Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-06-29
ONWARD MARCH OF THE SLAVE POWER

Scarcely week now elapses without some
new development of the designs of the Slave
Power, outstripping all Others in audacity. A
treaty of reciprocity between the United States
and Canada, as most of our readers have been
apprised, doubtless, settling the fishery question,
and the basis of trade between the two coun-
tries, has been amicably agreed on between Lord
Elgin and our Cabinet at Washington, and rat
fled by the Canadian Parliament at Quebec,
and now is only awaiting the confirmation of
our Senate to become treaty law, and consti-
tute the final and complete settlement of these
long-pending difficulties. But just us this affair."
80 Important to the great commercial interests
OF the country, seemed on the eve of consun,-
nation, the Slave Power, with view of gain
ing now advantage, must needs intervene, and
impose her condition, Or the whole business must
be arrested. This, it is true, has not yet been
openly disclosed in Congress but the fact that
the slaveholding members ofthe Senate are com.
blning together to prevent the ratification of
this treaty, unless they can dictate their condi-
ton, is now attested by too much evidence to
admit OF any doubt. And what is their condi-
ton, think you, reader1 Why, no other than
that Canada shall give up their fugitivcs Slaves
who have found, or shall hereafter find, refuge
in the provinces, Or, in other words shall hold
herself subject to our infamous Slave Law of
1850! What care the South for our Northern
hsherles, or for the privilege of receiving free of
DUTY, the lumber, coal, fish, salt, and other now
taxed articles of the British provinces. unless
their darling institution can gain something by
1t! Nothing They would rather see the ships
OF every Northern port dismantled and rotting
at their wharves-nay the whole of New En-
gland made as desoate as Sodvm and Gomorrah.
than their unholy schemes of Slavery propa-
gandism defeated. In this, however, thank
Heaven, they will have to deal with Govern
ment-a Monarchy though it be--that is too
free, and too faithful to the principles of its
Constitution, to yield to any such Infamous die
tation of Slavery -riddon Republic. England
will yield to no such nonstrosities as that; and
the Slave Power will have shown the cloven foot
in vain, or only to add to the already aroused
feeling of the North against her multiplied
villainies.
But this movement, as impudent and mon
strous as it is, is not the only, OR the most
daring, among the developments of the past few
days. Mr.. Slidell, the Southern Saveocrat in
Congress, who, some weeks ago, moved to en-
power the President to suspend our neutrality
laws, so as to let loose the Filibusters on Cuba,
has made formal melton to provide for the
Withdrawal of our naval forces from the coast
of Africa. This, as all must see, is the first
step towards abrogating the treaty with Foreign
Powers for enforcing the law against the " pira-
ey'' Of the Slave Trade--the first step towards
making that law a dead letter, and the first
step, therefore, towards the last and great crown
ing triumph of the Slave Power-the re-openng
of the internal African Slave Trade, and making
the traffic in the flesh and blood of fellow men.
now by law ranked among the blacklist of
crimes, the lawful commerce of the ocean!
Now, how much more do the people of the
Free States want to arouse them from their
apathy! How much more do they want to en-
able them to see that the alternatives are now
Enthusiastically before ,then-that of an immedi-
ate rising up of their entire masses as one man.
to wrest the Federal Government from the hands
of the Slave Power, or that of settlinp.do in
quiet submission to the black dominion of uni
versal Slavery!