Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-01-20
From the Louisville (Ky) Examiner
The New Year~'Ihe Prospect.

1hG New Yelr@ nc Prospect
We gaze out into the streets. The steady tramp
of human feet has ceased, and no football is
heard. The city is buried in sleep We gaze
up into the sky. The myriad stars move on
without jar. All is harmony, and still, as if
the very heavens were hushed in thought.
Amid this quiet, the old year has died. and
the new year is born. No voice above announ-
ces either event; no token below Proclaims them.
Tie old and the new mingled into one, and then
parted so softly that their meeting and parting
might seem type of the harmony which should
reign on EARTH
The hour was one of deep interest to us. We
were alone as the toll of the clock told of the
parting and coming, and we felt as if in us,
and around US, spirits asked, eagerly, and earn
estly-
"Watchman, what of the nightW
And we arose, as men do who are conscious
land right glad we're we to feel SO consciously
that we could speak bravely for the present, and
more happily for the future.
A better and larger spirit of liberalty and
freedom is swaying refofmers and reform move
ments
But little while ago, and all who labored for
universal freedom were deemed, and forsooth,
denounced as 'Janat1cS," No party owned fel-
Iowship with them All sects batcd them with
hot scorn. They were considered low, selfish,
coarse, and base as well as common. Yet now
they have their presses, their representatives in
church and State, and Legislatures defer to them;
and all parties and sects in politics. or christian
itv, think it worth while to enquire, what they
mean, and whittier they tend! A great victory
this! The presage of greater yet to be run
Only let the friends of freedom be true, be wise
in action, and wide in spirit, and they will so
leaven society as to command all. Men will not
stop to ask-Congress and Legislatures, and
sects and parties will not pause to enqnire-if
this be so-what they mean, but they will pro-
coed to do what they wish. There is enough of
virtue and courage in our country, to meet every
demand which humanity can make; to reach and
overthrow the mighty evil of slavery to remedy
the social wrong to enlighten and elevate la
bor to crush intolerance, and master every rem
nant of feudaty For this end, we have only
to c0nccntratc-to possess unity Of feeling, and
move with unity of actlon-to be the worthy ad-
vocates of TRUTH and speak for her as if we fear
ed no foe, and knew no faint. A courage and
virtue like this will win the day against all odds,
and triumph, gloriously, over all difficulties
brighter promise yet, consists in the greater
y1Hngncss of all parties possessing power to
consider its use and abuse.
A few years ago, and no man in the South
dared to present to the South the evil or the
wrong of slavery. A few years ago. and it wa:
not safe to discuss this subject even in the fret
States This prejudice and hatred is not wholly
sienced; they manifest themselves in most sects
and in every State. But there is a power which
awes them into silence, and is combining then
within narrower and narrower bounds. Every
where we see or hear the declaration: the issue
are made, dndmuSt be met; and the spirit of op
positon--of simple aatagonism-is rapidly dy
ing out as on one side, christian spirit, urges re-
forms, and another i'll christian temper, consents
to consider them. 81 agree with you when yor
declare" says generous stakeholder, an Ala
banian, "that the day has gone by in which evi
can be justified by law, or wrong defended be
cause it is vested right" "The difficulty
sa VS. an aged Carolnian, "is in making break
ing if that be done, and Kentucky and Virginia as
sert free dom as the law, even our State, (Sout
Carolina) will 90 ahead the more rapidly iron
being forced and kept so long, unnaturally, il
an ultra position" Persuade people to hea
and the battle is more than half won. Set then
to consider, as well as hear, and we cannot fai
to indoctrinatc them with the great truths w
advocate And North and South, the letters O
a heather tyranny are SO far broken, freedom S,
far advanced, SO vltalized, that the public ea
is opening, and the public mind willing TO lis
ten-thoughtfully to rehect-upon whateve
is essential to human liberty, or human pro
gress.
But the brightest hope yet, is the fact that tn,
South, in part, promises, speedily, to redeem
herself
Kentucky is now cursed with slavery. 1t i
easy to paint its terrible effects; but it is not ST
easy to say how we shall rid the State of them
Yet, we believe, the public mind is resolved t.
grapple with the evil, and that, if we are pru
dent, patient, and wise, we shall hear ere tire
years pass by, that it can be mastered withou
harm to owners or hurt to slaves We give wa
TO no enthusiasm. We counsel not from on
feelings. Soberly, with iron front, and coldes
deliberation, we have sought to ascertain tn
real wish of the people, and that wish, we thinl
f nay, we may say, we knoo to be IN favor o
emancipation 1t may be smothered here ant
there. Party considerations, or social infiuen
ces, may keep it down in this county, and that
but when the hour for action comes, no power
under heaven, can repress the determination t.
win and wear the garb of universal freedom.
Virginia is borne down, also, with slavery
f She feels it to the very quick. And West Vr
ginia, the most populous part of the Old Domin
ion-is resolved to be free. We know some
thing of this country-something Of its people
their character, and the influences likely to ope
rate upon thcm. From these, we should say