The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-07-10
BRANDON, Thursday, July 10, 1916.

At The same lime the seeming indifference
OF the people concerning the guilt an
danger of Slavery has been so rksome I
the inpeluous, that many who have bee
esteemed wise aud patriotic Citizens, hav
come 10 treat of Gisuuon, as if it wer
preferable 10 further forbearance, or were
IN some way involved in the success O
abolition. Trust that such sentiment
will be discarded. Whatever hopes MAY
be INDUCED by those who permit them
selves to Speculate concerning sccession'ol
notification, we have enjoyed NOR.
abounding national prosperity, more PIE.
cious civil and religious liberty, by, lhro
and with our present constitution, than
were ever before secured by any people
We cannot know what portion OF these
blessings would be lost by dis>olving the
p resent fabric and constructing another OF
others in its place. Heaven forbid that
we should even contemplate the expert
meEt.
Prudence in regard to the cause OF
Emancipation forbids The indu gence of a
though! o. Disunion. II i, be so confess
eddy difficult to awake the national con
science while the patriotism of Abolition
ISIS cannot be Justly questioned, it would
be ruinous 10 suffer Sc. noble an enterprise
to be at all connected with desig,s which
however they may be excused or paIla-
ted, must nevertheless be sedlious und
reasonable.
grant that the annexation of Texas,
through the failure OF concert among the
opponents of Slavery vastly increases the
difficulty Of Emancipation. But slill |
trust that if that great enterprise be con-
Quoted with discretion, it will advance
faster than the population and political in
fuence OF the new Territory. The slave.
holders have enlarged the domain Of our
county. Let this untoward even. only
excite US the more. Let US rouse our,
selves to the necessary effort and enlarge
indeed the '.Area of Freedom"
Men differ much in temperament and
susceptibility. and are so variousIy silua
ted that they receive from the same causes
very unequal Impressions l. is not IN
human nature that all who desire the a bo
Iition OF Slavery should be inhamed wi
equal zeal, and diferen. degrees of fervor
produce different opinions concerning the
measures proper 10 be adopted. Great
caution is necessary therefore 10 preserve
mutual confidence and harmony. No
cause however just can flourish without
these. Christian Earope lost 'he Holy
Sepulchre, which had cost so many sacri.
fees, less by The bravery OF The Saracens
than by the mutual controversies OF the
Crusadc.s. The Protestant Reformation
was arrested Two hundred years ago, by
the distraction of the ReiormerS and not a
furlong's breadth has since been gained
from The Papa Hierarchy.
am far from denying that any class of
AboIitionis;s has done much good, for
their common cause, but think the whole
result has been much diminished by the
angry conflicts between them, often on
mere metaphysical questions. sincere
Iy hope that these conflicts may now
cease. Emancipation is now a political
10 be Effected through the con.
sent and action Of the American people
They will lend no counlenance or favor
10 any other than lawful and constitution
al means. Nor is The range Of our efforts
narrowly circumscribed by the Consti-
tuition.
In many Of the free States there is a
large mass OF CITIZENS DISTINGUISHED on the
ground Of color. They mus; be invested
with the right of suffrage. Give them
this right and their influence will be i'm
mediateIy felt in the National Councils,
and it is needless 20 say will be cast in
favor oil those who uphold the Cause of hu>
man Liberty. We must resist unceas
ineIy the admission Of slave States, and
urge and demand the abolition Of slavery
in The District OF Columbia. We have
secured the right Of Petition, but the Fed
praI Govern mtnt continues TO be swervcd
by the infuenc,s CT Slavery as bti)re.--
This tendency can and must be coun'er-
acted; and when one independent Con-
orcss shall have been elected, the inter-
raj Slave Trade will be subjected 10 in.
qniry Amendments to the C'nsti ulon
NAV be initiated and the obstacles 10 the
way of Emancipation will no longer ap>
pear irsurmounable,
But, Gentlemen, | fear l aFay appear
o dogmatIze when | onIysiu'ended TO in
woke concession. II ISeem to do so too
it is because feel so deeply !
in the cause to which your et-
Forts are devo.ed, and because 1 believe
with Burke, "'hat we ought act in po'
itical affairs with all he moderation which |
hoes not absolutely cncrvate that vigor,
anil quench that ftrvency Of spirit, with
out which the best wishes for the public !
good must cvaporae in empty sp cuIa'
ion."
am gentlemen, very respectfully your
humble servant,
WILLIAM n. SEWARD.
To S u Chase, Samuel Lewis, r B |