Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-07-28

, eral Government, and il is needful
to take some of them out from UNI
der its cover and surrender them
back to the people, the only way to
do it is by amending the Constitu-
ton. Congress cannot do il by its
votes. Such votes can be Of no va
lidity whatever. The change of
the Constitution is not in the hands
of Congress, except so far as to pro-
pose amendments by two-thirds
vote of both houses, as authorized
by art. V. But if the experiment
is to be tried at all in this unconsti-
tutional way, to see how far the
nation will permit Congress, by its
votes, to ride over the Constitution,
it would seem to be safer to make
the first experiment on something
which was not in itself great evil.
Northern men love liberty, per-
sonat liberty, however far aloof
they may stand from the ranks of
technical abolitionisfs They drew
it in with all the visions of child
hood, with all that is sacred and
dear in the name of father and moth
er, and home and country. Some
of their fathers stood in the front
ranks of the hottest battles of the
Revolution, and sacrificed home,
property, life, and everything for
liberty. Some of their mothers
even, with their daughters, in bor-
der State, with a company of SOL
diers standing upon their arms be-
fore the door, one half Of whom had
deserted on the appearance of an
enemy, stood, during a live-long
night, over the sick bed OF Il son
and brother with loaded muskets
and cartridges in their room, with
their places assigned i'll the ranks, and
left vacant by the side of the hus-
bands and brothers, ready at any
moment to join in the deadly strife
Liberty bought by such sacrifices
and perils Of father and mother is
dearer than country and life. 1t
thrills every nerve and muscle of
the frame. 1t moves every deep
and heaving emotion of the heart.
The soul cries out, liberty first, life
second Northern men love the
South too, all but her slavery and
her duelling. have no respect for
challenges or pistols. They are the
tools of towards of men who have
not intellect and GOODNESS of temper
enough to rely on the. power of ar
gument and the majesty of truth
nor moral courage enough to obey
the command of heaven, "Mou
shalt not kill" If ! were in Con-
gress | would repudiate them forev-
er.
Who can be influenced by the
speeches or the judgment of a man
who has given or accepted a chal-
lenge, and thereby consented to muir
der a fellow being | have had
confidence, too, in the South respec-
ting slavery. | thought they saw
ana felt its evil, and would do it a,
way. / thought with Mr.. Gerry, of
Massachusetts, in the Convention of
1857 " Let us not NEEDLE, in time
slavery will not be a speck in the
country" | never believed or
thought that the South intended, or
even wished, to extend it over the
free soil of the North. Thought it
was enough to satisfy even hard
hearted slave holders, that the clank-
ing of slave chains, and the groans
and signs of bond-fathers and bond
mothers, lowering over their DOOM
ed offspring, were, over all the south,
borne about on the breezes of mid
night, when there was no ear to
hear, and no eye to see, but the eve,
ever watchful over human woes,
that never slumbers nor sleeps. But
so it is not. Even in the Honora-
BILE Senate, that high guardian Of
human liberty and personal rights,
there are some who wish and more
who are willing that every storm
which careers over the Rocky Noun
talns, which sweeps through the
eternal forests of Nebraska and roars
along her everlasting mountain fast
nesses, should be loaded with the
bleeding cries and lamentations,
and broken-hearted walls of bond
men and bondwomen, sent aloft to
the Arbiter of nations to invoke
judgments on the land, in blighting
sterllity, in social degradation, in
civil connections, in fierce and rem
ding national StiIfeS. Oh, my coun-
try my country Thou acaSt all
beautiful and glorious in the OPEN
ing ofthy virgin bloom. Thy form
was majestic among the nations
The garland of aoisdom entwined
thy brow. The star of LIBERTY
and the star of empire sparkled in
thy crown. Art thou fallen, oh
my country, in midyouth, reckless
TO thine early vows of liberty, the
gaze of the nations, the reflector of
Personal FREEDOM
With great respect | am, &C.,
A CITIZEN OF VERMONT.