Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-06-20
knaves and designing men wiIlob troubled be-
cause religion is thus mingled with politicsl
EXTRACTS OF AN ADDRESS FROM
JOHN G.. WHITTIER TO THE VOTERS
IOF ESSEX COINTV MASS

+" 1t is not at the ballot box alone that the true
and consistent friend of Freedom can discharge
his whole duty to the enslaved and the cause of
human progress. He must he living epistle OIL
his faith, known and read of all men. In all his |
in all his intercourse with his fellow
men, he must bear with him consciousness OIL
his great responsibility He who winks at slavery
in his church, orwfuIly shuts his eyes to its di-
rect or indirect influence upon his trade, or thrO'
fear of popular dspleasurc. stands silent where the
caGse which he processes 10 regard as his own, Is
assaulted and misrepresentation who, on other
questions, affecting The rights and equality Of his
feIow-men, courts the favor of his pro-sIaverl
neighbor, by taking SIDE with him against the
right and ia direct contradiction of his anti slave
ry principlcs-athough he may, when he can do
50 without risk OF detection, vote the Liberty tick
cts no Liberty man. No, fellow citizens not
thus can we do the work which, in the providence
Of God is laid upon us. The service to which we
have pledged ourselves, is n noble and glorious
nne buL it is also one of trial and TOLL aud pa
tient endurance, and uncompromlsng fnithTuncss.
1t is no light thing which we have atlempted
and he who has not felt in his heart its solemn
and serious import, cannot be counted upon as one
who is equal to its trials and responsibilities. Let
him 10 out from among US, if without counting
the cost, he has taken position which can only
be maintained by an abiding sense of moral ohlga-
ton We must live out our principles. Our vote
for Liberty is an important part, bat only part
of our duty. Temporarily, it may count on the
side of the oppressed, but when viewed in con-
neXion with an inconsistent practice, it is sIorn Of
its moral power, its sincerity becomes quesona-
BILE: and instead Of promoting in the end it re-
tartls the very cause in behalf Of which is nom
indIly given. The Liberty party man who is not
cnrncst-who acts from low and frivoIrous mo
tives, deserves all that the proslavery parties can
say of him Let our enemies speak of us, if they
will; it should be our care to make them feel that
they are dealing with men who have set their feet
hard down on the rock Of principle; and who stand
there, MS Luther did on his opinions, because they
cannot othertUise.'
And who would not he in earnest with cause
like ours?-a cause which allies us with the good
and true of the past time with all who have las
bored for the redemption and elevation of human
ity!
With such cause, with such prospect, it
becomes us TO be actiEe, zealous, constant in our
efforts. Every liberty man should regard himself
as bound in duty to lay his principles before his
neighhorA, by conversation, by the circulation of
anti-slnvery papers and looks, and by procuring,
MS far as practicable, lectures on the great topics
connected with our cause. The probability that
Texas will be annexed to the United States ought
not to be made an occasion for Encouragement
and inactivity on our part. Every way il is an
event deeplyto he deplored; but its evils will be
tonisis are thereby weakened and Destroyed
The worst result Of the bnnoiul Missouri Compro-
mise was its parayZing effects upon the anti slave
ryfccngs of the free States. The eloquent pens
and tongues which, in 1879 and 80, spoke out
from every sect and party against slavery, were
silenccd by that fatal compromise. One man a.
lone, the ndomitabIe Benjamin Lundy, retained
his faith and held fast his integrity. Having spent
all his little property in efforts to resist the adj
mission of the new slave-terrtory into the Union
h. calmly took his seat on the sadlders bench, la
boring with unremiltng diligence until he had
saved enough from his hard earnings to re-estab-
lish his free printing press, and renew his battle
with The monster crime Of our country. Let lis
meet the present crisis rs Lundy did that of 1890
Let the voice of the Liberty party, clear, full
united, expressive of our unfinchng resolution tic
stand by our principles and push our measures
vigorously to their cousummaion, burden every
northern breeze which blows over the sIave-cu
ed soil. With the insane reioicings over the ac-
QUESTION of Texas let us hngie the deep VOW Of
indignant freemen, to give no sleep to our eyes
no rest TO our hands until with Gods blessing
we have swept the American soil clean of slavery.