Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-07-27
A DNR d 3 s
To The Freemen Of Vermont,

IO lHG ITCGllltH vi ftJllUHU'
We give you this high and Aattering appellaton,
presumng you would not claim it on account of the
free soil you tread or the free air you BREATHE
the free Constitution under which you live in the full
enjoyment of elective franchise and all the preroga-
tiyes of your political brhrigh; but rather account
of the free souls and free sentiments which inspire
you, and the consistent, vigorous action you would
make, directed and tending to the promotion of true
freedom for yourselves, your postety, your country
and your race. We do not assume to address you in
our name, but in the name and behalf Of Convention
OF your teowctzens on the late anniversary of your
national independence, representing nearly every cOun-
ty in your State Citizens, who although they do not
challenge intabity for their principles Or their con-
duct, may well deserve hearing from you, as well
flor their honest devotion to liberty, the general
correctness of their DOCTRINES touching that moment
GUS theme, which is at once sacred and dear to
all. And while would speak to YOU in such be-
half and on such theme, we not only eschew all die
tation and setconfdence, but, as our disposition and
avocations prompt refrain from all attempts at meta
physical subteties, elaborate dsquiston protracted
discussion, extended historical citations. We pro-
pose to speak to you with equal fankness and brevty
with frankness, because, that you as well we,
spurn every thing like hypocrisy or concealment-
with brevity' because we are aware Of your aborous
habits, and the present busy Of the year-ab
sorbng both your energies and your time and BESIDES
ledge of the subject in hand-rendcr it unnecessary
that we should engthen out our remarks. Simple re-
terences and suggestions as to Matters with which
you are already acquainted will amply suffice.
And you have anticipated us we doubt not, when
we say, that have special reference to the alarm
ing growth Of slavery and the SIdUe pOrer in our
country. In speaking of this, however, we do not in
tend to dwell upon savery-the great antagonist OF
berty-as to its nature, laws, operation and conse
quences We might set it forth as the great volaol
of human rights the sponsor Of popular ignorance and
superstition the instigator Of and heathenism and
the destroyer Of domestic peace and happness-sap-
ping the foundations Of public morality and private
virtue But we shall only say, in passing, that, as
virtue and intelligence are allowed by the central pill
lars of our Republic, you will readily perceive the
necessity slavery being their relentless deadly foe
of sterny resisting the encroachments and speedily
putting an end TO the existence of such scourge
While we fix our eye mainly on the present crisis
permit us, for its fuller exhibition to call your atten
ton moment to that great STANDPOINT for human
liberty, made by our fathers i'll T6-towering ant
spreading, it does, above and beyond all else the
broad field of history Compare that period with this
and slavery then with slavery now. That period Yves
characterized by every thing, on the part Of orr fathers
in principle and action, disinterested pure, NOBLE he
roic patriotic manly and independent Was there eve
any thing so opporune, the times and the men akel
into consideration, as that period for laying the found
dllOuS Ol u Tree IOepuDlC w mere UlGu Llle once
seeker, the demagogue, and the corruptonlst? Tit
fire of patriotism had consumed them, as it WERE b,
the breath of its mouth Coming forth, then from thu
reign of oppression-the seeds of liberty fresh AM
terminating in their hearts, the sages and heroes o
the revolution knew equally well how to prize AM
how to proclaim liberty for themselves and for Others
In solemn appeal to Heaven, with His revealed ru
In mind, that He had " made Of one blood all men
dwell on all the face of the earth together" they pedg
ed before the world their lives their fortunes, an
sacred honor" to the declaration that " all men ar
born free and equal endowed by their Creator wit
certain ndliendble rights, among which are life, Hba
t1, and the pursuit of happiness How they maintain
ed and defended this declaration let history say Th
question would raise here is what was SlaUery thel
and how did it appear in the eyes of such men? Ha
they any deep-lad, tondly- cherlshed schemes for il
extension and perpetuation? Pardon us-we woul
? not insult your understanding with the question: w
call to mind the contrast between the OF that da
and of this-the state of things then and now. Tl
men Of that day found slavery in the land and acht
aCaS it 1t came to them feeble and downcast, wit
tauterlng voice, as q suppllcant, clad in the whit
garments of penence, it begged for the smallest moo
IN the constitution which those patriots framed
secure the blessings of liberty to themselves and the
posterity)-thot it might have time to die a nature
death and not by violence Under the circumstance
they suffered it to be grated putrid excrt
scence to be phrged off in 1908 when the abolitiC
of the save-trade took place. From such wrctche
puny bantling they anticipated nothing serious. b
what is slavery nOl0? And what its influence ar
prospects, How viewed by certain portion of OF
= leading men? 1t has come from few thousands con
paratvey to three millions, and from its infant veal
, ness in obscury to be the great overshadowin
all-controIng power Of the country. What is the
important that it does not direct or influence? III
question presses has it come to what it is? BY
fair application, gross peruersiOn, of the principle
of our fathers? Most undoubtedly the latter. Al
by the agency of lohom? Such as our fathers
D .No-NEvER We are compelled to say it by 0
agency of demagogues and conupters, inventing al
welding the engines of faction and party for section
y and personal ACCOMPLISHMENT We ask, them tello
citizens whether such men have not deceived &c
, especially in turning you aside from your great co
$ Germ and dividing and informing you upon minor poir
and interests Seriously do you not know that
the MAN is first and above his products and all reat
to him. so the question of his liberty is before all otf
political questions? And that that should be settl
before you rack your brain upon banks sub-treasuri
tariffs free trade distribution and the like? If yC
N horse were swamped in the harness and flat on
or back in the mire, would you first procure hay and
10 vender to winter him, before you would call help
Il eXtrcate him and save his life Have you not
S. these political Matters been reversing the order
n nature, of things? You will not say that you have
personal concern in this natter SO long as your brot
us man is in bondage, especially in your own count
a. and his bondage wrests your money and trends II
en- you for its support and enlargement 1t was heal
he sentiment, I" am a man and nothing is alien to
~ which pertains to humanity" But do you feel .
u when the vote Of the merest clan Of Shareholders
ut tates the wars and taxes which involve you?
r. have been deeply panied to hear the political dege
y racy and wckedness of these times charged upon
he the loorkingmen of the country, whether nomin
Is Wings or Democrats. We maintain that this cha
Dw lies properly at the door of the sposmen and p
leaders, who Aatter lie to, and deceive you. T
les, put forth their declarations, and their passers com
to the rescue and confirm the falsehood AS friends
nd deed we would dsabuse you of such foul imPosit
yet We were struck with the remark, recently of an
gh telligent man in one of our largest towns. All
an way can find out any thing is to take the pa
ing both SIDES They recprocally expose each other,
ma thus am led into the truth" But how few of
have the means to pay for and time to read " the
'ges pers on both sides 2" Do we impugn your judgm
me Far from it. 1t is not in the power of any man q