Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-01-15

Trotti, who was chairman of the committee who draft
ed these resolutions, declared, shat the. safety, if not
the very existence of the institution of slavery, wasde
pendent upon the success of this measure" The
Sumpter and Edgefeld meetings were of the same cast
Hon. Mr.. Perkins took an active part in the Edgefeld
meeting.
Another Of their resolutions reads thus:-ReSolUed,
That we regard the opposition to annexation by a por-
ton of the people of these United States, on account
of the existence of slavery in Texas, an unwarrantable
attack upon southern rights, guaranteed to US by the
constitution-rights which we are determined, at all
hazards, to maintain, in spite of resistance at home or
abroad. Thus, it seems, that any opposition to the ad-
mission of new States into this Union, whose Constltu-
ton t~olerates slavery, is considered and held to be an
unwarrantable attack upon southern rights. They
claim the right to spread this scourge of nations over
the whole of our territory, and perpetuate this curse to
the latest time. But the deed has been done; Texas,
the whole of it, has been annexed as a slave State,
with a provision that new States may be formed out OF
it, by the consent of the mother State, and apply for
admission into this Union. Thus the door has been
opened for the admission of as many more slave States
as there are now free States. And if a northern man
can be found who has moral courage enough, while he
sees the south usurping all the power of the govern
ment, monopolizes all its offices, and controlling all its
operations to throw "guards" around this diabolical in
stitution-who dares to raise an objection, and assert
the rights of the north, the hue and cry is heard, San
unwarrantable attack upon southern rights"-and the
dissolution of the Union is thrown into the balance to
frighten and oyerawe the north.
And then, as if it was not enough for the south to
control this whole subject, and make a complete con-
quest of the north, she must turn round and tell us
" we had neither Judgment nor 6rmness to resist when
resistance might have been successful" Even south
ern men* had proposed to limit slavery in Texas, by
dividing it as equally as possible between slaveholding
and non-slaveholding States. And where was our del
egation from the free States? Silent-speechless; or,
in the language of a southern member of Congress,
d" not judgment nor .fra,nesS enough to ~resist!!" o
g tell it not in Gath" Well may you exclaim, "nor-
them s%ervility." Is it not BETTING for US to inquire,
whether we do not already wear the slave shackles?-
And have we not quailed before this hydra-headed
monster, until we have lost, in a great measure. our in.
1uence in the government. And have we not con-
sentod, as in the language of John Randolph, to be
"nailed to the counter as base coin?" Can there be
any doubt what is the duty Of every northern MANI
The free States now have the power to put u stop to
the progress of this worst of evils, and bid defiance to
its unrighteous dominion. F1eemen of Vermont, have
we not a "third great struggle for independence to per
form? And shall we not buckle on the armour ant
nerve ourselves up to judgment and firmness to re-
sist?" Let the battle cry be, in the language of Thorn
as Jefferson, equal and exact justice to all" whethe
black or white. Eternal opposition to that system o
despotism, worst of all, that seeks to usurp all power
that sets at defiance northern rights-that chattelize
the human species-that dries up the fountain of be
nevolence-that violates every principle Of humanity
that breaks asunder every social tie-that dashes tn
cup of felicity from the lips of millions-that shuts u
the key of knowledge--that mars the image of God
that dishonors religion-that treads unblushingly Oh
the rights and freedom of our fellow men,
JACOB SCOTT.
Barre Jan. 49, 1876
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#Nr Ren,on