The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-06-03
DUTY OF THE FREE STATES.


They saw their utter incompatibiIity, and pro-
,ided by the ordinance Of 1897. that all the
territory belonging to the United States should
I've forever devoted to freedom. By thus cir
cumscribing this dangerous element, they
tnndIy trusted that it would gradually waste
away, and ultimately become extinct. But
'!ese fond hopes have been blasted. The
acquisition Of iorei gu territory has extended
The evil. New slave States have been adj
United into the Onion. Slavery has been
permitted to take deeper root in our soil. BY
-he almost united action Of Southern men, and
ny the trcarhcry Of some Northern men. slav
cry has been permitted to triumph in almost
every contest which has arisen between it
and freedom.
Encouraged by .ucces>, tie slave power
has grown more and more c>orbitart III 1t.
demands, until the doctrine i, bos,,::": out
forth, that the government is as much bound
70 extend slavery as freedom. Nay, we have
evidence in the recent Nebraska movement.
that the claim Of slavery is considered para
mount. Laws and compacts designed FOR Sc
curity oltrcc institutions must be violated, so
that slavery may extend its bli.htin. influence
over territory larger than the thirteen orig
inal States, a territory. too, which for nearly
forty years had been dedicated to freedom.
The advocates Of slavery propagandism have
the unblushing arrogance to- contend that the
United States are not only bound to sustain
slavery within our own ,!ominions, but are
required to interfere and prevent its abolition
in foreign countries. On this plea Texas
was annexed to this Union; and GA this
ground it is now maintained that Cuba must
BE- wrcscd from Spain.
The outragcs which have been committed.
and those which are in contemplation, in
,uo,e upon the frecmcn of the North the SOL
rnn duty Of taking the most active and dcci-
.lel measures to guard our free institutions
against further aggressions Of the slave pow
vr Though we have always regarded slave
nv az great moral and political evil, as it
was cntael upon US by the parent country.
and va. by the Constitution left to the States
xhcre it existed, the North has been dispos
I'll to acquicsce in all the Compromises OF the
Constitution, and leave the slave States, TO
which to- responsibility inlon.s, to manage
Che institution liz their own way. But when
they co,aa forward and ask the General Gov
rrnlncnt to extend slavery. nav. when they
ire determined to violate plirhted faith. ard
break throuyh compromises which they have
.oe,na'v made. to strengthen their own hands
And extend an institution Which wars not on
J., a1aiust every feeling o.! hum,ui'y. but a
.ains: the very spirit Of rri.rl,icanis.n. it be-
, nnc, those who love their country. and are
one man, and resist the spread of slavery ~
all Legal and Constitutional means. We have
ever acted in good faith with the Wigs Of
she South. We have zone Is r,r as The Con-
s'itu,ion required. to project them in their
legal rights: bnt many OF them now show
total disregard. not only u, the feelings of rhc
North but Of the sacred compacts into which
Southern votes compelled us 10 enter They
have forced sectional Issue upon w. and we
must accept it, or tamelv bend our necks 70
she woke.
We can have notliul to hope from the
friendship Of those WHO prove themselves
'slsc 10 the teachings .: honor. The Whi..
Of the free States will Join in no !iwless cru
sale against their Southern brethren: but
Taught by the experience OF the past. they will
we trust. take their own interests into their
own hands. and so manage their respective
States as to present, possible a solid phalanx
a 1ainst the encroachments of slave power
The Representatives from the slave States
bin. } minority. could never consurnniate
their iniIuitv, were it not for the treachcry
Of Northern men. In all the cases which
AVE arisen, we have had traitors in the midst
"! uI. The first duty of the free States is to
purge their delegations in Congress, and to
s,t!cr no man to 20 there who is not proof a.
g.inst bribery and corruption. Let the peo-
,,lr look 20 il, that no nan ne selected Tor
r;'I"c, who Is no' 4 m,u u, integrity and su!i-
,"rt moral courage to act aui vote rs he
thinks. We would not be pro>criptve, bat
respect i"r ourselves. :!cii,y 10 our own in
,crrsrs, and devotion 10 me hes, good OF Tie
country. require TIA: We should in all cases
know that the men ;or whom we are called
~ give oar ,aitraEas are c"n.,n;,:cd to free
,i,M. We ask m cnrroachmcnt uror the
rights OF the Slave States. We would scru
,a.iru>lv give. them all IL" ri hts which ar,
secured to them under the Constitution lu
(~y"l! chat We would not 90. SLAYER,
.houll not be pcrmi.'rdto extend one nrl
Into free territory. ,Eor would we con,pro
mise the matter with them one hair. W,
have seen enough Of violated compromise
.,mi broken faith. We wonlI enter into Il,
compact on this subject with hose who hay,
ictrarcd Us,
And while We would meet the South onl'
"n 'his ground. we woul! visit with cNcmp
larry punishment the ambitious a>piran,s il
The free States. who have been found read
'" bow l'eore the peculiar institution. tina
otject OF Southern ..io,atrv. And while "
~oii'i make no compromise with slavery, W
would Withdraw all support from men VIII
lave proved false to trcclom-mcr who hav
been born an! brought up under the free il
stituiinns Of the North. and who have show
themselves ready to sell their birth right e
me prospect OF some oicc, or the fear of 10.
%! Influence with the administration. Som
apology can b. made for Southern TIA
who was born TO tha. sad Inheritance, an
who has always lived in the midst Of an cy
which many hi.hmin.lcl aud honorable me-
d"plorr. but OF whicl, they see no way 10 ri
themselves: but for such men as Pierce, All
tass. and Douglass. there is TO excuse
They have shown Themselves false TO the
breeding. false to every feeling of humanit
"r sentiment or honor ard false to all ii
great principles Oh which alone our Eepub
must rest for its support. They are unwo
shy CT the confidence = every true frc,
nan.
We hope the Why's i'll every free Sta
wll! rally ~ one man. and vote for no one Il
any political Office who is no, true to the il
'',utts of ou: nature AID to the great eau.
OF human 'rccdo!... Tie North have til
power. and 1t they are ,tu. 70 Intensely,
they Word soon he able 10 s,sak in ton,
vkich con.d no: br ,i;srr.arfeG. an! the Il,
free wou'! 20 forth. coniinine slavery ts i
rrc>en. ii;:..;> in the States We have no,l