The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-10-17

gradually, that all the Interests involved
in it might, in the highest possible degree,
be saved ION loss.
am, sir, very resecltully y,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES G. BIRNEY.
Ito The Hartford Committed
LOWER SAGINAw, Mich.
August Is, 1874
GENrLEMEN:-Your letter of the LIST
instant, came 10 hand a few days ago.
You do me but Justice in according TO me
eulire willingness to communicate the opin-
ions that | entertain on subjects of nation
al concern to such of my fellow citizens
as feel enough of interest in knowing
what they are, to make inquiry OF me IN
relation 10 them. proceed therefore 10 an
swer your questions in the order in which
they appear in your letter-except the
first, relating TO Me Tariff. Ga this
communicated my views very recently to a
gentleman in Pittsburgh. He will, doubt
less, publish the letter in which these
views are presented. if he has not already
done so. 10 that letter | beg 10 refer
you for my answer to your first In'erroya-
tory.
3. am not in favor of distributing the
proceeds OF the Public Lands among the
States, by handing over to each State lis
PROPORTIONAL share. The most safe, SIM
nle, lust and etfectual way to make them
subselve the interests of all the States
now existing, as we'll as of others that
nav hereafter, be admitted into the Union,
is 10 place them in the Treasury OF
United States.
8, Congress has power under the Con-
s~,ilulion 10 establish a National Bank.
Opposite views Of this power have been
taken at different times by Congress.
The Constitutional poiot, however, has
been submitted 10 the Supreme Court
the tribunal provided by the Constitution
for authoritaIiyeIy deciding this and all
such questions. THAI tribunal has decid-
ed in favor of the constitulionali'y OF a
\ National Bank. In this decision l fully
concur.
a. | am rot 10 favor of creating Il Ma
ional Bank whilst slavery is continued in
our country. Slave Labor, on a large
scale, can never support itself; or,
should rather say, it can never support
the incidence and the prodlga!ity, which
it never fails TO beget in those who lay
claim 10 is fruits. 1t has been estimated
that the slave states were indebted to tht
free, in Ut least, three hundred millions o
dollars at the crash OF 1887. l am not a
ware that this estimate has been called II
question, because oflhe largeness OF TIT
, sum. The interest on 1t, suppose, wa
not paid 10 anv considerable extent, befor'
the principal was discharged by the lega
Bankruptcy of the debtors. The late Ma
tional Bank, with its branches extending
throughout the South, afforded great Ia
~ciIities 10 that insolvent portion of tn
( country for possessing itself of the North
t | would not reRew these facilities VIVA
might be my views on this subject, if al
the labor of the country were free,
would, perhaps, be superauous in me nov
) 10 say.
t Commercial men of all parties spea'
J.. mvorabIy of the present state OF The EN-
. changes thro'out the country, AS It Ia
| been brought about by the natural cours
of commercial dealings, it is, | Iblnl
: more 10 be relied on, as a permanent con
r. dition than if it had been produced by
! forced or artificial process.
S As to the safety and availability of Ma
, tional Bank as a depository and fiscal
| ceat Of the governmental should thin
lavorably of it, iflhe time should eve
come, when the general welfare OF IN
n country would call for such an inslltr
ton. ,
9 S Ny mind strongly i%nclines 10 II
opinion, that, if Congress can abolIs
D. slavery in time of War, 1t may also |
ii abolished it in time OF peace.A vicious ar
o dangerous state Of thugs existing In II
lc community generally, or in any part OF
ct nav as certainly, if not as suddenly b.
v come as destructive Of the government
ri Il period OF peace as of war. The prime
Of pIe then, on which Congress might rigt
fully proceed TO abolish slavery as a me
IT. sure of r~elirfand safety in war, might
equally applicable and imperative, on Il
is same grounds, in time OF peace. In 60
'se cases the Instance at which EmAncipatl
n. would be orlered to take place would d
OF mend on The sound judgment OF
IL government.
AS a people, we have undertaken
ms fore God aud the nations Of the earth,
IL maintain in our political organization
EN- principles of Liberty asserted in the d,