Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-06-08
LETTERS OF SUMNER AND CHASE.

There was great and enthusiastic State Con-
vention of the Free Democracy of Massachusetts,,
held in Boston last Thursday, at which Hale
and Giddings were present and made speeches,
and the following letters from Senators Sum-
ner and Chase were read. The Convention
was not called to make nominations, but for
consultation and action in view of the new as
poets of the great conflict between Freedom and
Slavery.
SENATE CHAMBER, Goth May, 1854.
Gentlemen For the present, my post of duty
is here, so that must forego the pleasure of
meeting our friends on Wednesday next. Our
Massachusetts, host, am glad to learn, will be
reinforced, on that occasion, by brave voices
from other States. Mr. Giddings you will be
glad to welcome.
Could meet my fellow citizens, should not
lose the opportunity of sounding the alarm,
and exhorting them to action. The Nebraska
bill has passed but it is o mistake to suppose
that the propagandists of slavery will stop here
Other audacites are at hand. More land from
Mexico is sought, on which to extend nefari-
GUS institution. The calamities of war with
Spain, intellectually disastrous to the commerce
of New York and Boston, are all to be braved
in order to appropriate slave holding Cuba. An
intrigue is now pending to secure foot-hold in
Hayti; and even the distant valley of the
Amazon is embraced in these gigantic schemes,
by which the despotism of the slave power is
to be established while you and |, and all of
us from the North, are to bow down before it.
For myself, Twill not bow down. but, gentle
49, IT, Il
can effectually oppose these schemes
South, without distinction of party, unite for
slavery, so the North, without distinction Of
party, forgetting the vain differences of Wings
and Democrats, must unite for freedom, and
arising in its majority and might, take the con-
troll of the National Government. For thii
work the people are now ready, and they can
surely accomplish it, if they will. The only
impediment, at this moment, is to be found IL
those blind or selfish politicians, who preversely
seek mere triumph of party, instead of q
triumph of Freedom. Neither the Wing party
or Democratic party, through its national or
ganization leaning on slaveholding wings, ii
competent to the exigency. The slaveholdinl
wings can be kept in concert with the Northern
wings only when they give the law to the move
ment For mere triumph of party the Nortl
yields in advance all that is dear to it, and Will
vainly calling itself NATIONAL helps to install tn
sectional power of slavery in the National Gov
eminent. This must be changed.
With an earnest soul, devoted to the triumph
of the righteous cause, and, Indifferent to tn
name by which l may be called, would say t
all at this time abandon old party ties forge
old party names; let bye-gones be bye-gones
and for the sake of Liberty, and to secure tn
general welfare, now unite against the Despot
ism of Slavery, and in this union let past dill
ferences disappear. Believe me, gentlemen,
very faithfully yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
Hon. F. W. Bird, James M. Stone, Committee
WASHINGTON, May Goth, 1854.
Dear SIR Until Saturday | INDUCED tn
hope of being able to attend the State CONVEX
ton of the Massachusetts, Independent DEMO-
racy, in compliance with the invitation of tn
Committee But find it impossible for me
do 80 without neglecting other duties whic
have paramount claims upon me.
The present crisis in our public affairs mu
necessarily engage the most earnest attention
the people. The repeal of ancient prohibitio
of slavery West of the Mississippi, and tt
manifest purpose of the slave power to secul
and perpetuate its predominance in all the d
partments of the government, may and possb
will hasten the transition of old parties in
new organizations, one of which will be d
mocracy of the people, and the other the slav
holding aristocracy and its supporters.
In that event, the Independent Democra,
will have no new principles to proclaim and l
new purposes to ayow but will become, n
cessarily and without effort, a great element
strength and power in the party of Freedom
composed of all citizens, Of whatever nan
hitherto, or of whatever State now, who 10
liberty and hate oppression, and are willing
manifest their earnestness and sincerity by C
operation for the divorce of the general Cover
ment from slavery and for the exertion of
legitimate and constitutional influence ON Il
J side of freedom.
, Should the expectation, now so generally Q
tertaned of q reorganization of parties, pro
unfounded, permit me to express here as hor
, what have recently avowed as firm bell
, elsewhere, that 6 the Independent Democra
/ will 90 forward, without faltering or waverin
, in the path of political duty which their hon,
| convictions prescribe. Few candid men,
the light of recent events, will doubt the SCUM
, ness or paramount Importance of the great pr
: ciples which form the basis Of their political
T, ganization and while wisdom and patriots
: would imperatively require them to unite in
(. democracy of the people, composed of men fir,
8 all the old parties, cherishing the same pur]
b SEES, and guided by the same principles in +
pect to slavery as themselves, those virtues wo,
n just as imparatively forbid the surrender
n their own tried and diciplined and powerful
# ganization, having now its members and
n vocates in eighteen or twenty States of
q Union, for any party less comprehensive in