Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-02-15

The Great Question of the times--Free Soil
principles and Meetings at the West-The
Days of slough Faces" numbered-G
Meeting on the Steamer-Slavery Represen-
ted-A Magnificent Spectacle -Bufalo--Its
size and throngs-The Great Movement Of
the People in Convention. Speakers nthu-
siasm.
BUFFALO, August 10, 1913.
The time, the place, the occasion, seem ap-
propriate and invite me to say something on the
great topic-the theme of themes which now
agitates the entire community The runbling
of the moral and political earthquake has, for
some time, been heard in the distance-but here
its fires concentrate and gather strengtll-are
ready, even NOW, to hurst forth with resistless
power and sweep away, as with the bezom Of
destruction, the cob web compromises, the faith
less professions and broken promises of univer-
sal Hunkerdom, whether in the Wing or Dem
ocratc parties. Nearly ten years ago small
and despised band of true anti-slayery men lev
cry where spoken against fearlessly and single
handed, entered tho political conflict against the
arrogant pretensons the illegal and unconstitn-
tional encruachments of the Slave power. .NotV
they see, on every side unmistakabIe and cheer
ing evidence that these long cherished principles
are destined, at no distant day, to triumph. 1t
is only question as to tinls--for as God is just,
triumph they must, and TRIUMPH THEY WILL.
i But LAT iag nartrallaziza a llAEla saa.4.-.. - 1900
On my return to Toledo, as mentioned in nv
last, l found the aspect of things, in political
matters, very much changed during my ten days
absence. Instead of Indifference Or apathy all
was hustle and eager enquiry; coupled with
disposition to discuss publicly and privately the
great question which seemed to supercede all
others. In the merchants store, the shop, the
hotel and in the streets wern seen and heard men
Of all parties uniting as one man against the
further encroachmants Of the Slave power
whether in the new territories, in the general
government, or among Northern freemen. A
call signed by more than one hundred of the
principal citizens Of the place, was posted in
large hndbiIIs throughout the city, for Free
Soil meeting on Monday evening 3lst July.)
At this meeting by far the largest held in the
place during the season an enthusiasm and union
Of purpose prevailed, exceeding the expectations
both Of friends and enemies Such men Is the
Hon John Fitch and b. Wadsworth oil he Dem
orratc, and Judge 'Fden aud Movor Brigham,
ESQ., of the Wing party, took an active part in
the movement and meeting. The speeches of
Messrs. Fitch and Brigham, especially, were
able and happy efforts, and told with marked eff
feet on the meeting. My friend, E. Allen, Esq,
was absent i'll Kentucky, on account Of the sud-
den death of beloved brother, which deprived
HIM of tho opportunity Of raising his voice,
which he gladly would have done, and decidedly
too, in favo: of every object of the meeting.
The toledo Blade" which seemed to have
lost both its point and edge,) come out the next
day with puerl attack on the meeting and
some of its speakers-intend,ng to hit, probably,
among others, his good wing friend Brigham.
Some 25 or 30 delegates were appointed at this
meeting to the Buffalo Convention.
A few evenings after, according to notice In
the daily papers and handbills, wing meeting
"came off" in the city which attended. There
were about a dozen in attendance, all told, of
which number some two or three, only, took any
part in its proceedings, and they only by low
conversation with each other in monosyllables.
Of course it was a famous meeting, the eTthtLsi-
asna of which would be caught and re-echOed in
tha 1oil y If md I'M
days Whatever may be the result of the COM
ing election cannot doubt that Toledo, if not
the whole of Lucas County, will eventually DO
in favor of Liberty and Free Soil. The days
of Doughaces are numbered here as well as
elsewhere.
The Toledo delegation with multitudes Of
others took passage with me for Buffalo on Mon
day morning, the 9TH Of August Our numbers
were swelled by accessons at Monroe, MIchi.
gan, at Sandusky, Huron, Cleveland, Fairfort,
AshtabuIa, &C.. so that before reaching Buffalo,
it was estimated that the number Of passengers
were nearly two thousand. Az Cleveland a
large delegation came on board with splendid
painting on silks, representing sturdy giant
with club in hand, ready to knock the chains
from the hands and feet of an imporing female
slave, in a kneeling posture, with back barred to
the lash With an imploring look and eye up
turned to Heaven | fiIncled, while intently ga
zng at her imploring features, that could al.
most hear her say
"Behold my wretched form with sorrows worn,
My squalid limbs by ponderous fetters torn -
And shall not Heaven for this ayenge the foe,
Grasp the red bolt and lay the guilty low?
How long, how long, Almighty God of all,
Shall wrath vindictive threaten ere it falln
STAKEHOLDER from the South, observing me
viewing this scene, now advanced with swag-