Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-04-08
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN.

by l43, 24S; and her annual products of industry
are S4S, 295, 76l more than the annual products
of South Carolina.
Vermont has an area, in square miles, of 600;
and, in 1910, had a population of 29l 1918 36
I-2 to a square mile. Annual products Of indus
try, $25, 143 ,l9l.
South Carolina with territory more than five
times as large as Vermont, has a less free popula-
ton by % 1858, and exceeds Vermont, in annual
products of industry, only about 81, 900 900.
| have proceeded far enough by way of com
.parison, to show that the free States, with no
advantage in soil or climate, have far outstripped
the slave States in population and annual pro-
ducts of industry, and | know of no cause to
which it can be attributed but slavery.
The slave has no stimulus to industry because
he has no hope Of lettering his condition. He is
doomed to perpetual bondage, and his children
after him. The effect of oppression and igno-
rance will also be to destroy the springs of i'll
dustry, and consequently to diminish the annual
products of the country. The degraded and OPP
pressed condition of the slave renders his labor
much less productive than the labor of an intelli-
gent freeman.
The slave labors from compulsion, and to en-
rich his master; the freeman voluntarily, and to
ClllCH llllioCIl' IL SldFC Ids HO llOlDC W ClllON
Inc family that he can call his own to love and
protect-no country to shield him from cruelty
and oppression. He is the property of his mas
ter-sublect, at all times, to be restrained of his
liberty, and chastised in his body. What induce
mcnt, | ask, can the slave have to render his la
Dor productive? None whatever.
Slavery, sir, is not only an element of weak
ness in the Government, but it is an element OF
danger-of appalling danger. Three millions OF
oppressed, degraded human beings, in the midst
of the country deprived of all political rights, and
held as mere property, can not but weaken the
power and efficiency of the Government, to de-
fend and protect itself from foreign aggression
and invasion. What, sir, if Great Britain shoulC
/ wage war against us, invade the Southern States
: and arm the slaves against their masters? Who
t then, would escape their vengeance? Sir, thu
: scenes of blood and slaughter that would follow
$ are too appalling to dwell upon-nor age, nor sex
h nor condition, would furnish the least security
q against their brutal f%crocity, Yet, sir, if W.
=. should be so fortunate as to escape the horror
of a foreign war, is there not danger to be ap
pretended from the rapid increasing of the slaves
We have now nearly 3,000, 900, and twenty-five
n years hence shall have 6 1000 600, and fifty year
d hence 1000, 600. Now, sir, may they not, a
some time or other, and in some way or other
learn their numbers and their strength, and some
thing of their oppression, and write their title. t
II liberty in characters of blood and fire? Sir,
tremble for my country when Think of the Judge
ments that must be in store for us for the sin G
slavery.
The free States, with a white population c
l. 9,4S5 ,493, are entitled to 1876 Representatives il
Congress that is, for each Representative &c
N 262 of the white population.
The slave States are entitled toss Represents
tivcs in Congress, with a white population of OF
ly 1873, SAG, which gives a Representative to e,
cry 81 AGA so that 81 AGA free persons in slav
C. State have as much political power on the Aoc
W of Congress as 70,262 white persons in fire
N State that is, it takes in the slave States Ii
IS 1911 less than in the free States to send a Rel
s. resentative to Congress. South Carolina, with
m free population of nearly "a 900 less than We
I'd mont, sends seven Representatives on the foC
IN of the other House, while Vermont, sends bl
four.
But when we compare South Carolina wit
tie New York, the inequality will more clearly Al
ne pear. South Carolina, at a ratio of 70.6S0 fro
a inhabitants for one Reprcsentative-with, acco
ding to the last census, a free population of 30
"a, 30S, sends to the House of Representatives sevt
"a, m%ebmers; whereas, with population of 1889.
er free inhabitants, New York is represented
re only thirty-four members. Hence it appear
that while II ABS inhabitants of New York a
entitled to one member only, in South Carolil
OF 3S, 1914, elect a member. 1t was supposed, whit
IL the Constitution vas formed, that New York al
We the other free States received some considerable
Pt e. ..1l:- - C.,,4l, III .1 -4la. ,-4
y ern States a slave representation, in the consc
ny of those States to be taxed, in any system
OF direct taxation which might be adopted, in pr
50 portion to their representation. This consider
IS. ton, however, has entirely failed. The publ
cS debt has been paid, and the expenditures of Il
IN Government have been betrayed, without reso
to to direct taxation, except at three short. interval
ot and it is quite certain, if the settled policy
the Government for the last thirty years be II
Is abandoned, that it will not again be resortcd
Ill as a means of supporting the Government
yer Sir, Vermont cannot consent to the a~cqnisitiC
III of foreign territory, to be created into new sla
States to be represented upon this unequal bas
But, sir, we have territory enough-morc til;
cts we can occupy for two centuries to come.
to The United States now have an area Of go
600 square miles, with a population of only 8
IRE a square mile. If the population in the Unit
States were as dense as it is in Massachusset
Try (9S to a square mile we should have 260,0 0
'ry 600 of souls and if as dense as it is in Englan
OF (293 to a square mile, we should have 7G7, 81
600 of souls.
by Sir, what more do we need. We are in pc
er- session Of the richest inheritance that ever fl
to the lot Of man. We have in our W bose
we all the elements of greatness; and, under the
%rection of wise and discreet c%ounsels, we are de
nd tined to a career of glory more brilliant than h
lad tory has recorded of any other nation on the ia
, a Of the earth. Let us, then, be contented, al
Try thank God for the manifold blessings We G
joy. Sir, | have done. l know | have be-
M guilty of an act of great indiscretion in
tempting, in my feeble state of health, to adore
a the Senate at this late hour of the night. 81
50 sir, | could not well avoid it, after the renal
of the honorable Senator from South Carolin
Mr.. BUTLER.
ual
RumOrS.-Among the rumors of the day,