The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-05-16

system over The largest land fairest porto
{ of our national domain.
10 this twofoId violation.of the Coz
stitution, in the act of acquiring territor
and in the provision made Tor the perm;
nency of slavery; q third, of kindre
complexion with the last, may be added
Instead of combining the operation of tn
treaties 10 the cases Of the resident slave
holders of Louisiana and Florida i; tn
only ones provided for; the stakeholder
of the States were allowed, without re
straint, to introduce their slaves into thos
territories. From the first, this was per
United under our slaveholdng Executives
and it has been persisted in so long with
out being interrupted or even questioned
that Louisiana and Florida slavery, a.
parts of the whole system, are now con
sidered 10 be as firmly established; aye
and as lawfully too-as is the slavery o
Georgia or of South Carolina, under
their respective black codes.
The Unauthorized purchase of Louisa.
ma must be regarded as, in its consequent
ces, the most disastrous event for oul
country, to be found in its political hislo
ny. In saying this, | neither forget MOI
underrate the advantages of the acquisi-
ton, in a mere territorial point of view
But might not those advantages have been
as certainly secured, without bringing on
ourselves the odium and the ills which
we are now shfferng,alrom having ex-
tended and strengthened the empire OF
slavery? Would not the people, on be-
ing properly appealed to, have SO amend
ed the Constitution as TO have authorized
the acquisition, whilst they carefully
guarded against the counlenance and DIFF
fusion of slavery in that vast region, out
of which three slave States have already
been carved.
Next TO the purchase of Louisiana, in
calamllous consequences TO The country,
was the admission of Missouri into the
Union, as slave State. Into this strug-
gle the slave power entered with fierce
ness that did not seem to characterize it in
former times. But it did not forget, it
never does, to exc outthe lions skin with
the fox's tail That struggle, in which,
too, treachery in the North, did its part
but too well, issued in the complete tri-
umph of the enemies of the Constitution.
Its friends vanquished, betrayed, retired
discouraged from The field. From that
time I'LL the present, the government has
been swayed by men who show, in the
enslavemenl of their fellow-men, how
heartily they despse the truths of the
Declaration of Independence by men
whose lives are but the expression of the
coarse, barbarian contempt with which
every claim of humanity, and which eve
ry principle OF just and equitable govern
ment may be spurned and trampIed on 10
the face of God and man. Their power,
100, has been exercised in the same inso-
lent spirit of overseership that marks bru-
ia rule at home over The ragged slarve-
ings of their rapacity and avarce. The
free States send their members of Con.
gress 10 Washington to be overawed, cor
rupted and despised. The venaI orators
and DISCLAIMERS of Athens who sold them
selves and their country to Philip, were
not looked on with supremer contempt by
their superciIIious purchaser, than are the
belrayers of the Moth by their slave
holding overseers when driving them to
their daily task of official meanuesS and
servllity.
Such is the condition of our affairs now,
one for which we have been prepared,
mainly by the two annexations that have
already taken place, and by The admission
of Missouri into the Union. 1t is a sad
condition, but not devoid of hope. For
again are the friends of the Constitution
and of universal liberty raIlying, and fast
swelling the ranks OF party in whose
success lies, as frml y believe, the only
reasonable ground OF hope for the rescue
of The Republic from its most insidious
foe. Aread Y it is evident, that the con.
stancy, and energy, aud activity of the
Liberty party are not without some OF
their proper fruits. The sagacious be-.
gin to discover, that the slave. power has
met with an adversary more formidable
than any it has yet had to cope with, that
confusion aud dependency are showing
themselves among the leaders of its bat
Italia that the rescue of the government
from that dark power, anu the crowning
blessing Of our holy struggle, its ~tter
and everlasting overthaoeo, shall, at no
very distant period, cause the song of
praise and thanksgiving to ascend from
all the borders OF the laud to Him in
whose might we have fought, and who
has given us the victory. Al such time,
in such crisis, to receive Texas as
slave territory would be grlevous event
10 be added to the already unhappy cata-
logue OF events OF a kindred character,
that have all been used TO establish injus-
tlce in the land, and to perpetuate the evils
of the most abominable tyranny that man
has ever usurped over his lellow-man.
am, gentlemen, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
IAMEC ~ DIPNEV