Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-04-18
THE WINGS AND SLAVERY.

es luHl nave never before uttered one Wofd IN Ia
vor of humanity and freedom, are now uttering
their doleful curses against slavery and have even
proposed TO elevate the standard of abolition. Is
this the language ofsincerity, is it only design
ed to mlsead and seduce the true friends of the
slave at the North? Some of the party however
have become very much alarmed, lest the Wings
really intend doing something for the slave, but
the Tribune, the leading organ of the party, and
the prime-mover in CLOSING over Whiggery with
Anti Slavery, in order to quel their fears and put
tho matter at rest, has just published a long article
defining their position, giving them to understand
that it is all mere talk for party effect, as they
have no intention of doing any thing. He says
"We of the Northern States stand in three rela-
tons to the subject of Slavery:
First, as men, we are to consider what is due
from us to absolute justice, to our brethren of the
human family. /.
Secondly, as citizens of Free STATES, we are, by
education, by our associations, by conviction, op-
posed to holding human beings in bondage g.
! Thirdly, as citizens of the United States, we are
under moral as we'll as political obligations to abide
by the conditions, both expressed and implied of
the Federal Union. 8.
While, therefore, we expect ever to be, as we
ever have been, openly hostile to Slavery, andanx-
lousIy DESTROYS of its extinction, we cannot engage
in any political crusade against it which shall in
Vove or require the concurrng action Of the Fed
elal Government. a.
| We shall render unto Caesar the things which
are Caesars, and in politics act heartily and in
good faith with all those, whether at the North or
the South, who support those great principles
which are known and cherished as WING. 5. II we
shall ever feel that this is no longer possible, the
Federal Union will for us exist no longer.
1. This principle carried out, would disenthrall
every enslaved spirit, and melt the chains from off
the limbs Of every slave. This oracle of the party
has however declared that rather than act with IA
party, based upon the platform of justice, and
the common brotherhood of man. they would pre-
fer to be identified with McDuf1io & Calhoun,
those soulless tyrants. How party prejudice eff
lecs mems consciences, and warps their Judgment.
The slaves being our brethren, and citizens of the
same republic, justice requires of lis to give them
the same protection and rights we claim for our
selves.
5. 1t is true by education we may be opposed to
slavery, but by action we have been taught to sus-
tain it politically and regiousy.
8. Are we to be respt nsibe for the sins Of our
fathers, and let the South interpret what were
their intentions and thoughts, and we be governed
by that Interpretation? We have too long been
forced into the support Of slavery by this implied
faith, about which so much has been said Their
thoughts have passed away with their lives, and
we are now TO be governed by their expressed ac-
tons as they are left on record The Constitution
as it is, not as they understand it should be- Thai
expressly, distinctly declares, that Congress shall
have "eXclusive legislation" over the District OF
Columbia and the Territories, that no person shall
be deprived Of life, liberty Or property without due
process of law, and that each state shall be emit
tied to a republican form of government Let this
be done, and where is slavery But we are told
by the Wings generally, that though we have the
political right to adhere to tn strict letter of THE
Constitution, yet there is kind of implied faith
binding upon US which it is morally wrong to VIC.
ate. The majority of the trainers OF the COAST
tuition declared their opposition to slavery aud re
fused to have the word slave Incorporated into it.
and looked forward with deep interest to the M
distant day,whcn the last vestige of slavery woulC
be swept from the land The implied faith is Il
bnding in one case as the other, and it therefore
becomes morally wrong to continue it Nnothc
day.
A. Here then we have the Anti Slavery creed o
the Wing party. They intend, as they have done
to talk and pray against slavery, but at the Saul
time pledge themselves to do nothing to oppose
which shall "require the concurrng action of tn
Federal Government" What but this power ha
kept slavery in eXstence--added9 new slave state
to the Union-proected the slave trade-nad
large appropriations TO build up the system an,
annexed Texas, SO far as it had the power Th
Wings now declare that they have no intention o
using this power to crush slavery, where they hay
the constitutional right. This they have show
> out by their practice, but now they admit candd
. that they have no expectation of doing any thin
effecualy to remove slavery. Can honest Wing
be caught again in this proslavery trap, coyere
over as it has been with the fmsy covering ofpro
lession?
s. Here then we have another clue to the posi-
ton of the party, that it intends still to hug slave
= holders to its bosom, and again hold them up a
the embodiment of its principles, though reekin
with blood, if they happen to be good whigs.-
Away with such nonsense As this. We have ha
y too much Off to have any confidence in it. Th
Wings profess to be aboonists, because the
have generally gone against Texas, while Il
a party they have done all in their power to pei
c petuate slavery in those places where it aIread
!, exists, while they hold fellowship with slavehoId
ers, and express no wish to break away from tn
support of this hellsh SYSTEM
A PosER.-Our neighbor of the Patriot has
last discovered an opiate for his conscience upo
the Texas question, and he is in ecstacies H
. rronounces it perfect "puzzler" to all "cronkers
" against annexation! Here it is, in substance