Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-08-14
ADDRE Els S
To the People of the United States,


we act with noneS Act, in some way, we must:
for the possession of the right of suffrage the right
OF eectlng our own law makers and rulers, mpos-
eS upon us the corresponding duty of voting for
men who viii carry out the views which we deem
of paramount Importance and obligation Act TO-
gether we must; for upon the questions which we
regard as the most vital we are fully agreed. We
must act then; act together; and act against slave
ry and oppression. Acting thus, we necessarily
act as party, but body of citizens, acting to-
gether politically, in good faith, upon common
principles, for common object. And ifthere be
party already in existence, animated by the same
motives and aiming Mt the same results as our
selves, we must act with, and in that party.
That there is such party, is well known tits
the Liberty party of the United States. Its prn
cpes measures and objects, we cordially approve
IL POUNDS itself upon the great cardinal princi-
pie OF true Democracy and true Christianity, the
brotherhood Of the Human Family.-lt ayows its
t purposes to wage mpIacable war against slave
holding as the direst form of oppresslon and then
against every other species of tyranny and njus
tce Its views on the subject of slavery in this
country, are, in the main, the same as those which
we have set forth in this address. Its members
Iagree to regard the eXtncnction ofsavery as the
most important end which can, at this time, be
proposed to political action; and they agree to diff
Ter as to other questions of minor importance,
such as those of trade aud currency, believing that
these can be satisfactorily disposed of, when the
question ofsavery shall I've settled, and that until
then, they cannot be satisfactorily DISPOSED of at
, all.
The rise Of such party as this was anticipated
long before its actual organization, by the single
hearted and patriotic Charles FolIen, a German
by birth, but true hearted American by adoption
and in spirit. I'll there ever Is to he in this coun-
ry,' sand he in 1885, "a party that shall take its
name and character, not from particular liberal
measures, or popular men, but from its uncoiupro-
udh N
: truly liberal and Thoroughly republican party, it
must direct its most decided effort against the
g grosest form, the most complete manifestation of
OPPRESSION; and having taken anti-savery ground,
1t must carry out the principles liberty in all its
; consequences. 1t must support every measure
t conducive to the greatest possible individual and
social, moral, intellectual, religious and political
! freedom, whether that measure be brought for
ward by Inconsistent shareholders, or consistent
treemen. 1t must embrace the whole sphere Of
human action; watching and opposing the slight
est illlberaI x anti-repubican tendency; and con
centrating its whole force and influence against
slavery itself, in comparison with every other spe
cies ofyranny is tolerabIo, and by which every
other Is strengthened and justified.
Thus wrote Charles Foen in l936.-It is i'm
possible to express better the want which enght-
ened lovers of liberty felt of real Democratic
party in the cOuntry-Democratic not in name on
y, but in deed aud in truth. In this want thus
as this want remains otherwise unsatisied, the
Liberty party must exist; not as mere Abolition
party, but us a truly Democratic party, which aims
: at the extinction of slavery because sIaveholdlng
is inconsistent with Democratic principles; aims
at it, not as an ultimate end, hut the most inn
portnnt present object; as great aud necessary
step III the work OF reform; as an illnstrons era
r in the advancement Of society, to he wrought out
t. by its action and Instrumentality The Liberty
+ party of l945S, in truth, the Liberty party of l776
y revived. 1t is more. 1t is the party of advance
, ment and freedom, which has, in every age, and
, with varying success, fought the battles Of human
q liberty against the party of false conservatism and
slavery.
q And now, fellow-cilizens, permit us to ask,
whether you will not give to this party the aid of
d your votes, and Of your Counsels. Its aims are
lofty, and noble, and pacif'; its means are sim
pie and unobjectonabe. Why should it not have
+ your cooperation?
5 Are you already anti-slavery men? Let US ask,
Il is it not far better to act with those with whom
you agree on the fundamental point of slavery, and
swell the vote and augment the moral force of an.
tslavery, rather than to act with those with whom
, you only agree on minor points; and thus for the
q time, swell avote and augment an influence which
must be counted against the Liberty movement, in
the vain hope that these with whom you thus act
now, WILL at some future period, act with you for
the overthrow of slavery There are, perhaps,
. nearly equal numbers OF you in each of the pro-
y slavery parties, honestly opposed to each other on
1t questions of trade, currency and extension Of ter
= ritory, but of one mind on the great question of
- slavery and yet, you suffer yourselves to be play
e ed off against each other by parties which agree in
nothing except hostility TO the great measure OF
e positive action against slavery, which seems to you
and is of paramount importance. w hat can you
e gain by this course? What may you not gain by
= laying your minor differences the altar of duty,
h and uniting as one man, in one party, against
% slavery? Then every vote would tell for freedom
and would encourage the friends of Liberty to
L fresh eforts.-Now every vote, whether you iu-
& tend it not, tells for slavery, and operates
: a encouragement and hndraEce TO those who are
contending for equal rights Let entreat you
not 10 persevere in your suicidal, irarlc lda
course; but to renounce at once all pro-slaVery
= alliances and Join the friends of liberty. 1t is moi
" the question now whether Liberty party shall be
organized; it is organized and in the field. The
ht real question, and the only question is: Will you
so far as your votes and influence go, hasten re
+ tard the day of its triumph
IL Are you men of the free Statesi And have you
he not suffered enough of wrong, of insult and con
tumely from the slaveholding oligarchy? Have
On, you not been taxed enough for the support o
slavery? Is it not enough that all the powers o
government exerted for its maintenance, ant
that all the departments of the government are il
er the hands of the slave power?-How long will yol
r consent by your votes TO maintain slavery at th
. seat vi tHe HatlOndl government III VIOLATION OF III
is constitution Of your country, and thus give you
&c direct sanction to the whole dreadful system
n How long will you consent to represented in thu
= national councils by men who will not dare to as
VI sert their own rights or yours in the presence
It, an arrogant arts ocracy and in your State legisa
ell lures, by men whose utmost height Encourage am
ha manly daring, when your citizens are inlprisone
D0 without the allegation of crime, in slave States
Ia and your agents sent for their relief driven
as you would scourge from your premises an in
trusive eur, is to PROTEST and submu Rouse W
men ofthe free States, for shame, if not for duty
Lr. Awake to a sense of your degraded position
l. Behold your President, a stakeholder: his cabnt
est ,ans. ,he ,,o b(',sas nf Congress submissive an
I'm service your representatives with foreign nation
he most OF them, shareholders; your supreme admir-
70 strators justice, most Of them shareholders yol
officers OF the army and navy, most of them Slav
Is holders. Observe the results. What numerot