Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-06-20

those who are endowed by the Creator with rea-
son, free will and conscience, and by the con-
stitution with political entity and the franchise
of suffrage. That the will Of the majority of e-
gal voters, subject only to the constitutional
guarantees Of protection 10 mtnoritieS IF persons
and to property onght to give the law to the state.
That minOriIits ofperSons, represented, and prop
ery, unrepresented, are entitled to constitutional
guaruntirs Of protection, and the majority in con-
ventioh is bound to provide them. That they
can be easily provided, and can be made ample
and certain securities against all unequal bur-
thens and oppression upon minority or upon
properly. -.-..
That our present representation in the Legis-
aure, based as in part 1t is practically on SIdveS,
who have no political voice or enuity, on cdrria,
geS, which are in many instances but extrava-
giant Injuries, and on licences 10 sell ,ohiSkey,
which are human curses is not only fundamen-
tally arstocratic and anti. republican, bdt il has
proved utterly Jutih and taRaciOus.
This appears to us to be the most truly Dem
ocratic, correct and politically wholesome plat
form of principles which has emenated from the
slave States for many years. The fact is, that
though the South, in their jealousy of the Fed
eral Government, are democrats as states, yet, as
in individuals, they are ,ristocrats; and all their
institutions tend to keep all but the wealthy
Shareholders in ignorance, and from exercising
any independent political influence. But for
this, Virginia had long since been fee state
for we believe majority Of her white popula-
ton have been and still are, in favor of speedy
emancipation. The above creed strikes direct
| y at the roots of the evils with which the slave
power has hedged itself about to ensure its safe
ty and perpetuation. Let Mr.. Wise be permit
ted 10 carry out his principles, WEIGH 60 to do
away the absurd rule of representation, based
in part upon slaves, to make every man a voter
and 10 ensure the education of all, and thus ele
vato and give them them an equal share of po-
tltical inhuence--let linn do this, and not dis
tant will be the day, when the old Dominion
will stand forth Disseminated and regenerated
and take her place among the freest and mos
ilourishng of her out stripping sister states
which, in the light of true liberty are go rapidly
moving on by her to greatness and glory
We are the more gratifed at the appearance
Of this little star of promise rising out of the
darkness of lnat once noble, but now fast wan
inh state, because, during former residence O
some years there, our sympathieS were deeply
moved by the helpless struggles of large por
ton of the people, including Jefferson and Mad
ison, who were then openly acting as their Men
tors and Monitors, to throw off the APPALLING loat
of slavery, which, to their vision, in common
with our own, was SO obviously drawing then
down to social and political perdition. Yes, we
know know their works, their labor and theil
potience; and how they cannot bear the evil.
We there first saw the workings Of the accused
system, and there as different as the effect has
bnnn oh some) we became an abolitionist; and
never, from that time to this have we seen the
day that we did not loathe the institution, and
pray devoutly for its extinction.
Should we now be compelled then to 90 to
school to Cass. Dickinson, Clay and Webster
and their fellow non intervention 3ts and abet-
tors of slavery, to learn what Jefersonan free
democracy is ? His creed at that time embrace
ed not only the exclusion of slavery from all pla
ces where it did not exist, but the divisng Of
means for its extinction where it did. What
Obolitonist should desire more? What demo-
should content himself with less?