Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-08-24
VOL. V. NO. "a.

upoh the demand OF one hundred members.
SPEECH OF JOSHUA R. GIDDINGs, OF OHIO.
Mr.. Gildings having been loudly and repeatedly
called for, came forward amidst the most deafening
applause and spoke as follows
Friends, and countrymGn and fellow citizens: /
know OF no submer spectacle that could be presented
to the eye of the Patriot Statesman or lover of man
KIND, than to sec people assembled in mighty Con-
venhon, for the maintenance Of their nalienabe
rights; and when my Reverend friend here made
such beautiful aluson to that venerable statesman,
who has lately taken his departure from this to q
brighter world, my heart inyountariy responded amen
to the sentiment he exp essed firmly believe, that
could that "od man eloquent" that mighty and ire
sshbe champion of human rights from early youth TO
extreme age, have lived to see this day, he would
have said like him of DID, snow Lord, lei thy servant
depart IN peace since NINE eyes have seen thy saliva
ton [Great applause "
Fellow citizens, that venerable statesman and pat
riot first called my attention to the usurpaons of that
power which now threatens to engulf our liberes-
He has taken his departure from the scenes of polt
zeal dscord and strife, and it has been left to another
generation to maintain the rights which he labored
during his whole life to establish in perpetuy for the
enjoyment of yourselves and your offspring That
beautiful aluson, made in the PRAYER to which YOU
listened this morning, to the Pilgrim Fathers who were
tempest tossed upon wintry and stormridden sea- as
they fled from political oppression at home and sought
to establish this ever living principle ofmans unalien-
able rights upon the shores of Massachusetts, remin
Ided me- that in that same year-yes fellow citizens,
IN that same year that Pilgrim Sires landed upon
those inclemen shores, Dutch Ship freighed with
humanity made merchantable by the superior fraud
and powers of piratical dealers in human flesh and
blood, landed upon our coast at jamestown, in Virgin
IA. Yes the element of slavery and degradation was
established in the year that our Pilgrim Fathers
established Human Liberty upon the New England
shores. And these antagonlstic principles have been
linz n1Hrt lnrI
tTut from that day to the present And while New
England has BEEN with devotion to her country, her
God, and to manknd endeavoring to extend her prn-
clpes OF liberty, Southern States have been eagerly
and theoretically engaged in extending and perpet-
uating Human Degradation and Slavery. And that
institution existed when first brought upon the
southern shores of these States precisely as it is now
sought to be established in California and New Mex
ico 1t was established there by force of the physical
and intellectual superiority of the whites the coll
ored race.-ln violation Of heavens high Decree the
whiteman seized his fellow coored man and compelled
him to submit to his Will That state of the degraded
African existed TOR years with no other law to sustain
it than now exists in New Mexico and California.
lie who reads the history of our country, and es-
pecay that portion Of which reates to the introduce
ton, establishment, and extension of the heaven DEFY
ing institution Of Slavery, will understand the deep
laid schemes of southern Statesmen to establish Sla-
very in New Mexico by the entire absence of legisa-
ton upon the subject Leave the slave holder to con-
vey his slaves there let him but once gain foothod
there and by force of superior intelligence and power
by the bowie knife the scouge the whip and the dread
instruments of TORTURE he will establish slavery there
unless prevented by law.
John Z. Calhoun is too deep read man, he is too
well versed In all the internal measures of fraud force
and dupllcIty by which Slavery encrces its victims
in It's deadly folds, and enarges its borders and
strengthens its powers to be induced by any means
bIS AboG
would IN the least initiate against his darling nstu.
tom and tell you that the late Compromise as has
been caledwas deep laid scheme of those whose in
venon never fails Them to enrap you into the sup
port of Slavery in New Mexico and California.
Fellow Citizens, do rejoice today to see the people
come up here from the various States of this Union
north of Mason aud Dxon's line, and thank God some
south OF IT. Lgreat applause in the spirit OF devotion to
maintain the self evident rights of man for which our
forefathers bled during the revolution. FAppause1-
can only say to you fellow citizens, that if you ex-
pect to be instructed by my remarks today you will
be disappointed. see none before me but patriots
friends, and phlanthropists who wish to cheer me on
in my work. know not how to meet SUCH have
not been used to it. Laughter and appausel tell
you miss my sword. Renewed applause and great
merrlment know not how to meet you today as
friends, for have not been accustomed to SUCH ard
while rejoice with JOY unutterable feel unprepared
to give utterance to the sentiments of my heart.
are members of all the political parties Have been
thank my friend for the words. will write it down
in my book. say then see before me len who han
been members of all the political parties of the day.
) Men who have supported Clay and Jackson and Ad-
ans and Taylor perhaps. Men who have supported
Cass. Of course no one thinks Of supporting him now
We'll will speak of him as of the Others one who
has been. say fellow citizens that when come here
and meet men ready to carry into practical life the
principles of76, extend the hand of "Faternty''
to them feel that am meeting friends patriots
who are willing TO make sacrifice for the maintenance
Of those holy principles. Applause.
Vi Gen. Cass will not speak. He has been DO.
tca opponent of mine, and is now Of Gen. TAYLOR
| can only remark that know not enough of him to
say any thing in his favor to speak evil of him.
can only speak of his principles and those of the old
Wing party. say to you now stand where | stood
IN "A. wish to repeat what was then often and de-
berately asserted to be the principles of the Wing
party Aside from the Tariff, and other principles Of
the campaign, we know that extension of Slavery
was the ISSUE May God forgive you Locoocos for
your conduct then. | cannot do it, That the is
sue on which we joined battle under our old beloved
: and gallant leader Would to God we had such a
leader now. Applause. Henry Clay laid it down
in his letter at that time, that extension of Slavery
was the ninth article in the Wing creed Do Won re
member that friends of Gen. Taylor2 Henry Clay re-
asserted this principle A voice. "tell us something
about Mat Van Buren," will attend to him by and
by, when will do him Justice. Henry Clay made
that declaration, and is there any one here who de-
mes it? Now you who support Gen. Taylor, dare
: you come up to 1t? fyou dare not, you have fled
, from the platform on which you then Stood Can a
man make Gen. Taylor assert what Henry Clay pro-
claimed in 49, No-o-o-O. Henry Clay boldly put
forth his sentiments, and his honesty and fairness
brought his downfall The slave power wrote on his
wall the prophecy, "Mene, Tekil, Upharsn" Thou
art weighed in the balances and found wanting Hen
ry Clay was defeated in the Philadelphia Convention
on account of that declaration. He lies low, smen
, down by the ruthless slave power which has never
spared any however exalted, who it suspected of a
willingness to recognize the principles embodied in
the Declaration of Independence. A voice more,
'tel us about Little Matty. He's the boy for mon
) ey"l-Well gentlemen, you all know that opposed
Martin Van Buren, with my powers left no stone
unturned in IA to defeat his election. Martin Van
Buren, rejected Texas in 81. She was then at war
with Mexico
In IA the shareholders of the Mississippi interroga.
ted him upon this subject which with them, was the
ranscedent question of all Others and he declared his
opposition to the annexation of Texas, in IA This
n r Il 1o.1 - a.