Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-07-19
GREEN MOUNTAIN

OK
! oxtension, that it would not long be seriously
pressed by the North, and they then, as the
slave population becomes too numerous, might,
on the ground of safety to the whites, and even
Of humanity to the slaves themselves, plausiby
advocate diffusion Of the institution, and cast
ly secure all the extension which might be want
ed.
Let this doctrine once fasten on the public
mind, and every effort to get rid of slavery is
deadcned--every argument is met by the coun-
ter Argument that it is useless, as going against
manifest destiny, the opponents become dsheart-
ened and their opposition at length ceases alto.
gether. Slavery, in the meanwhile, will be
steadily pushing its advantages, and extending
its power, in every directisn. At the South, it
may be exteded everywhere, and even Mason
and DiXon's line may prove no barrier to its en-
croachments on the North, where there are prob
ably already thousands among the wealthy and
arstocratic who, though now overawed and kept
silent by the force of public opinion, would not
be dlspleased to see slave walters standing be-
| hind them at their tables. And thus, things will
90 on till every State in the Union shall become
directly or indirectly interested in sustaining the
institution, and the whole American people, and
their subyerted liberties be forever and rretrieV
ably locked and bound within the iron grasp OF
the slave power.
1t is this which makes the question whether
Webster be sustained or not, in his positio on so
momentous to the people of the free States; and
it is this also, that makes the countenance and
support he is already receiving, SO ominous of
evil to the cause of freedom and the true inter"
tercsts of the country. Bot is there really any
prospect that Webster WILL be sustained, asks
hundreds to whom such suggestions are made !:
We fear, greatly fear there is. At first we tho't
that position 50 monstrous and revolving in
Northern statesman, could meet with no more
favor from party friends, than from party oppon-
pouents But we have been disappointed. First,
the Boston Courier, the organ of the aristocracy
Of New England, and second to none for the a
bility with whichlt is conducted, stood boldly
forward in his defence, and by plausible appeals
to the love of unIonamong the people, their fears
Of disunion and their commercial interests, soon
produced the most visible effect Other presses
followed, at first, tmidly, then boldly, till the
whole wing press Of Massachusetts, except the
Iunbought Atlas, and one or two others in the in
terror, by their arguments, Or their silence, are
sustaining Inn. In Vermont there is, to our
knowledge, bat one wing press, that now takes
decided ground against him, while. three or four
defend, or palate his course, and the rest, tho
at first they might have mildly dissented, have
now strangely become silent on the subject
In the rest Of New England the presses Of the
same party stand effected in the same relative
proportions as in Massachusetts and Vermont
Such are the Indications of the deep, secret
and determined movement which we fear is eve
rywhcro going on to sustain the recreant Sena
tor Of Massachusetts, movement which en-
braces the greatest proportion of the talents, an
probably more than three fonrths of the wealt
Of the whig party in the entire North.
And is there no probability that such poten
influences will not work out their object, an
thus eventually bring the whole whig party int
the support of their old leader and make them
however some of them, from motives of polio
may, for the present, stand outl in effect, if no
directly, party to the war which the South ar
now 50 desperately waging on human rights an
human freedom? We fear there is-we belieY
there is, not only the probability, but the certain
ty that such will be result, and we think ehuv
only to direct observation to events and indica
tons every where visible around US, to brn,
the candid of all parties into the same view @
the subject
If this be so, then,-if such is to become tn
settled, though secret policy of the wing leader.
how much longer shall we listen to their loud
mouthed professions of love for free soil prnci
pies: No longer, Those professions have al
ready vanished into thin air Our caus has no
only nothing further to hope, but every thing t
fear from party thus controlled and thus direct
ed. Their policy is about to bring the contes
into our very midst. The great issue of the da
is thus brought directly to our doors and her
the freemen are to decide by thir sutfrages
whether the hidden, but far reaching chains O
the slave power, shall bind down and subject tn
free spirits of the people of our green hills or tn
insiduous thraldom be spurned, and the triumph
gwen to FREEDoM.