Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-06-06
y The Freeman.
WHATlb TO BE DONE?

l his queslo Games home to us with ten-iod
force, In view fVhat is now daily transpiring
at the Capitol, a1among men at the helm of
government md to whom we look for good
and wholesome Aws-those best calculated to
advance the PROPERTY and happiness of Re-
publican Government. In answer to the above
inquiry, we say, tiat MUCH is to be done, and i: |
remains solely win the TRUE FRIENDS OF FREE
DOM, to accomplish the work, however arduous
the task may appear to some. Many are the
schemes and intrigues resorted to by the over
bearing and avarEious South, to obtain, if pos
slble, new martfor slavery In California, and
IT successful, 10 bind upon the nation, perpetual
and unendng slavery Snail we, as Northern
treemen stand albOf, and not utter ONE sentence
in condemnation h their unjust and unreasona-
BILE demands? Shall we stand unmoved and in
different, with these facts staring us in the face
Shall we thus virtually bind ourselves to become
the tools of the South, and the forgers of chains
to bind the limbs of unborn millions? No
never so long as there is freedom of speech,
and channel open through which we may ex
press our views, will we desist from denouncing in
the strongest terms our disapprobation of such
measures ;-measures calculated in themselves,
to destroy the peace and harmony Of the nation
sap the very foundations Of the government,
and ultimately result in the dissolution of our
glorious Union, 50 dearly bought, and so strong
~ cemented by Ae blood ofour fathers.
The main, and in fact, the sole topic of dis
cussion is, whether California shall be admitted
into the Union, with her proposed Constitution
which forever precludes the introduction or es.
Establishment of slEyS,y within the boundaries of
her now free a1d| ergin territory--where the
CALLING chains N ssvsty shall never be worm
nor the cries oftho oppressed ever arise to heaven
to invoke judgment upon their cruel oppressors-
or their tears to poison her genial soil. This
question wholly absorbs the Southern mind, to
the almost entire exclusion of every other-and
many of their greatest, and most sagacous in
telects have been exerted to the extent of their
powers, TO entail upon that now free and happy
people, the bighting curse of slavery, with all
the attendant evils which ever follow in its
course.
The people of California llave in presenting
their Constitution, expressed the sentiments Of
the free States, and tothose States she now looks
for aid in this hour of mnent peril, to avert the
greatest calamity that can befall free and hap
Ply people, or which can possibly be visited up,
on any nation-the induction of slavery among
them. To those States we trust she will mo-
look in vain /; for with them rests the POWER t
decide this question Of LIBERTY" or PERPETU
AL SLAVERY; and we cannot think, for a mo
men', that they will prostitute that power, ant
yield to the base demands of the South, and thu
permit to be spread over that vast extent of ter
rltory-where the crack of the slave. driver
whip has never been heard, this desoating, soil
poisoning and blightlng institution. We say,
seems to US, in view Of all this, that no Northern
FREEMAN---no one who has enjoyed this heaven
best gift to man, and has lived all his days, un
der the genial rays LIBERTY, can turn dea
ear to the earnest entreaties of his felIow-mer
to aid them in the enjoyment of the blessing
which he himself has SO long enjoyed? Ca
they who know the sacred tics which bind to
gether kindred spirits, and make happy the fam
lily circle-which alone makes life toerabl
can THEY, by THEIR acts, deny their brethre
the privilege of becoming the happy recipient
of these blood-bought and sacred ties
If there Is one bright spot on this sin-smltte
earth congenial to this " PECUnIAR INsrITU
TioN," where the iron heel of oppression sha
not be permittedto hold its sway, let III preserv
it untarnshed, and show to the world that W
have done ONE philanthropic act, worthy of an
nation, and affixed ONE bright spot upon our no,
tarnlshed escutcheon, which shall endure IN
til those granite columns which support our m
TONS Capitol, shall have crumbed into atoms.
Should the efforts Of the free States be sue
cesifu in the admission of California, with he
FREE constitution, we cannot but hope that tn
day is not far distant, when we shall see this grea
moral, social and POLITICAL evil-this stigma up
on our name, efiectually eradicated from OF
otherwise prosperous and happy country and tn
slave chains, and the slave prison shall be know
only among the things that were. And whe
the stars and stripes, our nations pride, sha
/ proudly float upon the Capitol Of their own FIRE
territory may its majestic folds, when spread
the tanning breeze, reveal in TRUTH, its glor
Gus motto--wrtten as it were in letters of blood
"LIBERTY." J. w. II. C.