The Northern galaxy, and Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1843-1844, 1844-01-03
" NOT VERY IMPORTANT

~ NOT fERI IMPORTANT.
If we have never greatly admired The lo,,-
learning or mental comprehension of J.J.
diah Holcomb editor of the Voice, who h.
seen fit to constitute himself the expOunder
of the true abOlitiouism to the people of Yer.
mont, we have till now ever regarded him ~.
Il very clever fellow, but unfortunately born
under an ultra star. and for years so pos ses,-
ed by the single idea, as to be seldom able 70
arrive at any practical conclusion upon his
favorite subject. We have not therefor.
heretofore deemed it of any avail to m7ke
any application of reason and argument 10
his frequent alterations, aliho We have been
ever willing to give him credit for man. good
things he has done TO the cause in Occasional
intervals OfcOrrect mental vision. Nor shoud
we at this time have departed from orr usual
tract had it not been for the very disingenu-
Gus and discorteous manner in which he has
seen fit to misrepresent US to the public.
Whether Mr.. Holcomb has overthrow
or in the least degree shaken the strong posi-
tons taken By the author of Junius, hv his
long array of facts true enough perhaps, but
having no just bearing upon the points under
consideration, We shall not stop to examine.
Our sole object is with that portion of tho
six columns which he has chosen to devote
to the Editor of the Galaxy, in which VIC are
designed to be exhibited to the public as an
enemy to political abolition, by endeayoring
to convince the people that they should wait
% years before any move should be made in
The north against slavery, and these concu-
sions he draws from the following extract
from our editorial of the 18th instant.
ABoLIrIoSIsM.-We have never doubted
for moment the propriety of asitating the
subject of slavery in land of freedom, of de-
p;cting its iniquity, and computing Its evils
nor V ould we ever vote FOR candidate for
Congress who we believe would shrink from
brcasting himself against the advance Of
slavery single inch beyond what is cOnced-
ed by the Constitution. But we never tn
tertained strong hopes Of abOlishing slavery
by appealing 10 the consciences of sldvehold-
egs alone. We have trusted more to causes
now in active operation, deriving their elica-
CIV from self interest, which are slowly but
surely undermining the horrid fabric of slave
~ at The South, aud il we will wait patient
Is quarter of 4 century, we shall behold it
rapidly crumbling to its final oxtiction.
In scarcely number of the Peoples Press
since or connexion with it, have we failed
to appeal to the public against the neral
guilt and destructive consequences Of slavery
upon the prosperity Of the country, the az
gressions of the slaveOcracy upon northern
rights, and the trucking of northern locofocc-
isn to the domiaee.ius spirit of the south,
and declaring our firm resolve not to sust1in
any man in congress, who wculd not stand
up firmly for every measnre consistent with
the constitution, and the existence OF the un-
ion, which would tend TO limit or remedy the
evil Of slavery. And we would ask the rea-
der " hat is this extract from our former nUu-
Der but repetition of the sentiments which
we have long urged upon the public against
slavery, with the expression Of strong adji-
tional hopes that the world would witness is
final overthrow in quarter of Il century,
from causes now in active operation, deriv-
ing their efficacy from self interest, the nature
and progress OF which we attempted to ex-
plain. For when has the love of justice and
religion ever relaxed the grasp of slavehoh-
ersl No one except the carping editor Of
Voice, who has doubtless long been painting
for an opportunity of diseharging his harm
less missiles against us would have had the
cool effrontery of giving it any other interPre-
tatiOn.
If his object in doing so is to place himself
before the people of this region as the sole
champion of abolitionism we sperm the mo-
tive'which prompts this false Interpretation.
We have ever stood on the broad ground not
only of opposition, but of immediate action
against slavery in every way in which it
can honestly be done with any reasonable
prospect Of success. Nor do we believe that
those who always appear in the most glitter
ing armour and make the most boisterOus
claims to exclusive attachment TO abolition
ism, and trampoose through the state to OBJ
tain support for publications which can live
only in the misty atmosphere of ultraism'
arc entitled to half the confidence in their
sympathy for the slave, and adherence
Of oppression, as those who set themselves
calmly and disingenuously to work by every
practical means to strike of their CHAINS
We wish to abolish slavery, but we would
do it standing upon the constitution. We
would not follow the example of the great ao-
clifton convention held at Buffalo, in invok-
ing the authority of the great sovereign OIL
the universe against the constitution, decar'
ing that lcs ought to obey God rather than
man, and hence that part of the consuln-
ton was n,h and roid. We would not SCI up
9, d;,;,a coJa in our IMAGINATION as superior