Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-10-01

not understood do not ask you what you are uollls
but ask you what you are doing as cltl-
zens of the United States? What is the story you are
telling there? What is the light you shed abroad as
a citizen of the United States? And we shall have to
ask how do the world know anything Of what the cltl-
zens of the United States feel, but by their putting
forth their influence through the press and through
their representatives? Suppose the government were
pledged TO carry out reputation OF the public DEBT
and we should vote to sustain the administration IN this
national swindling and robbing: would it not be pro-
nounced the disgrace of christendom? But it, on the
other hand, come forward and repudiate the repu-
diators Why them the people have done something to
wipe off The stain from the government
And let me apply this meaning to the question:
What is our view of Human Slavery? There never
period so opportune for the answer of this ques-
ton; not only that it has home to us but that
there is something in the day and history that renders
| it peculiarly appropriate for this time. What, my
friends is the ordinary age of human existence Sey,
enty years is the extent ofhuman life. And how ola
is this nation ITSELF Seventy years. We have past
one age, and what time so appropriate to commence
new life? What time appropriate as the present 10
gather some presage of the future? And when VIC
look back upon this nation, and sec how our tore
fathers spoke it into being, ask what was the mage
phrase that had such powerful tendency, the tails
manic sentence which spoke into being such nation,
and armed it with a panopy which fitted it to cope
with the powers of Europe? That language was here;
We hold these truths to be self. evident that all men
are created free and equal" When these truths went
FORTH the shackes of the nation fell and we commence
cd our national existence. We had no wealth, we had
no power, we had no influences but we went most sol
emily into the Courts of the Most High and we dealt
with the Arbiter of nations. And our fathers pledged
their lives their fortunes and their sacred honor that
if the liberties which they sought were obtained, in all
coming ages of their progress come veal, come woe;
they would be tue to that sentiment That pledge,
my friends, stands tonight registered in the eternal
archives of heaven against this nation And how are
we the sons Of these men, how we redcemlng that
pledge? My friends, | expect no applause; l use
no Aattery when | answer the question. have no
! hatterng tale to tell. And PROPOSE my friends, to
prove the answer not by reference to newspapers, to
political pamphlets, to one-sided partizan adherents.
But propose to set before you some official docu-
ments, some of your documents. The question Is
here what are the influences that eXerng tend
inc to accomplish upon the great question of human
Freedom and human Slavery? How are we marking
that little spot between the eternes ofthe past and the
| future which we are now making the pathway OF
ages?
Do our feet lead to the platform of peace? repeat
it; where are we tending? We stand pledged, so far
as the action of the general government can pledge
u.s. stand pledged to the eternity ofthe toues sys-
tenn Of human oppression that ever dsgraced the an
nails of human nature | propose to ask your atten-
ton to the position ia which national government
is placed, and if the charge be true false. And
how do propose to do it, propose to refer you,
briefly to the acton Of this government IN the anneXa-
ton of Texas to the United States.
But the question is asked, "why bring that up when
it is so we'll settled, and disturb with that old CUES
ton which has been settled so long ago" They say
it is settled Suppose it settled; would that pre-
vent from investigating into the merits OF the settle
ment? When aad where can we overtake the govern
ment? Pursue it, aid you have war; with fifty mill
ions spent in one year. But, oh, we are in the war;
and it is settled we have nothing to do but to fight it
out. We shall next annex California, Monterey, Santa
Re, and we know not what and they will all be settled
Let man threaten to apply torch to your dwelling
So long, then, be threatens, you can deal with him
by the course Of the law but suppose he burns your
building, and the Industry Of life time is consumed
in an hour-oh, then, presume the question is SET
ted They told lis this was settled question: New
Hampshire; bot when we came to examine, to see
whether it was settled or not we found that the ques
ton was not only very unsettled ITSELF but that it
very unSettlng in its operation. My friends, the ques
ton is s& settled because if you look at the fact you
will find that lint State admitted from leXas
but there are four more, four ths of the whole yet
come: as if man had paid 300 of $500, and $500 re-
manned unpaid and should then say the question was
settled,
How did this strange affair commence? In wha
did it have its orga? ! know that the popular repre-
sentaton is something like the folowng:-That Texas
was settled by citizens Of the United States; that they
went out there under offers made by the MexicanS, ant
lest they might be overrun not by the MeXlcans, bn
by some one else nc one knows who they appealed tt
us to protect them. And then we were most afec
tonately appealed to, to receive them as father re
ceves a wandering ehild Now, instead of Texas ap
t pealng to us we appealed to them know very wei
that after the battle of San Jacinto Texas appealed t.
u.s. but Yam Buren, being President, and Mr.. Forsyth
Secretary, they utterly refused adj negotiations on ht
subject, either then in future. They said In lS43
that it contaminated lice very that listened to the
proposition; it SO utterly abiOuent to all their feel
ings that could not be hung up to be listened
to at leisure hour And these sentiments the people
, believed. And Mr. Van Buren, said, in lS43 that no
one single lisp of reproach had been made with regar
to it!
AT that late period six years after this contemptu
Gus refusal our government voluntarily went orwar
S and requested the annexation of Texas to US. Mr.
Upshur, writing to the American minister at Mexico
said proposition had been made to the Texan govern
meht or annexation. "1his, learn" says Mr.. Up
sIur "has been declined" On another page he says
'supposng that Texas might renew her refusal, hav
invited her to enter into negotiation" And we no
only besoaght Texas to take US, but wound up b.
threatening them with if they did not accept tn
proposition, "You will readily perceive that the lon
continuation of peace is impossible, that must ne
cessarly follow" Do recollect that said this
And that the Seer Of War threatened this nation wit
war if they did not accept the propositions Why dl
we go into this Texas wal? Why was it that all tn
lessons of admonition which the departing sagcs, lis
ing and dying, had left, had been forgotten, and ne'
line Of operation obtained aud catered in order to tai
Texas home within our own institutions and to maxi
her part and parcel Of our own government.
IT, And it does me great pleasure, on this OCCASION t
do full and ample justice to Mr.. Upshu and Mr. Cal
t houn They all acted manly and above board. The.
did not act as that most contemplate class among us
northern men with southern principes-act They tot
us what they wanted, and why they wanted it, AM
how they wanted it done, and did It, What was it
Did they enter into this negotiation distinctly avowD
their purpose? Allow me to read brief extract iron
k Mr.. Upshur to Mr.. Murphy, in London in which h
if says that the purpose foot to abolish slavery il
: Texas ant the slaves to be paid for by compa
ny who were to advance the money and be paid for il
= Texas lands. Aud MIR. Upshur said it was probably
G correct Now will tell you what our Secretary said
Hear him. "A movement of this sort cannot be contem