Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-03-07
Il IL L I r Z Z NJ A N.
"Pliant as reeds where freedoms waters glide
Firm as the hills to stem Oppressions tide!'
MONTPELIER, VERMONT, FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1916.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING,

That Slavery has already become the great est
question that now agitates this nation, and de-
mands the attention Of the statesman the patriot,
and the christian, but few are willing to deny
That it is wrong TO Cypress and ensIave our fellow
men, there is but one opinion expressed by nearly
oil of each party and sect. The only chance for
difference Of opinion is in the use Of means to
remove slavery. We ask the Wings, who are
doubtless honestly opposed to slavery, and would
gladly see this curse removed from our land, what
are you doing to accomplish so desirable an object?
Was your leader and the personifcation of your
principles, during the last contest, practical abo
litionist? Did you dare as party to nscribe on
your party banners North, and South, opposition
to slrvery and the annexation Of Texas Was it
not your protested hatred of slavery here at the
North that injured your party at the South? Have
you not petilioned Congress to abolish the gag rule,
and had the modification of seeing your petitions
thrown under The table, by Wing Congress to
satisfy the demands Of the slave power? Have
you not directed your senators and requested your
Representatives to use their influence to abolish
slavery in the District of Columbia, and the slave
trade, and has one of them dared to face the south
ern overseers and present bill for that purpose
Have you been praying for the last four years that
God would give US good rulers and put an end to
slavery and then"to save your party from ruin,
chosen the least of two evils" and voted for a
wicked stakeholder? Have you not made most
desperate effort to secure the triumph of your
party, and yet failed at last? Why make an 9TH
er effort? Do you not know that whether your
party or the opposing one gains the ascendancy
that slavery will govern and control the interests oil
the nation, so long rs an attempt is made to har-
monte slavery end liberty' Has it not become
apparent thai tits impossible for you to elect abol
tionSts for the highest Offices, or pursue course
that will endanger the institution of slavery with.
out loosing the support of the South, and thus de
stroy your party? Do you not see that the posi-
ton of your party is such that it will he impossi
bic for you to do any thing effectuay for the slave
while you thus remain connected with Southern
wings, whose interest must necessarily be the OBJ
poste of yours3 We ask you as honest men, is il
not time to show your opposition to slavery by re
using in any way to sustain it, or its abettOrs, ant
crush the slave power and secure that protection
to the slaves and to our own persons and propert,
which is so much needed
And you Democrats, who profess to have plant
ed your feet upon the great platform of equa
rights and universal liberty, what are you doing t,
Fl destroy system that is the implacabe foe of ev
cry real democratic principle' Has your recen
triumph been matter of rejoicing to the slave, o
has it not rather served to rvet his chains tighte
and produced in his mind awful forebodings of hi
future DOOM Has not your party goried in bein
the ''natural allies of the South" and on all occa
sons sacrificed your own interests to promote tn
! welfare of the party, and satisfy the demands 0
few office seekers and southern tyrants? Is no
= your party at this moment, with few noble ex
ceptions, using all its influence to annex Texas
and thus extend and perpetuae this damnabe sys
tenn We ask you honestly to review the cours
you have pursued, and sec whether, while yo
: have proessedly been building noble superstruc
: ture you have not been knocking out the pillar
+ that support it, Have you not labored lon
o enough to unite slavery and democracy, to find
Il to be hopeless task? Is it not the safest and bes
C course for you to pursue, to forsake party who's
e principles and practice are so much at variance
and unite with the few on the side of freedom an
S pure democracy