Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-02-24
Slavery in the District Of Columbia.

We find the following in the Ohio True Dem ,crat,
the editor Of which resides in Mr. Gddlngs district
and is now at Washington city. We ask the honest
men, and women too, of Vermont, to read it, and while
they read it, to renem5eri in shame and humiliation,
that such things exist, such things are done, under
laws made and sustained by Congress.
SLAVERY.
In the immediate vicinity of Washington city, and
perhnps the whole district slavery is more foierabe
than in many of the Southern states. Yer mild as are
many Of its features, here it sufficiently abhurrpnt to
excite the attention. and enlist the feelings of
any one who has heart to feel, either for degraded
humanity, or The honor Of his country. A. stand up
on Capitol Iil, and gaze above me- behold upon the
topmost peak Of that magnificent building where are
congregated the lawmakers Of this great natlOn, the
star3and stripes gracefully waving the breezes of
heaven, and N those read that ALL men have an in
aIIenabe-rght to life, liberty and happiness / pass
on beyond the Capitol and see before me pen, with
in which are enclosed numbers of Immortal beings,
nandcufied and tettered, guilty of no crime Above
Them too waves the American flag, and in and around
the doors are seen .9aercn citizens, of the
souls and bodies Of men and dealers in human flesh,
selling and purchasing Gods Image, with as little feel
ing as they would barter in common merchandize.-
This too, under the very flag of the Nations Capitol
within sight and hearing Of Senators and Represen-
taves and by their consent
70 give you all ust ltjon Of the workings of slave
ry-lhe mild slavery of Washington city. As sat in
the room Of the member from your district, conversng
upon this subject NJ g., upon hearing a slight rap
opened The door and admitted woebegone looking
coIored nan, the picture Of despair He invited
to take a seat, but would not. With considerable he
station and trembling lie inquired if Mr. Glddngs was
IN? Said Mr. g., 4 am the person; what hat wiz you
have? % sar,' said he, while the tears bednmed his
eyes, 'our people told me that you had more feeling
than the other men here and slave diver las taken
my girl away. They have got her IL The slave pen
down thar, and going to take her to New Oleans'
MIR u. inquired lninuey into the case, and promised
the poor fellow to do what he could to rcIi"yo 30 oI
AFTER the colored IMAM left Mr. &. mfSmed me Chat
sVcn cases were GonS'e"y occurring. coored
,r" "'1 'n' ''N OF ne lovely children, that live
"'' ''e 'ane Gay for assistance. His whole family
"'e - be sold in short time, under the hammer. MY
I hea.., bleods for those poor creaurcs' said Mr. CT
OH that bad the power to break their letters and re-
eve them. And whose soul would not be weary
with anguish to witness, day by day. such exhibitions
otunmtgated Suffering IN the pant Of the oppressed,
and OF uonstrOus depraVy OIL the part Of the oppress-
o..
Is there no remedy for these God-provokinr out
RACES. THERE IS, most emphatic0ilv Congress
has the power to strike off every ctter and yoke from
every human being III the dlstict Of Columbia. But
amenable as it Is, they have not the lciU nor the
moral courage to do it, The great heart Of The nation
Is corrupt There is here and there noble soul
whose moral power is feIt from one extremity Of the
nation to the other but they borne down by num-
bers.
The committee upon the district Of Columbia is one
Vt the most important that the Speaker of the House
+ appoints. Yet Hon r. c. Winthrop, northern man,
appointed Shareholders aud doughuces to report upon
tbs subject So vital to the interests and honor of the
nation. Look at the commlttee. Its ehairElan John
q. Chapman, is E sIayehollerJ James Mcdowell Wash
Ington Blrrow and Alexander Sims are shareholders;
Orlando B. Fickn aud I}eujamjn B. Thurston are Io-
CO Foco donghaces Of the deepest dye; Thomas o.
Edwards, Wing, Is no better Frederick A. Talmaige
and William Henry the only an-sIavery men up
on the committee. Seven against two. For this out
rage upon the North ana contemplate trucking to The
South, If for nothing else, Winthrop deserves the sew
crest reprOo from every honest man, The vote Of the
House upon the resolution Of MIR Gddings to appoint
IL committee in the Of the outrage upon the color
ed man who rulhessly torn from his family few
days since, Swallowed forth something of this KIND
large majority OF the wings voted for that resoluton-
b. that vote they plainly disclosed that they had no
trict, appointed by Mr. Winthrop.
Very many of the slaves here hire their time Of their
masters, and by industry and economy they in tine
lay up sufficient 10 purchase their freedom. Poor
things! They can't take care of themselves. should
they be euancp1ted In slavery they support them
SeIUes their master msheSSes AMI children and besides
are frequently abe 10 ean in addition 10 his The means
10 pro cure their otn freedom.