Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-09-28


PErERBoRo', Monday, Aug. %, 1854.
FREDERICK DoUGLAs-Ny Dear Friend:
i see, in your last paper, your letter to
myself. shall take pleasure III answering
your questions since you areof the number
of those whose wishes | am es- pecially glad
to crafty.
/. As you are aware | went to Congress
with very little hope of the peaceful turmina-
ton OF American Slavery. have returned
with less still see no evidence that the
North will act efectually for such termina-
tion-for | still see no evidence that it will
act honestly for it. 1t is true that [ learn Of
anti-Nepraska indignation meetings all over
the North. But this does not greatly cucour-
age me. 1t is repentance, not Indignation
which the North needs to feel and to
manifest. 1t becomes not the North to be
angry with the South about the Nebraska
bill Or any other pro-slavcry thing. Her du-
ty is to confess her shame and sorrow that
her political, ecclesiastical and commercial
influence has gone to uphold slavery, and tc
deceive the but-too-wlling to be deceived
South into the belief that slavery is right, or
at least, excusable. Had there been such con.
lesson, there would have been no Nebraska
bill to get angry about, Or to make party cap
ital Of. Had there been such confession, the
South would have had no heart to extent
slavery. All her concern would have been te
abolish it.
Now, for the North to be honest in the
matter Of slayery,is to treat it as they woulc
any other great crime: and, therefore, to de-
ny that there can be a law for it. 1t is, in 4
word, to do unto others, in that matter, az
they would have others do unto them, in it
Do the people Of the North believe that they
would honor and obey slavery as u law shonl,
it ever lay claim to their own necks II they
do not, then they are dishonest in acknowledg
ing ii to be law, when others are its vic
Tins.
Is it said that the honesty which | her,
commend would exasperate the South
answer that it would 60 far to conquer tn,
South. Let the North say: ave have sin
ued against our enslaved brother in acknowl
edging that the unreasonable crime agains
him is capable of the obligations and sacred
ness of law. We will Go so no more-what
ever constitutions aud statutes may require o
us, and however great the losses we may sui
fer in our trade, and in our religious party
connections" Let the North speak sucl
words of penitence and principle, and The
South will listen. When the Northern hear
begins to melt, the Southern heart, also, vii
begin to melt.
1t is demonstrations Of our honesty, no
Of our cunning, which are needed to inauenc,
and convert the South The tricks which
Northern Legislatures have resorted to, o.
threatened to resort to, for the purpose O
evading Or multiplying, the fugitive servan
clause of the Constitution and the fugitiv,
servant statutes OF Congress, can have no ten
dency to inspire the South either with tn,
fear OF us or the love Of u.s. | need not say
it for the tenth ousandth time-that my eye
detect no slavery in the Constitution, and tina
[ utterly deny that the attempt to smuggl,
slavery into it was at all successful. But til,
great mass of the Northern people widely dis
agree with me, at this point; and hence, VIVA
is required Of them by the spirit of truth ant
the God of trnth is, not to practice indirec
ton ard fraud, but frankly to acknow ledg,
that the South has their bond, and that S,
wicked is the bond that conscience constrain
them to refuse, at whatever hazard to fulfil
it.
referred to the fact that my hope of tn
b'oodless termination OF American slavery i
less now than it was when went to Con
gress. confess that | did hope to fnd som
Southern men there who are willing to aid ii
bringing about such a termination. But
found none Of them who were willing to lif
30 much as finger to this end. A few South