Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-10-15
From the Boston Traveller.
The Movement for Precdom.--WiH ii
Cueeaedf
Succeed (!

Henceforward the great question with Us is to
be, Shall Slavery in the Nation be suffered TO e1-
tend beyond its present limits and exisf longer
ichere IL can, rithoUt infringement of the Consffn-
fioH, be done agay7 Unless we mistake, that is
also soon to be the issue made in alb the free
States.
Will the movement succeed! We are Of opin-
ion that it must, or the Union be ultimately dis
solved
What are the grounds Of this opinionY Some
Of them these In the first place. many in each
OF the great parties are sick Of the contest about
measures which. whatever their importance, will
neither save nor ruin the country nor themselves
and as sick Of some among the men under whom
they have long fought as leaders OF the host They
wish for repose, and resolved that repose at
least from such struggle, they will have The
Bank question has been tor some time dead and
il the Sub-treasury is found impracticable the evil
will soon work its own cure. On the subject Of a
tariff, the tendency Of public opinion is in the d.
reetion Of Free Trade; and the people are not
likely to be satisfied till they have Taste of It's
fruits, be they sweet or bitter. Many will be dis
posed still to contend, but not with the energy and
heart OF other days.
Besides all the great questions OF national poll
icy are at the last 10 be decided according as sIa-
very shall rule the nation, or be itself kept down
BY the spirit and power of freedom. This has now
become so evident that one with half an eye can
not fail to it. The South has been grasping at
dominion till it has got the aseendancy in one
branch Of Congress; and none need be told how it
uses its power. The conflicting Of interests in the
country does not arise from the extent Of territory
and the variety Of climate and productions, but
grows out Of the existence of freedom in one por-
ton, with slavery in the other. II is not however,
the competition Of free and slave labor, but the
habits OF life, and the spirit that system Of wrong
engenders, which occasion all the difficulty. But
hat l,ru h. a. H.
ter for this great diversity of climate, soil, and
products. Had the character Of the FIRST settlers in
all the States been homogeneous, and Of the same
type as that Of the Pilgrims OF New England and
had slavery never existed in the land, we should
have had no notification no such one-sided legis-
lation and governmental acts as have sometimes an.
noyed, and vexed, and alienaied from each other,
men who ought 10 live together on terms Of broth
erhood and peace. We regard the habits and tenn
per produced by slavery, rather than any thing
else, as the great cause Of al our trouble. And
this matter the people at the north very gener-
ally beginning TO understand. They have seen in
the dongs OF the last three years especially, what
were the designs Of the saveholdng portion Of the
country; and what, when left 70 its mercy, they
are TO expect Their interests viii be regarded
just far only consists with the preseration,eI
tension, and Perpetusy Of slavery. And IL they do
not rise up in body and oppose broad front Of
resistance to the farther encroachments Of the slave
power. they will come at length; and the oppose
tion will not be made in vain. IL viii be felt that
all other questions respecting the great interests Of
the country subordinate TO that of slavery; and
against that interest they will contend, for their
own and the country's good
But there is a cause that lies deeper, and is un-
influenced by any question merely OF the day.
which gives the chief promise Of ultimate success.
Slavery is moral evil, in comparison with which
its political mischief is nothing; and the civil
lied world is becoming every day more awake and
alive TO its wrongs. Not only are men anxious to
free themselves from all seeming participation in
its guilt but there is a sympathy for the oppressed
which will not rest till slavery is shut up within its
present limits, and all constitutional methods have
been employed for doing il away where they are in
any wise responsible for its existence. Here, I'M
der God. in the humane, philanthropic, moral, and
religious spirit of the people who are free, is our
hope. And it is a mighty rock to rest uPon,-this
spirit OF free people. taught from their cradle to
bate oppression in all its forms, knowing well the
rights Of man, and feeling their sccountableness to
God, for the manner in which they deal, individu-
ally or collectively, with their brother man. We
remember how in our boyhood the thought OF
Southern slavery would make our bosom burn with
shame for the country; and how we used 70 almost
wish Tor separation Of the Northern from the
Southern States, because Of the dark shadow that
was cast over all the land by that wicked institu-
ton. Yet those were not days Of declamstion
about slavery,wheu the heart was fred by the ffe-
quent recital Gifts wrongs but that was the spon-
taneous emotion Of soul loving its liberty and
longing for all others 10 be free.
The feeling is natural one. Il is abroad in
all the free States; and is streng hensd by the
al and religious sensibities and principles Of the
people. II will not sleep; but only wait for
wise and just plan Of procedure 10 be set forth, TO
show itself in action. Whether that will immedi-
alely be, we cannot tell but Of this we are eonh'
dent-it will continue 10 increase until such plan
is devised And in this moral and religious Pfinci-