The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-03-11
]. H0LCOMB, Editor & Publisher.

1T not rather be met with that prompt and
bold rebuGe, with that Scornlul defiance
which alone becomes the action and the char
acter OF treeborn men determined to be free
When the sr'rit OF dctation, Or Of despot-
ism, shall become arrogant and bold enough
to lift its trowning form in these Halls, con-
secrated to liberty and free debate and to
demand submissive obedience to the high be-
hests of power upon the peril OF Executive
wrath, even though it utter its denunciatons
with torked and fiery tongue, if irccmen
would not basely surrender all that is worth
dying ior they must meet the monster at the
Threshold and, without stopping to calculate
the dangers OF the conflict, they must cast out
the unwecome and insolent intruder at once
and forever from their presence. 1t has been
said that eternal vigilance is the price OF
freedom" will superadd, that eternal resist
ance to the incipicnt and insidoEs cncroach-
mcnts of power is the only guaranty Of public
liberty.
1t is the first time, and I trust it may be the
last time, that the President of the United
States shall deem it In the line of his official
duty, or among his official prerogatives, TO
charge, either directly or by implication, the
crime Of treason against their country, upon
any portion Of his constituency, for the eXer-
else of 4 privilege guaranteed to every Amer
lean Citizen by the Constitution under which
we live. Such charge ,emanating from some
humber source, coming from some irre5ponsi-
bic Ilbeller, from some common rcvilcr, from
some hircling minion Of the court, from some
pot-house blaekguard, might be passed by un-
noticed. The lowncss of its origin would
shield its author from the notice Of contempt.
But originating i'll the source it did and com
ing in the form and manner it has come, dis
seminated as it has been through the length
and the breadth Of the country, and reiterat-
cd as 1t has been, and now is, through oil the
organs of detraction and calumny, from the
highest to the lowest, it rises to the Importance
at least, of claiming from all Independent and
honorable men a united response Of universal
and unqualified reprobution. The obvious
purpose Of the charge has been signally defeat
ed and he who made itmistook the character
and temper of the American people, The
author Of the Kane letter knows better how to
deceive and to cheat the people, than how to
lntlmldate or coerce them. 1t requires the
exercise of a different and higher faculty to
WELD the sceptre Of authority, than to play
off q successful trick. He who should sue
coed as a juggler, might fail as q hero
Sir, the imputation fmoral or constructive
treason, or Of a want of patriotism in those
who arraign the conduct Of the Administra-
ton for wantonly and wicledIy involving the
country in an unnecessary war, is libel up
on as pure, and highmindcd, and independent,
and patriotic a portion Of the people as their
calumniator Or his apologists and defenders.
Those who come within the category Of EX-
ccutive dcnunciation may claim IS much re-
gard for the rights and the honor of the couu-
try, as is exhibited by those who can "see no
wrong in the King" hold that the patriot
ism Of those who stand without The pale Of
Executive dispensatons, is quite as unques-
tionabe, and quite as far above reproach and
suspicion as is the vauntcd patriotism of those
who, standing within the Kings gate, bask in
the sunshine of royal favor, and whose place,
and whose daily bread, perhaps, may be de-
pending upon the degree Of flattery and sub
scrvicncy with which they earn it. They
may be less loyal SUBJECTS, but they are not
less true patriots. If they are not quite as
loyal to the cr0wn, they are quite as 10y
al to the coM3try, When Chatham, and
Burke, and Fox, aud Cavendish, and Wilkes,
and Richmond, and Hardy, and Grafton, and
Barre, and others, uttered the thunders Of
their denunciaton in the British Parliament
against the conduct Of their own government
in the war with these American colonies, we're
they wanting in PATRIOTISM and guilty ofmor-
al treason? Sir, have not been thus taught.
And the gentleman from New York, (Mr
Strong) is the first man, American or foreign
cr, | ever heard denouncc the conduct, or
impugn the motives, the integrity, Or the pat
riotism of these men Had the slanderous
imputation been cast into their teeth in the
royal address, by the occupant Of the throne
Of Lngand, it would have been at the hazard
OF his crown, if not his head We live in a
practical despotism, a republic only in name,
when these bold and hjgh-handel offences
against the highest privileges OF freeman may
be tolerated and passed by as ofsmalI moment.
We are SlGres and not trecmca, if we do not
rcpcl and rcbu!se them. Sir, this is nothing
less than an authoritative attempt, OH the part
Of your President, to awe the people into 81
lence where they cannot approve the acts off
the Administration IN relation to the war in
which they have involved the country. But,
the attempt has been most sgually rcproved
BY its most signal failure. Ii will not be like
ly to be repeated. 1t will form no paragraph
in another Presidential message. II has not
stAed the freedom of debate. 1t has not ST.
fenced the voice OF a free press, nor yet the
voice Of a free people. 1t has not suppressed
the dcep-toned mutternga OF popular com
plant and Indignation against your Admins.
tration. You might as well attempt to hush
the thunders Of Niagara's roar You might
as well whisper to the troubled ocean " be
still" when Iashed to fury by the storm The
popular judgment is against the Administra
ton, and against its whole system OF policy,
and he is poor reader of the "signs Of the
times" who does notso interpret them. The
sentence ofpublic condemnation has been pro-
nounced upon it, more and more emphatic,
indeed than has ever before been visited up
on any administration of this Government
thus early in its career. Its doom is already
sealed. 1t is written outin characters Of glar-
ing light, no less palpable, and no less por-
tontous, than the " meme tchel u0barsia," up
on the palace wall ofthe Babylonian monarch
" Ihey who think they stand, let chem take