Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-05-18
Anniversary of the American and For
eign AntfSlaVery Society.
SPEECH OF JOHN P. HALE.

The Annual meeting of this Society was holden in
New York on Tuesday, Of last week-lewis Tap
pan, President, in the chair. A series of revolutions
were read by Lewis Tappan, and passed unanimous
w. for which we have not room this week. Able ad-
dresses were made by Henry b. Stanton, Esq, Dr.
Vionis of Paris, and the Hon. John P. Hale, U. S.
Senator from New Hampshire. The substance of Mr.
Hale's speech will be found annexed
On the following morning Public Breakfast was
ey,von ct the Coliseum, tho ceremonies ofwhich were
opened with an impressive prayer from Rev. II. II.
Garnet, followed by singing. After which addresses
made by john P. Hale, DR.. Bailey, Editor of the
National Era, Mr. Vioncse Of Paris and ] ohn II. w.
Hawkins, the great advocate of Washin ttonianism.
Mr.. Hawkins made good speech on the subject of
Slavery as connected with Intemperanc% He said
he had travelled over 100000 miles since the origin of
the Washngtonian movement; he had not been an
idle looker-on and that never from Castine to Louis
lana, had he met single individual who was devo-
ted, whoe-souled Anti-Savery manwho was not also,
a friend of Temperance.
REMARKS OF HON. JOHN p. HALE.
have been so much accustomed to address an au-
time past, that your kindness is as overcoming it is
strange but beg you to repress any further manes
tatons of it, at what about to say, at least for the
present There is no DANGER though that shall tell
you fatteing truths. No! | know of no bright pic
ue to exhibit to you; know of nothing but the stern
reality of ruth-and that really full Of deep and damn
ing disgrace. was somewhat amazed, short time
ago at one of the concerts of the Hutchnsons, at fol-
lowing the poor wanderer IN one of their songs, in
search of "Down East" Laughter The poor fell
low came here to New York. thinking he had found it
at last; but no! He soon found he was wrong and
posted off to Boston with the self same intent but with
the like want of success; and, on proceeding from
thence to Portland and Bangor, he found that he was
still as far off as ever from "Away Down East G'-
n,aughterl Such would in like manner be the fate
of any anxious individual which should set out in
search of the American government "Oh no" a
hundred voices will say go right on to Washington,
and you'll find it there? | tell you no Washing
ton is the very last corner in the Union would look
into to find the American government Just think of
it moment. Go, while there, to the White House,
and its occupant will tell you that the first and last ar
tice of his political creed is to learn IN the first place
the will of his constituents, and in the next place, to
do it, Go thence to the Departments, and you will
there be told by those at their head that they are the
servants of the peope-that they not the govern
ment. Go from the Departments to Congress, and
you will be met with the same answer search any
where you like for our government, and tell you he
will not find it Where is it, then? Where is this
much-taked of power-ths American government
Have you ever seen it Have you ever spoken to it
Ny friends there is some truth implied in the answers
to these questions say to the individual who wants
to find out the government whose right hand is red
with the blood of war, and whose front is stained with
the foul blot of slavery-I say / would ask this man
to 90 apart from his fellows, and in the privacy of his
own room look within his mirror, and there he would
behold one man responsible. (Applause) That is
the truth we want to bring home to you You talk of
your government" and you think you mean some
thing-iust as if, when the people make their own
laws and government we should lay the responsible
ty in any other quarter.
If this doctrine is correct think you will agree with
me that we need not go to Washington to look for our
government No tell you it is you who are the ro-
vernment and if you in need of reform, WHY, con
vert Yourselves and you will then elect converted
government and a converted Congress! 1t is perfect
" idle for you who are the responsible authors of all
that your representatives are DOING to complain about
your government You talk about your wanting men
of firmness at Washington in your Representatives
Hall-and particularly from the north You say that
you have great many dough-faced representatives
Well so YOU have And why? Because your rep
resentatives have more dough faced constituency at
home (Applause.) Let the people themselves stand
up and there will be no difficulty about the matter
Look back to the history of New York; Whereas if
were in my own state, should speak its history to its
citizens but to recur look back, say, to your hsto
ry Of New York. and tell me when you have had rep
resentatve who would bow so low as to lose caste at
homer believe you never had one.