The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-11-06

but for myself, dare not follow their teach
ing. Ii is said by them, that il is wrong 10
vote for slave holder, or for one who will
support slave holder. | answer, that it is
their duty to do the greatest good in their
power, and to prevent all evil which it is in
their power to prevent; and if to effect that
object, 1t becomes necessary to vote fora
Shareholder, it will be RIGHT, and a duty for
them TO do So | once asked pious divine
il he would vote for Mr.. Clay, were he con-
scious that by so doing he would abolish
slavery! He replied that he uould not.
pronounce no judgement upon his theology.
To his own master he stands or falls. | may
say however, that dare not follow his pre-
cepts. The men belonging to the Liberty
party atihe last election defeated at least six
candidates for Congress, who, If elected,
would have voted to repeal the gag-rule, and
the slave laws Of the District of Colombia
Had they been elected-as they might navo
been-I fully believe those laws would have
been repealed. therefore think those men
responsible for their continuance.
The success ofthe Democratic party, at
the ensuing election, will be regarded as the
voice ofIhe people in favor OF extending and
perpetuating slavery. That object may be
defeated by the aid Of Liberty fsieuds. This
is clearly obvious 10 every man; yet some
members of that party say, that the aLnexa-
ton Of Texas and consequent extension OF
slavery, Is but a circumstance in the life Of
that institution, and is no good reason why
they should abandon their political orsaniza-
ton to oppose it, But if Texas is annexed
to this Union, and slavery extended over
that territory, under the protection tf our
laws, and the precedent established, that we
are bound to sustain il with our treasure and
our blood, the existence Of the Liberty party
will then be of no use, so far as slavery IS
concerned. Ourselves and our children.
aud our childreu's children, will pass away
before any efforts from the free States Can
aid the slave in obtaining his rights. The
institution will then bid defiance 10 al our
lahOrs of philanthropy; we may then fold
our arms and sit down in gloomy silence;
instead Of striking the chains from the limbs
Of the slave, We shall have fastened them up
on our own. The Liberty party may
then afford support to some few editors and
travelling lecturers, but they will lend no ray
Of hope TO the down-Irodden slave. He will
then be placed beyond the reach of their eff
orts. The scepIre Of political power will
| again be swsyed by the advocates of eternal
slavery. whose ears are impene,rable to tho
cries of humanity.
But souie Liberty men insist, that MIR.
Clay Is not fully committed against the au-
nexation of Texas" They admit that to bs
the great question now pending between the
two parties; that the Democratic party is
rallying 10 favor OF annexation, and the
Wings against it; that Mr.. Polk was nuniin-
ated upon the principle that he was in favor
Of il. They know that opposition to the an-
nexalion OF Texas Is the rallying cry Of the
Wing party; that they are concentrating
their energies and efforts upon that point;
and that they stand pledged before tbs
world to prevent annexation, if possible.
Mr.. Clay Is their Candidate with full know /
edge OF all these facts. lie must, therefore,
turn traitor to Inuse who elect bin, or he
must use his influence against the annexation
Of Texas. | think no man will regard him
as capable of such violation Of faith
By conserving to run as the candidate Of
those who are openly and av0wedly opposed
to that policy, lie stands strongly committed
to carry out their views, even had he said
nothing upon the subject. But, by refer
| ereuce to his letter on ,hst subject, we find
him pointing to the odium which ian Impair
tial and enlightened world" will cast upon
Us, If We obtain further territory, 'for the
purpose Of propagating Slavery from the
United States" and dcprecatina the intro
duction into our government "Of new ele-
mont of discord and distraciioD;" that is. the
support Of slavery. He then goes On TO say,
that "1er1s ought not 10 be admitted into The
Union az an integral part hereot, in d. cided
opposition 10 The riskeS Of considerable and
respectable portion Of Tie conJederacy." This
expression OF his sentiments, as explained by
l. II.
ooss Monitor, has reference to the STATES,
| comprising The Union; and be illustrates his
views still farther by saying that he regards
our Union "a, ereai Political eopartrefskip"
thus making the annexation OF Texas de-
pend upon the consent OfdH HE States: For
every man is aware that no new member can
be admitted into copar;nership, without
the consent of all The old members.
1t is equally obvious, that no portion of
these States can annex the other 10 Texas,
and while single State refuses TO enter into
copartnership with Texas. the annexation bv
the others, would itselfbe dissolution of Tho
Union, which Mr.. Clay declares has been the
leading object Of his life to prevent This
expression of Mr.. CLAWS opinions / regard
as satisfactory. When Ohio, Vermont,
Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachus-
etts shall eachrescind their resolutions against
annexation, and consent TO unite their politi-
cal destinies with slaveholding Texas, shall
neither ask nor expect Mr.. Clay TO oppose
that measure. But, after the Executive and
many Democratic statesmen had asserted
the constitutional obligation of the federal
Government TO sustain slavery in The States,
Mr.. Clay declared "the preservation eycia-
sirely by the sereraL States, ofhheir osen local
and peculiar Institutions" 10 be the Wing
doctrines. This was stated at the close Of
his speech at Raleigh, in April last. 1t is the
identical doctrine for " hich anti-slavery men
contend. They would erelude the federal
Government and the free States from all par
ticipation in the preservation Of an institu-
ton which we hold in such unqualified detes-
tation. This is truly Wing doctrine, for il is
| the doctrine Of the Constitution, which gives
us no power to preserve slavery. 1t is the
doctrine Of Mr.. Clay, as put forth in his
speech of 1889, in which he denies to the
federal Government all powers in regard to
slavery, except as to taxation, representa-
ton and the return Of fugative slaves"
This doctrine is directly opposed to that
which is now asserted by the Democratic