Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-11-20

Italia, uerabu,ter urbes, iectu ordcbum lum h non
erisiimas inuidide incendio coqfagraIum."
No, gentlemen the man who shall, incautious-
y, or led on by false ambition Or party pride, KIN
die these fires of war over the globe this qnes
ton must look out for it,-must expect to be him
self consumed iii a burning confagraton of gen
eral reproach
There will be n public indignation before which
no popularity public or private can stand, will
melt down every monument Of the Dead it will de-
stroy all respect for the living, it will burn up eve
ry vestige of respect Tor individual WORTH if unnec-
essarily, il recklessly if ambitlonsy it has plung-
cd the subjects and citizens of two civilized Chris.
tan States Of the world into war ia war which
shall cause the loss Of millions of wealth, shall
turn cities to smoker shall cost thousands and
hundreds of thousand lives and those smoking
cities and that destruction of property, and that
sacrifice of lite shall be found over the whole globe
in every latitude and longitude, surrounding the
ball on which we live.
Now gentlemen, | do not propose that on this
subject we take any alarm ! propose that we keep
ourselves cool and calm. In some Of the Southern
cities there is now some agitation for fear of war;.
regret this much. hardly say regret the feel
ng-thatis natural. But regret the cause. It is
a common mistake Of men not IN the most elevated
position, that they think they can play the small
patriot safely, in small style. There are those
who think that they can talk Of a war with Eng
land and any other nation, and get credit for their
patriotism and lofty love of country, but keep the
game in their own hands. Tina, may not happen
At any rate that Is not the way nor the course
which Just and lofty and respectable men feel on
the great question of peace or war.
This constant speculation this supposition that
war may come, is half as bad as war itself 1t in.
eriercs in all the business and arrangements of life
II conounds and contuses men in regard TO their
own business plans. What waEt is settled peace
and the conviction that peace will remain until
there is some just and sensible cause for war
On this subject have farther to say that while
1t is our duty not to take spread alarm TO believe
and trust that the Government that the country will
act sobery and wisely and Justly, it is less diff
cult thing than some people imagine, to begin a
dispute, whose result no man in The end con-
troll. Let the Government only be sure that it is
right,in the words Of one of the Presidents of
the United States, let us claim all that is right, and
ask for nothing that is wrong, freely and magnan.
imousIy and without any particular array Of patrl-
otto declaration.
1t will be admitted to be general principle of
morals, that every man who foresees an evil and
can prevent ii, and does not choose to prevent it,
| is himself responsible for that evil. There could
not have been man IN the United states who did
not see that in Withholding his vote from the Wing
candidate he aided directly the election of the Loco
Foco candidates for President and Vice President.
and that the choice of these Loco uco candidates
must inevitably result in the Annexation of Texas.
Was 1t not proclaimed from every hilltop? 1t was
told to Mr. Blrney and his followers again and
gain: If the Wing candidate is chosen, Texas is
out, and you know it; if he is not chosen, Texas
is IN, and you know it."
! But they said, We do not vote for Mr.. Polk"
! Very well. But you had the means of prevent
ing the annexation Of Texas you knew your own
power. By joining those as anxious as you are, OF
as you profess to be, to prevent if, you could pre-
vent 1t. If you did not join them it would take
place. You did not join them and it did take
! place,
Gentlemen, this is a subject on which have deep
feeng-very deep feeling: and think it must stand
on the pages of history as the recorded judgment
| of mankind, that those among US who asserted
themselves to be in peculiar and marked degree
friends to universal liberty, have by their own de
| liberate act fastened the chains of slavery on "A
great portion Of the black race over vast extent
Of this continent 1t is to me the most mournful
and awful reflection.
know that thousands of gentlemen who took
such course, say that they meant WE'LL They
meant well. | am not to scrutinize their motives,
! they must answer for those eswhere,-but | be-
seech them, now, not to fall into another such mis-
take 1t Is thought, it is an idea, do not say how
well founded, that there may be yet hop, for re,
sstence to the consunation of the annexation Of
Texas Enthusiastic applause.1 | can only say
for one, that If it should fall to my lot to have
vote on such question, and vote for the adms-
sion into this Union of any State with Constltu-
ton which prohibits even the Legislature from ever
setting the bondman free, shall never show my
head again, depend upon it, in Faneull Hall. Ire.
mendous cheering.l