Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-09-16
For the Freeman.
To the Freemen of Vermont.

Now, as the State elections are over, permit
me to draw your attention to the infinitely more
important election OF November next. Permit
me to address you as Freemen, regardless OF the
party names by which you are designated as
politicians. This am pleased to do, because:
aside from collateral influences, which too often
ntrude themselves, you have one common inter-
est, very important 10 your own welfare, and
that of your country. And here let me ask you
to forget party, and party names, long enough to
look around AID see where you stand, and why
you stand there, and how yon came there and
see what hope remains for our common country,
and upon what grounds that hope is founded
For what is the use or value of political parties
when all parties and party distinctions are buried
in the common ruin Of our Republican govern
ment, with all its boosted security for civil and
Religious liberty OF what Importance 10 us
is the name of that usurped government which
tramples under foot all our rights, and dctaes
all the measures in the administration of our
government? What matter to us what name is
given 10 that usurped power, whether King,
Priest, Autocrat, or Democrat If we conclude
basey to submit our nccks and shoulders, and
all the political rights of which we boast, to that
usurped power, and bury in oblivion those sacred
principles of liberty, those eternal principles Of
right, which nerved our Pilgrim Fathers TO fly
to the wilderness, to find resting place for the
enjoyment Of those principles, and which, at a
later day, nerved our Patriot Fathers TO rebel
against the tyranny exercised over them by the
Crown Of England if we conclude thus to sub
nit, no matter what degradation is implied in
the name given to that usurped power. Let US
look at our degradation, and not ut its name.
King Slavery, at time, having fully tested his
powers TO sit enlhroned behind the curtain, and
regulate, to his hearts content, all the measures
of our Republican government, notwithstanding
the outbreaks OF certain rebelous individuals
called abolltionists, decreed fnater to all these
outbreaks; decreed compromise by which he
and his subjects should have foil power to over
run all the territory of each independent Sow
ereignty in tho Union, in search of their stray
property, take it at pleasure, with or without
warrant, and compel you, or any of you, or all
OF you, If necessary, under heavy penalties, to
assist in retaining this stray property, and com
pei you to pay, from the Treasury of the United
States, the expenses of carrying back this stray
property to the place from which it s:rayed, and
forbdding you the exercise of all the charities
of life, required by the laws of htInanity, and
by the benign principles of the Gospel; and for
their compelling you to esy, as matter Of debt
one thousand dollars for each article of such
stray property that should escape through your
disobedience 10 this decree and that at all this
you must neither murmer nor complain tho
King conserving, in the mean time, to move his
auction slave market just out of the walls of the
great city; which may be spiritually called
sodom and Egypt, in which slavery is protected
BY laws enacted by Congress they having no
more right to enact laws protecting slavery.
than those which protect murder and further
decreed, as a sanction, and security for perfect
obedience to this decree, that whoever of YOU
should refuse fealty, and withhold most solemn
pledge to obey this decree of compromise, should
not be eligible to the Office OF President, or Vice
President Of the United States, nor have any
reason to hope for any benefit from the immense
sources OF honor and profit placed by the Con
stitation under the dispensing power of the Pres.
ident.
The mandate of the King is obeyed. The
Compromise receives all the forms to give it
force, it any forms could give it force.
You will readily perceive that the rebelious
aboitionists, whose rebeous conduct moved
the King to require and decree this finali,y,
have no lot nor interest in the matter, except 10
avoid the dire penalties of this decree. This,
the rest of you who are not shut cut from all
hopes from it, and by it, seem divided into two
parties, called Wings ard Democrats. Among
you have been found ten or fifteen aspirants to
the office Of President of the United States.
They all understood the decree as herein stated.
They each and all started and moved with this
including the Fugitive Slave Act Xi %on@% ,Ss,