Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-06-11
THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH.
M ".

AN ADOP led ClIILCN.
THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH
No. Y.
To THE Hon. GEORGE p. MARSH Sir
BY birth-right a citizen of That State
whose soil was drenched to mire, with the blood
of the Revolution" have not fought the bat
of due time" The mother who bore me- was,
at one day old, rocked in her cradle by the jar
ring of the earth from Bunker Hill. and her lul-
laby was The thunder of the captains and the
shouting"
lie that is now A Northern man with South.
ern citizenship" was, in the war of 1912. fee
bic boy Of ten years old. have been in sue.
ccssion, citizen of Massachusetts,, of Virginia
and of Maryland. am allied to those States by
ties the tendcrcst and the hottest II moral
courage is required, in defence of the liberties
that are mine by hcirshp, the inheritance
which have so fully and freely possessed,
shall not be found wanting. II a fearless an
nouncement of obvious truth is needed, ], for
Union was bought, was not shed for me in vain
If" Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty
and if have not been deceived as to the max.
inns which "The Father of his Country be-
queathed to posterity, shall be found upon the
watchtower.
1t becomes me, in addressing statesman, to
present facts, not feeling argument, not ego
tism. And yet some apology is due for con-
stitutonal argument on States right doctrines,
lest should assume to "niorm princes, and
teach senators wisdom"
NV Constitutional argument, has more Of the
heart than of the head in it. The meaning Of
the Constitution which the trainers mean--which
its authorized expounders meant-which its
sworn supporters mean, whether their oath is
" To support it as they understand it, or other
wise, touch not.
There is meaning of the Constitution dis
tinct and apart from all these, modified though
it is BY the authoritative decision of the Supreme
Court, and BY the expressed opinions of states.
men. The Constitution is from day to day. and
from year to year. accomplishing its destiny :
and the annals of time recording the mean
ing which it actually futs. To this meaning
of the Constitution propose to contne my re.
marks.
The North had moral influence with the South
twenty years ago, on the subject of slavery -
they have none whatever now. The positions
of the two were not then as thoroughly defined
as now. The North then approached the South
in respectful, dcfcrcn,iai, Christian spirit
Though we saw not how their views could be
safely carried into practical effect, yet their
mild Christian earnestness won us, and though
we saw much in their rcasonngs which we
knew to be the result Of mistake and misappre-
hension, vet we were disposed to think that
such excellence of Christian temper must, after
all, be in the right.
Proceeding from New England southwark
towards the equator, n relaxing Of that indomita-
Bile disposition to think for ones self on all sub
jects, is observable. 1t doubtless is in part at
least, an influence Of climate which dsposes us
To Inf 9th ants tam
orators-in short-those whom we respect and
to whom we are attached, think for us.
Southern youths, receiving education ut the
North-Northern teachers, particularly cleri-
cal teachers, at the South-much Northern in
fnencc heretofore has becnproduced on the South.
The rise of colleges and universities in the South
Abolition forced upon the British West India
Standardization breaking out at the NORTH
the public mind, both at the South and at the
North reused to a state of refection-measures
taken-the result attained may be thus describ-
ed. The two communities have receded in
opinion from each other, and now occupy these
asccrtained positions. The North is comprehen-
ded and fully stated in one proposition, and one
inference. To own slaves is sin. Sin must be
Immediately abandoned.
The South say sin lies not in thu owning of
slaves. Sin is predicated of shareholders and OF
non-slave-hoders irrespcctively of the matter
of slavc.hodnS. Aman NAV be in state of
allegiance to ali Gods revealed WILL and yet be
a STAKEHOLDER in perpetuity.
Shareholders. knowing that their political
RIGHTS were secure, formerly did not take the
trouble TO think very conclusively upon the sub.
iect and accordingly admitted that slavery
was great moral, political and social evil
Thev have now reflected as they never did be.
fore. and have arrived at the conclusion that il
is not so great an evil, in either of these re-
snccts as they supnsed.
The Nor,h have So oeneralized their propo.i.
ticn as TO include us all, clerical and Law.
NAL. and female. under sin. Formerly the clcr.
gv If hath sections we're agreed. and they are
e. J,ss 40 nov that i, ;sa Sin 70 treat slaves i'll
Rut all this is thrown into position of irrele-
vancy, in the present advanced stage of the dis