Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-01-01
The Old and New Year.

Waterman what OF the night" Well, as
we stand on this boundary of the years, glancing
over the past and looking anxously to the future,
well may the question, at such crisis as the
present, be asked, and well may the answer
come, Much Of the night; for little else than
night it is, in the clouds and darkness which
seem everywhere gathering TO stife and over
power the light OF human treedom--much which
it bchoves every freeman to ponder and mnch
which should instruct and prepare him to meet
the duties and dangers of the future"
Politically considered, and we fear morally
also, the year 1851 has been anything but one
Of progress. In the Old World no movement
for the rights of man or the amclioraton of his
condition has made any advance, but, on the
contrary, everything of good seems to hive ret
regarded and everything Of evil moved triumph.
antly forward. Right alter right has been wrest,
ed from the people, constitution after constitution
has fallen before the march of despotism, and to
crown all, the year closes with the overthrow Of
the last republic of Europe and its conversion
to tyranny, leaving row not single bright
spot to relieve the wide waste of political dark
ness that 30 deeply cnshrouls all the continent
al nations of the Old World.
In our own country, considering our profess
sions and the principles on which our institu-
tons are avowedy based, the rerogression has
been still more visible and alarming. For the
first time, since orr existence as nation, we
have seen, the past year, the administrative de-
partment of our government, yielding itself un-
reservedly to the Slave Power meekly pandcring
for its interests, and implicitly obeying its be-
hests. We have seen the judicial department,
to use the bold bat just language of Mr.. Hale
in the senate on 4 recent occasion, becoming
"the very citadel of slavery, and we have seen
that government in all its departments conspr-
ing with the slave power to enlist and to n great
ex ent succeeding in enlsting the monied uAu
cncG OF the country o snbserve the unholy pur-
pose of perpetuatlng hu nan bondage and max
ing 1t predominant, to the destruction of the
very principles which the government was es.
tahllshed only to secure and mountain. All this
the people have seen, and seen it too with ar
apathy which, as it seems to US, is scarcely less
omnons and alarming than these ourages them
selves. A few, it is true, have uttered the note,
OF renonstrance; but their voices have beer
ovGrpowered and lost in the louder shouts Of tht
worshlppeTs of Bsal, while the yet unenlistet
m"sseSs OF the country seem mutey locking OF
with folded hands as Indifferent spectators O
the scene.
1t Is under these circumstances we enter O.
the year 1852 But will this state Of things lon,
contlnue' Will the despots Of Europe be per
mRled TO Keep their iron heels on the necks q
tie people through another year? WIN GU
own emblem stars be suffered to grow more dim
VIII the outrages perpetrated on liberty an
right in our own land the past year 90 on unre
buked through the next? No, neither. w
trust not, we believe not Everything conspire
to indicate general political revusion in tn
old world, and the ardent but Tar seeing Kossut
comes, like the voice of one crying in tn
wilderness, to confirm the indication aud bid 9
prepare the way for white-robcd Freedom anon
the down trodden nations of Europe. In tn
country also there are increasing indication
that an administration that has sold itself
slavery is doomed to be oyerhrown the comm
year; and there is reason to believe also til;
under the apparent apathy with which the PEI
pie have viewed the three fold conspiracy again
freedom the past year. they have been slentI
but sterhy resolving that these things shall pre-
coed no further. The electric spark that fir
tine hearts of the people in the old world, ina
reach those Of the new one also. The wa,
that rolls oyer Europe may likewise sweep ov
America. God grant that this be so: b
as nothing comes of supincness OF looking al
praying for better times, without exertions
produce them, the friends Of freedom shon
everywhere understand that this year their ever
talent must be improved. Let them then arou.
themselves everywhere and go resolutely to IL
work bcfore them. Heaven knows there is enouG
10 do, and heaven will reward the well doing.