The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-03-09
NUMBER IS.

uCpllNE Inc Industry vi lHe norm OF lie pro-
r lection to which it was justly entitled, and
h which ii had enjoyed, from the organization
IS Of the Government TO that evil hour when
: the tariff Of 1916 was adopted; and these
4 same aspirants, and their followers, now pro-
G pose to tax our pockets, to pay for all the
consequences Of that disastrous act. The Sec
, rotary OF the Treasury recommends duty
a on tea and coffee other prominent Demo-
q Gratis have advised the imposition of duties on
- the free list, embracing many articles chiefly
: consumed at the North; and others, again,
stern republican haters, no doubt, of accu-
mulated wealth, and luxury, and superiiuity,
disinterestedly propose a tax on bank stock,
and all articles of gold and silver. Disguise
it as you will, it is plain that all these schemes
are both calculated and designed to shift the
whole pecuniary burden Of the war upon
Northern shoulders. How much tea and
coffee arc consumed by the three or four
millions of the Southern slaves? What is
the value Of the iewelry that decks their
persons, and the forks, and spoons, and gob-
lets Of plate that adorn their tables? How
many of them consult gold and silver watches,
to know their hours Of labor, rehcshment,
and repose? The last Democratic House of
Representatives resolved, on the motion Of
| Southern gentleman, that the people of the
necessary tax in time of war" How hap.
pens it that no Southern Democratic fnan-
cier has ever been "patriotic enough to
move tax for the support of this war, en-
bracing Il certain description Of property
possessed only by the South" PERSONS"
namely, held in slavery, or involuntary SER
yitude?" And when that prosecuted phi
Ianthropist, who has "achieycd greatness"
by coupling his name with the tar-famed
proYso, moved It tax, apportioned according
to the Constitution, on the same basis as Con-
gressional representation, with what trans
ports of jubiant patriotism did the sweet
South hail the suggestion Sir, the Gov
eminent organ very plainly intmated to him,
that his "patrotsn" was Of the sort so en-
crgetcally anamathematized by DR.. johnson.
/ Mr. Chairman, l warn gentlemen that
none Of these shallow devices 10 tax one por-
ton Of this ConGederacy for the benefit Of
another will succeed; and those who desire
to protlact the war must, in the end, be con-
tent to bear their share, at least of its bur-
denS. 1t has been affirmed that 10 resort to
direct taxation will be necessary. | am not
of that opinion. We shall not know the cost
of the war so long as TIE Administration has
it in its power to conceal it from the people;
but we know enough Of it to be certain that
it cannot be carried on without an eXTcnd-
ture vastly greater than any previous conflict
has occasioned. Mexico has thrice the popu-
laion of this Confederacy at the outbreak of
the American Reyolution--a population,
though inferior to that of the colonies in the
qualities Of the soldiery, yet not divided in
opinion respecting the justice Of their cause,
nor half paralyzed by superstitious doubts
upon the lawfulness Of rebellion, but united
as one man in defending their soil against the
incurSons of foe alien in blood, and stran-
gers in language and religion, If G. eat
Britain, after eight years of warfare, the ex-
pcndtWe Of hundreds of millions of money,
and the loss Of many thousands of lives, was
willing to withdraw from the struggle with
her former colonies, at the sacrifice If every
point for which she contendpd, At what cost
Of money, with what loss Of lie, and after how
long war; may We hope to extort from Mex
leo a peace which shall yield to us alI that we
choose to ask, and all she has to give?
have given my reasons for thinking that
no increase Of our present territory is desia-
bic, and believe it is now possible, by
union of the good men of all parties, to arrest
the evils which must ensue from any further
successful attempts at sectional aegrandize-
ment. Let us unite in solemn legislative
declaration that ibis war shall not he prosecu-
ted with view to the dismemberment Of
Mexico Let us refuse all supplies 10 armies
equipped for conquest, and proclaim TO our
sister Republic that we are now ready to &C
cept precisely the terms we ought to have
offered before we commenced this unhappy
war think myself entirely safe in saying,
that if the honest convictions Of a majority Of
both Houses do not compel them to sanction,
by their votes propositions like these, the
world will be justified in believing that with
American legislators, the voice Of patriotism
is less needed than the dictates of party.
There is another consideration, which
parties with the people of every section of
the American Union it is the certainty that
any extension of our territory in a south
westwardly direction involves the renewed
agitation, and in far more fearful shape, OF
the Missouri controversy. Whencvera trea-
ty shall be presented to the Senate, embrace
ing the ccssion of Mexican territory, the
question will be directly presented. South
ern gentlemen affirm that no treaty, attended,
directly or indirectly, with prohibition of
slavery south of sc deg. 80 min, can be rati-
fed We Of the North demand that none
shall be, and arc firmly persuaded that none
can be, ratified without Why, then, con-
qucr or buy provinces which will be but an
apple of discord, to be quarrelled over but
not enjoyed ?
l admired the irmness which some South
ern gentlemen, of both parties, displayed dur
ing the tendency of the Oregon question, in
spite of popular clamor and the denuncia-
tons of venal press. They saved this
country from war, which the folly of the
Administration seemed to have rendered in
cvitabley and compelled the settlement of a
difficult and impending controversy upon
terms of equitable adjustment which the good
sense of the nation has fully approved. 1t
remains for them to prove, what have hith-
erto believed, and still trust that their con-
lunt on, TINT nccasinn Mas dictnted hr no ieal.