Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-04-12
The PROGRESS Of Principle.

the conclusion, Notwithstanding all the doubts
and fears which have been entertained, that the
march of truth and correct principle IS onward.
We alIude especially to the anti'slavery move
ment in the United States. The time has been,
when the man, who dared to utter his conscien-
tious belief that slavery was moral and social
evil only, was met by the multitude, even IN
the free States, and branded as fanatic Tor pro-
pagating this heresy-much more for the man
who dared to cast reflections upon the parlarchal
institution in the slave States. The time has
been when any Representative in Congress en-
trusted with petitions upon this subject, dared to
discharge his duty as q representative of the
people, by presenting petitions for the removal
of this evil, was secuted as a Northern fanatic,
and in some instances they were threatened with
violence, and their personal liberty jeopardsed'
But these days Of darkness and prejudice have
passed away by the force and progress OF pnncl-
pie. But few men in the free States can now be
found who do not openly condemn the institution
of slayery,as q moral-socia-and political evil
NayImore. Men are foundnow standing up in the
halls of Congress and portrOying in letters Of
living light, the cruelty and the injustice Of
system whose every feature is stamped with
wrong, and that Of the blacklist character. And
some are even found south of Mason & DlXon's
line taking the noble stand against the extension
of system fraught with so many evils, as dan
gerous to the prosperity and stability of our free
institutions.
As an evidence of the progress of correct pub
lie sentiment upon this subject we need only to
refer to the recent elections of Senators and
Representatives to Congress. What has dis
placed nnegan--Breese-an Allen? What
has elected -Tuck-Gldding Wilmot
and three Wilmot provlso men in Connecticut?
What has caused northern representatives to re-
fuse the demands of the South, to establish sa-
very In the new Territories Well may the
friends of freedom congratulate themselves upon
this manifestation Of hostility to the institution
of slavery But our attention is called 10 the
progress of anti-s slavery sentiment the slave
sStntes. The FREQ Soil Aesoontion in the Dis
trlct Of Columbia has put forth an Address in
which the aggressive spirit and conduct Of slave
} holders is Indignantly rebuked, and resistance to
slavery extension strongly and earnestly urged.
From our exchanges we learn that leading men
in the State of Missouri have put forth an address
} advocating the ordinance of 1857 and its ap~
plication TO the new territories These evidences
of progress coming as they do from the slave
States where the institution has had tendency
to blunt the moral feeling of the whole commu-
nifty, can scarcely fail to encourage northern free
men in their adherence to anti-savery principles.
Virginia ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS evenTcn-
nessee, are taking up the subject of emancipa-
ton-the people are demanding conventions for
the purpose of altering their constitutions so as
to provide for the removal of slavery. This
question is no longer a sectional one, confined to
the free States, but finds advocates among those
who have been represented as unanimously opo
posed toit.
But while we rejoice at the progress of free
principles, it must be acknowledged that the
great burden of giving practical effect to the
principles embodied in the free soil platform.
rests with the people of the free States. Amid
all the encouraging circumstances-nob ad-
dresses, and the abors of patriotic men of the
slave States, we have no just reason to expect
that majority of the people in those States will
join us in repudiating the institution of slavery
at present 1t remains then for a majority in the
North to carry out those principles and save the
new territories from the blighting curse of slave
ry, and of wiping off the reproach that rests up
Oh us for the existence of that institution in the
District of Columbia.
The question then arises, will the Wing party
in the free States after electng STAKEHOLDER to
the Presidency, although it was done contrary to
the feelings of thousands, who thought as did
Daniel Webster, that the nomination was not
fit to be made" withdraw their support from an
administration created for the specific purpose
of guarding and extending the institution of sla-
very and thereby subject themselves to the " IN
dignani from" of their leader? VIII they take
this step, and thereby jeopardise the existence
of the Wing party in the United States? We
fear not The most natural conclusion that can
be drawn is, that their position was deliberately
taken, knowing the whole circumstances connec-
ted with the presentation of Gen. Taylor as the
candidate of the Wing party. That it was
direct issue upon the subject of slavery on the
part of the Southern Wings, that he was presen-
ted as the shareholders candidate and the
Northern Wings SO understood it. We ask a
gain; Can we expect that the Wings will refuse
their support to the measures of the adminstra-
ton which they have created?
The fact that Gen. Taylor and his friends re-
main silent, so far as the policy of the admins
tration is concerned, is evidence to us that Gen.
Taylor and his friends will seek to accomplish
their purposes by other means than presenting
them to the American people for their examina-
ton and approval. We make these remarks
with no feelings of unkindness towards our
Wing friends in Vermont We have been driv-
en- to these conclusions by the conduct of Gen.
Tuylora and certain other gentlemen at Washing
ton, when the Appropriation bill was before Con-
gress with Walkers amendment attached to fit,
forming Government for California and New