Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-04-03

"''SAN i"S III 4huoo uICCllIR3 10 uCGlllCu hCu
worthy Of publication, and is accordingly sent
us for that purpose by the person to whom It
is addressed.
PRocToRsvILLE, March II, 1851.
Door. DAVIS Dear Sir. Your kind letter
me to attend the Mass Meeting at Beth.
ell, would have received a much earlier reply but
for the expectation of attending that meeting.
and " answering for myself touching the things
whereof" we Free Sellers are Z" accused ofthes
Hunkers. Let me assure you that circumstAn.
ces beyond my control prevented my attendance.
My absence was not occasioned by a desire to
suppress g agitation,' not from a dread of ex-
element, or fearing TO disturb the " settlement"
No, sir! When accused slavery is seeking TO
vault over all the safeguards which our fathers
provided for the security Of liberty, and an edict
has gone forth from the Administration to the
people, to lay down their arms, to be quiet,silent,
submissive when a belief in inalienable rights
is treated as a damnable heresy, and the general
government becomes the handmade o an odious
and barbarous institution, instead Of a protector
Of human rights then, sir, | am for agitation
and excitement. At a time like this, when q
dark conspiracy seeks to make the law of slavery
the fundamental law of the Union; when the
Administration is striving TO make the people
sanction the most abhorrent enactments, and
thus pass under the yoke and own themselves
conquered by the slave power ;--at such a time
excitement is a virtue, and Heaven approves.
Why all these efforts to allay excitement d? The
history of the world will present us far sorer ca.
lamities resulting from apathy, stupor, and in
difference, than were ever produced by excite
ment. The antideluvians reposed in sin, wrap.
ped in the slumbers of false security, refusing
to be ercited by the preacher of righteousness
until the Almighty opened the windows Of heav-
en-, and they were buried amid the ruins of q
drowning world. Such was the condition of the
inhabitants of Sodom; the voice of reproof and
alarm was not permitted to arouse their fears
they slept on unexcited, until the cloud Of wrath
burst over their heads 10 flames oflightning and
bolts of thunder. We are informed that the
closing catastrophe, the winding up of Earth's
drama will surprise an Nnercited and careless
world.
l have heartily rejoiced in view of the ex-
element that has prevailed for the last fifteen
years on the subject of American slavery, and |
am happy to know that the late heaven-daring
Fugitive Law is exciting more indignation and
alarm than the previous daring strides that sla.
very had taken. All those previous steps,-that
cruel, bloody tramp of oppression,-ought to
have fallen like the knell of death on American
%ears,-ought to have produced blaze of excite
ment: but the syren song of political leaders
has succeeded in sitting the fears, and smother.
ing the excitement of the people. But this last
movement is sounding the alarm, as if the seven
thunders had uttered their voices.
This last scheme, instituted for the benefit Of
slavery; this new manifestation Of the slave
power, is no more unjust and wicked in princi-
pie than were former kindred schemes: | thank
Heaven that it meets with more opposition and
produces more excitement than did the Senior
members of Slavery's progeny. The Florida
slave hunt, with its blood hounds the Texan
annexation; the Mexican war and long train of
less daring, but not less dark and odious ~acts,all
originated in precisely the same cause as did
this hateful Fugitive Slave Law. Those who
figured largely in the former hellish schemes,
became the idols of the people but l thank
God that those who arrest and return 10 South
ern desPotism the man who has nobly won his
freedom, are considered as professional banditti,
as coad jutors of Haynau, the butcher.
The change is not so much in the thing itself
as in the times; the unpopularity of this law is
a cheering evidence that light is increasing,
revealing more clearly the grim visage of the
bloody tyrant. am ready to acknowledge that
this is q more impressive manifestation of slave.
ry than former entertainments. 1t has cont
nearer home has laid its cruel grasp on our
own necks. Slavery's arena is not far away IN
the everglades of Florida and the prairies If
Mexico, but in our own towns and villages
Here in the land of the pilgrims1 where unpar-
alleled sacrifices have been made for liberty
men are tom from all the endearments OF home
charged with no crime, and brought in heavy
irons, with their mouths sealed, before a Repub-
hcan, Christian Judge, are consigned by him 10
hopeless, cruel bondage. Can this be witnessed
without excitement and without effort? Heaven
forbid! Let US be profted by the test which this
law furnishes let US apply it to Northern men.
Our great political leaders have loudly boosted
of the soundness and purity of their principles.
Now let us sound them upon this law, and if
they talk loniIy of the sacredness Of conpacts
and compromises, regardless of moral obligation
and the self-evident truths of the Declaration
let us write l%cHABop on their foreheads with
indellible ink.
PARDON me for extending my remarks so far.
l am much pleased with the account of the
meeting at Bethel, and heartily respond to the
sentiments incorporated into the resolutions. 1t
would have gwen mo grent pleasure to have
met my old esteemed friends, whose names |
ind attached to the proceedings of that meeting.
l often call up the hour when first | made their
acquaintance, and all those incidents which have
Kept alive that acquaintance. l delightto dwell
upon those traits by which they are distinguish,
cd. The tokens of kindness and confidence |
have received from them will be long and CRATE,
fully remembered. l hope there will be many
similar meetings held in the State, 1t lie time