Territories of the u
nited States in which it now exists, shall
be received by this House or entertained
in any way whatever"
On the 26lh day of last February, while
our Representative and his colleagues
were in Congress Mr.. J. Campbell from
South Carolina, not Mr.. Holmes whose
name by mistake was inserted ina reso-
luton 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 4Ih. "TH0t all efforts Of The Ado.
Htionists or Others to induce COngre IS TO
interfere Nth The question Of slarery or
TO take incipient Steps IN relation thereto
are calculated 10 lead 10 The most alarm
ing aud Hanger n consequences, have an
inevitaJle tendency TO endamger the hap
piness of the people and the permonency
Of Me Union, and ought not to be coun-
tenancsd By ANY friend @Our political
institutiOns.'
Here then was a fine opportunity pre-
scented for Mr.. Foot and his associates to
obey the instructions OF our Legislature by
"using their bes! endeavors in carrying
out the" (onti.sIavery) "priucipIes of this
state.' If they had stood manfuIIy at
their posts and voted against the above
alrocious and slavish resolution they
would have deserved the thanks of their
con stituents. But instead of this, we find
them deserting IN a body and utterly re-
fusing to cast their votes against this most
deadly stab at Liberty. This resolution
against which they refused TO vote, is if
possible ten, yea al hundred fold more
odious tina the 2lst Rule before quoted.
That Rule declares that no petition or
other paper &c on the subject Of slavery