The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-10-09

from among rs, ill slave labor have passed
away, OF be seen TO he passing away, with
certainty OF its speedy and entire disappear
ance.
The accession to power of the Liberty par
~ implies-as take 1.-THE speedy extinct
ion Of slavery every where within our coun-
try: and, Of course. the bringing Of all its
Labor into homogeneous state. Till our la
Dor be brought into this state, all legislation
for its benefits must, necessarily, be, in
great measure, unavailing; and this can be
done only BY the extinction ofSlaveTy.
But you are ready to ask, how could the
Liberty party, il in power, extinguish slavery,
seeing, as is admitted on nearly all hands, that
the general goyemment-except as mar
measure, to save itself-has no constitutional
power over that ms titution in the States!
/ reply-al that is necessary to be done, is
for the appointing poirer Of the general gov
eminent TO bring into its Offices and stations
of honor and trust and profit, throughoutthe
South, only such as are not shareholders
only such as practically acknowledge, that
all men are created equal and entitled to
their lives and liberty
No objection can be made to the con.titu-
tionality Of such course. 1t is as simple,
l
as effective as it is simple, Its spirit and OBJ
iect would commend it 10 all, except the slave
holders themselve sfor have always found
it true that however slow people may them
| selves be, toput away lrrong from among them,
yet when once justice is boldly done on it by
their ruler the act never fails receiving their
heartiest sanction Of appreciation. The slave
holders would at first huddle together for their
d
! ing. They could no more Withstand the
! influence of public opinion, now purified by an
! illustrious act of justic, and flameing on them
| from every side, then the snowdrift Of an
April night can Withstand the meridian rays
of the next days sun.
have written you much longer letter than
/ / intended when commenced writing. The
use you make oft is left entirely at your dis
/ cretion Il impose no terGis Of .'confden-
tial'' character, | entertained no opinions on
subjects Of general concerns, 10 which my fell
/ low citizens who feel interested to know them
! are not perfectly welcoms.-My opinions are
the offspring ofthe best data that can COM
mand. As long as believe them true re-
speci them too highlyito be ashamed of them
If | ascertain them to be faults, it costs me
no struggle to disown them. A single remark
| / beg to add to what have said on the tariff.
am opposed to all rash legislation, or to
violent changes in the existing order Of things
when lawful interests have become implicated
with it. Were | now a member Of Cogress,
l should oppose the repeal Of the present tar
! if, before it was fairly and fully tried. If it
should be found to work well for the country,
and the country,gens rally were satisfied with
it, should continue 10 support it. In this
case my, theory would be proved false by facts
against which no theory ought TO be MAN.
tanned. But should il work i'll for the coun-
try. and their should be growing discomfort
with it, | should favor its reduction to the
revenue standard-but so gradual that all
the interests involved in it might, in the high
est possible degree, be saved from loss.
am Sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servept,
JAMES G. BIRNEY.
Extract from another letter to the same
individual, dated August 18th, 1874, on Dis
tribution:
81 am not in favor Of distributing the pro-
ceeds OF the public lands among the States,
by handing over to each State its proportion
al share. The most safe, simple, just and
efiectual way to make them subserve to the
| interests ofeach and all the States now exis-
ting, as well as of others that may hereafter
be admitted TO the Union. is, to place them in
the treasury of the United States"