Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-03-09
I h G L m eS.


Something like ten years ago, a little band Of men
whose bosoms kindled with a noble s~pirit,whose '~Ilearts
were made of tenderness, Whose foresight ard discern
ment revealed to them the real cause of our national
dishonor, who had greater love for equality among
men than for personal emolument, and who saw that
all our high pretensions to the love of Liberty were
but a base mockery ola principle which generated in a
bosom of infinite love, assembled, -perhaps in an "up-
per room'-in a city in New York, and assumed the
great work of the organization Of q band, which should
act under the glorious leadership of Him whose first
commission was to preach deliyerance to the captive,
and which should go forth armed with the weapons of
truth, and do battle against the strong hosts Of slave
nv. We have thot this band was not wholly unlike
another company of men whose names we hold in
choice remembrance, and record, who assembled in
the year l776, and with mingled feelings Of hope and
fear, candidly considered the oncroachments Of the
oppressive power which sought to cnslave them, and
doom them, with the generations which should come
after them, to an eternal servility to their own lusts
and desires. The same considerations which forced
themselves upon the band of '76, were vivid in the
minds of the last company, and they viewed alike the
wicked design which actuated those who would rule
over them, and alike considered their own right to be
free. Indeed, the latter occasion was but a reaction
of the scenes of first. Suffering from the same Gus
es, prompted by the same motives, trusting in the same
righteous principles, and hoping in the same God, they
sought the same end. Each looked for an entire and
unconditional overthrow of all d~espotism and monar-
chv, and sought the establishment of Freedom, and
Equality, through all our borders.
Having consecrated themselves to the work of abol-
ishing American oppression, the band of ~ embarked,
upon the important mission with nought Of hope to
cheer them, except an abiding confidence in the right
%eousness of the principles they had embraced and were
about to promulgate.-Pubic mind was enshrouded
in a thick and almost impenetrable cloud of darkness
and what was far worse, an almost immoveable pre-
iudice,-that worst of barriers-had a place in every
breast. To remove this ignorance, and this prejudice
seemed almost the work of an age, and at times We
may well conceive, staggered their courage and thei
confidence. Like pioneers in every reformatory move
ment, they suffered every kind of abuse and contume
ly, which the arrogant and vindictive mind, aided by
the father of iniquity, could %infict, & encountered inso
lence at every turn. Personal distinction, persona
honor and reputation, and even the common c~ourtesies
of the freside were withheld from them. Their course
was only one of continual sacrifce.-Time, money
reputation, standing and feeling, were all brought tt
the alter, and freely offered for the repurchase and re.
turn Of the boon given to man as an inherent right
Truth, Right, Benevolence and Phaanthyophy, are the
corner stones, which, with anxiety of soul, and deer
solicitude of mind, are locked in adamantine frmness
with the blood Of the martyr, and form the basis upoi
which the edifce of Liberty is buit-God was witt
those men, and heaven has approved the noble stand
which they assumed. The little light which but Sd
feebly ~glimmered in a single town in the Empir|
state ten years ago, has now become a "bright and
shining" one, whose etlulgence gilds almost ever
town in the Free States, and even shines in thu
Slaveholding States, revealing with additional force
the blackness of that system which we labor to des
troy. The company of units has now become one o
tens Of thousands, the mite has become a host, thu
stone of Liberty which commenced its descent dow
the %declivity of time, has gathered to itself a grea
company of men and women, strong in mind, benevd
lent in spirit, patriotic in principle and action, and
themselves, strong and powerful.
Thus it is seen, that the present underground q
the Liberty organization is purchased at a s%acriicd
not Of earthly treasure-but of one which reaches tn
inner man, which takes hold of the soul. The end
however is not yet, the mission is unperforned, tn
work incomplete. Though a~ccessions to our nun
bers have been rapid, and the progress of the caus
steadily onward, though thousands of the honest yec
many of the land have left a p~roslavery organizatio
and become standard bearers with those who BATH
for right, and though men are fast rallying beneat
the proud banner whose motto is Peace and Libert
forever, still, the insulting foe is in occupancy of the
field, and v~antingly dares us to the contest.-It is for
the entire extinguishment of the enemy that we labor,
nothing short of it will suffice. We have commenced
a warfare which must be long, and tedious, until no
trace ofthe tyrant can be found except a black par
agraph in our nations history which d~esignates the
day of his reign. Then, in view of the sacrifice made
by the early devotees to our cause, and in view of the
present surrounding prospects and the standing of the
organization, what shall be the course pursued by
Liberty men? Shall they COVER Win they in this