Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-10-19
Hon. VIM. SHADES Letter.
READ AT THE BUFFALO CONVENTION.
MIppLERuRY. Vt. July %. 1913.

would attend the Free Soil ConVnton, at Buffalo on
the 9Th oil August has been received. | am sorry to
say that the duties connected with my present position
will necessarily prevent my attendance. | am engag-
ed in an educational enterprise that occupies most Of
my time, and abstracts my attention so much from the
political contests ofhe day that cannot enter active
ly into them am, however, by no means indifferent
to what is passing. | have, with great solictude,
watched the events ofthe last two months and must
say, that they have awakened feelings that would
draw me into the political arena, if other engagements
did not forbid it.
The present, it seems to me, very greatly exceeds
in interest and Importance, any previous period in the
progress of the slave power in country The pre-
tensions Of that power, and the means it using
complish its purposes, may well alarm the friends Of
freedom and of the Union especially when looked ut
in contrast with its pretenslons and position when the
Constitution was established. Then, as every body
acquainted with the history of that period knows. say
cry was regarded as doomed institution. Nobody
pretended to Vindcate it, out Of Georgia and South
Carolina. In North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland
and Delaware there strong and deep current Of
feeling against it. No deeper tones Of condemnation
were uttered anywhere than in those Staes-in all Of
which, we'll throughout the north its entire abo
iton, at no distant day, was desired and confidently
predicted. Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Mason,
Patrick Henry, Judge Irede, Judge Chase Luther
Martin, William Pinkney and numerous other leading
men of those States, were its open and decided oppos
erS.
The ordinance of '87, excluding slavery from the
territory forming the States of Ohio Indiana Hi
nois, Michigan and Wisconsin, was fair exponent of
the spirit and principles of those times. 1t clearly
showed that it the intention of the statesmen Of
that period not to extend but to restrict slavery Thus
restricted and confined it the general expectation
that it was destined to speedy extinction It's expect.
ed fate was we'll described by a member of the Mass.
ratifyng Convention in 1888, when he said-"Altho
slavery is not smen with all apopexy, yet it has re-
ceved its mortal wound, and will die of consumption"
Such the general sentiment of the country at that
period.
All this is confirmed by the cautious omission ofany
word in the Constitution which would import to
stranger even the existence of slavery in the country
odous was 1t, and solctous the trainers Of
that constitution that its very name should be exclud
ed from that instrument.
Sixty years have elapsed, and what do we see2-
In place OF the 600 900 slaves in 49, we have 3000-
900. Instead Of six slave States we have fifteen In
stead Of the proportion of slave states to free of sic to
we have proportion offfteen TO ffeen To eff
feet this increase of slave States we have purchased
slave territory enough to make four; and to make fifth,
have ceoulzed with slavery portion Of the territory
Of neghboring nation, wreSted it from that nation
and added it 10 our Union.
And finally, not satisfied with all this, we have wac
ed Of conquest and slavery propagandism against
that nation, and about to extend slavery over
more than 100000 square miles of free territory wrest-
ed from her in that war. Yes free territory Not able
to find slave territory to conquer for the purpose of
adding more slave States to our Union we seize, and
seek to establish slavery in free territory. Slavery,
hitherto claimed to be only a State institution has
come to be regarded as national one. nsomuch that
fleo territory, the moment it IS acquired by US, be.
comes slave territory. The flag of the United States
planted on it, becomes the flag of slavery; and the
Constitution Of the United States, ordained to "esab-
fish justice" and "secure the blessings of liberty" be-
comes TIE law of savery,-so supremely that neither
Congress the people Of the territory lave any right
whatever to prohibit it.
Thus slavery the name of which was not permitted
to de6le the Constitution, and which, sixty years ago,
was declared to have the consumption and to be struck
with DEATH has "got WE'LL" grown fat and usty and
talks of living forever. Permitted to stay among us
and be protected until time could be given it to die
decently it has sprung upon its feet, taken the res
of government, conquered foreign COUNTLESS and now
claims to extend them its power for the purpose
of maintaining its uscendancy in the Union.
The question is now presened-a question Of such
magnitude, to throw entirely into the shade for the
present. all other questions of public poicy-how shall
the march of slavery be arrested and lis alarming en-.
croacIments be resisted
Thst a decided resistance should be made soon,
from some quarter, is very clear. New Mexico and
California territories of the United States. The
purpose of their acquisition has been to extend over
them the institution of slavery and that purpose will
soon be accomplished, unless prevented by the govern
ment of the Union. Of that government the Plesi-
don't about to be elected, is one of the b1nches,--a
branch holding such constitutional, and especially
such practical relation to it, that the great question
of slavery extension is emnenty involved in the cleo
ton. The questions really to be decided by every
voter on the 7th of November next, are Will you ex-
tend slavery free territory of six hundred thou
sand square miles? will you stand upon the present
limits of the States of the Unlon and say to this en-
croaching power-hhero shalt thou come but no fur
thcr?
Two candidates are presented by the leading par,
ties One has committed himself, expressly, on the
question of slavery extension. Knowing that the slave
power would give its support to man. unpledged to
it, either expressly or implicitly, he has given the
pledge and Is committed to its interests. The other
candidate is the owner of soGe two or three hundred
slaves, purchased for labor and worked for GAIN upon
Louisiana plantations; and the question is, shall he be
supported by the friends OF freedom, in this contest?-
In the absence of definite commials on the subject
of slavery extension all the Prescriptions are clearly
against him. There Is, in the first place, the strong
bias Of deliberate, habitua, unrelenng slave hold
ing In the second place, he originally pressed
into notice candidate, by Shareholders and SLAVE en-
tenSiOntstS aud was their avorite candidate in the
Convention On the first ballot, he received sc out Of
l08 votes cast from the slave states, and on the last
all the votes from the slave states but six Throughout
all the ballongs ho received the unanimous vote of
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Louis
aGna Ierds, Tennessee, ARKANSAS and Missouri and Il
of the II votes of Vugina and of the votes OF Al
ALBANIA The Georgia delegation which thus uoted fol
him throughout, was instructed by the Convention ap
pointing it, to vote for no man not opposed to the re
strcton of slavery, and in favor of Southern rights
A large portion of his supporters from the slave states
went into the Convention with determination 10 sub
NIT to the nomination OF man in favor of the restrc
ton of slavery. The legislatures of some of the
Southern states, as well sundry meetings of slave
holders, had passed resolutions to that effect And tc
confirm these Prescriptions, resolution introduced
into the Convention affirming opposition to the ex
tension of Slavery for the purpose of committing thu
nominee and the party, was put docn by the clam
orons opposition of his SupporerS-the party thus RE
FUsING TO COMMIT ITSELF, UNDER THIS LEADER, a
ganst extending slavery! In addition to all this, thu
nomination has since been heartily concurred in BY
those at the South most decidedly in favor of extend
ing slavery and the most heightened slavery ex
tension resolutions have been passed by meetings.
which the nomination was ratified by reclamation.
Now has all this been done by the slavery propa
gandiss, without good reason to believe that Gen Tay