Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-02-03

I
Slavery be allowed there, the settlement
and cultivation Of the country must be
greatly retarded. inducements to the
immigration of free laborers will be al
most destroyed. The enhanced cost Of
construction and the diminished expect
alton Of profitable returns will present
almost nsuperable obstacles to building
the road at all J.; while even IL made, the
difficulty and expense Of keeping II up,
10 a country from which the energetic
and intelligent masses will be virtually
excluded, will greatly impair its useful
ness and value.
From the rich lands Of this large
Territory, also, patriotic statesmen have
anticipated that free, industrious and
enl Heightened population will extract album
/ daut treasures of individual aud public
wealth. There, it has been expected,
+ freedom loving emgrauts from Europe
aud energetic and intelligent laborers of
our own land will find homes OF comfort
aud fields Of usful enterprise. Ifthis
bll shall become a law all such expecia-
ton will turn to grlevous disappointment
The light Of slavery will cover the land
The Homestead Law, should Congress
enact one, would be worthless there.
Freemen, unless pressed by hard and
cruel necessity, will not, aud should not
work beside slaves Labor cannot be
/ respected where any class Of laborers is
held Ia AFFECT bondage. 1t is The deplo-
rable necessity of Slavery, tbus'to make
/ and keep a single slave there must be
slave law aud where slave law exists
labor must necessarily be degraded
We earnestly request the enlightened
conductors Of newspapers printed in the
German aud other foreign languages 10
direct the attention Of their readers TO
this important matter.
It's of immense consequence, also, TO
scru,inize the geographical cnsrarter OF
this project We beg you, fellow ciu-
zens, TO observe that IT will sever the
east from the west of the United States
by WIDE slavehoidIng belt of the coun.
Try, extending from the Gulf Of Mexico
to British North America. 1t is bold
scheme against American Liberty, wor-
thy Of an accomplished architect e t rum.
Texas is already slayeholdng, aud occu-
pes the Gulf region from Sabine TO the
Rio Grande and from the Gulfof Mexico
TO the Red River North of the Red
River, and extending between Texas and
Arkansas to the parallel of 36 deg. 30
min, lies the Indian territory. about e.
which Slavery was not prohibited By the
Act Of 1920. From 81 deg 30 miu. to
;he boundary line between orr country
aud the British Possessions, stretching
from west to east through more than
eleven degrees of longitude aud tom
south to north through more than twelve
degrees Of latitude, extends The great
Territory, the fate of which is now to be
determined by the American Congress.
Thus You see, iellow-citlzens, that the
first operation of the proposed permission
OF Slavery IN Nebraska will be to stay
the progress of the free States westward,
and TO cut off the States of the Pacific
from The free State of the Atlantic. Ii
Is hoped, doubtless, By compelling the
whole commerce aud the whole travel
between the East and the West to pass
for hundreds of miles through a slave
holding region, IN the heart of the con-
tlneul, and by the influence OF Federal
Government controlled by the slave pow
er, TO eXtlngulsh Freedom and establish
Slavery in the States aud territories of
the Pacific, aud thus permanently sublu-
gate the whole country 10 The yoke of a
slaveholdlng despotism. Shall plot
against humanity and democracy, so
munstrous aud so dangerous to the inter-
esls Of Liberty Throughout, the world, be
permitted to succeed ?
We appeal to the people. We warn
YOU that the dearest interests of Freedom
and the Union are IN imminent peril.
Seryle demagogues may tell you tLat
the Union can be maintained only by
submitting to the demands of Slavery.
We tell YOU that the safety OF the Union
can only be insured BY the tail reoog-
nuIon Of the Just claims Of Freedom and
man. The Umon was formed Ia eslab-
lish justice, aud secure the blessings of
liberty. When II fails to accomplish
these ends 1t will be worthless. and hen
1t becomes worthless II cannot long en-
dure.
We entreal YOU TO be mindful of that
fundamental maxim Of Democracy, f.
qual Rights aud Justice for all men.-
DO not submit to become agents IN ex-
tending Iegalized oppression aud sysle-
malized injustice over vast territory
yet exempt from these terrible evils.
We implore Christians aud Christian
ministers to intefpose. Their divine
religion requires them to behold in er-
cry mou brother, aud to labor Tor the
advancement aud regeneration of'he hu-
man race.
Whatever apologies may be offered
for the loleralion Of slavery in the States
mona con ba .trrad f,r tts avtape,ot into