Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-07-27
T. P. THOMPSON, Edi or
REACTION AND PROGRESS.

HN-HOAA AVA ThoUN%Gss'
The friends of Freedom, after long night of
toll and darkness-after struggling on for years
and years in the good cause, under the SCOTS,
jeers and contumely of all around them-after
being called on by the controlling majorities of
all other parties in the country, and even by the
controlling voice of the pulpit ITSELF to lay aside
conscience and humanity, and obey man rather
than God, by yielding to laws made subversive
of all they had been taught to hold sacred in
their religion and goyernment-after seeing, do
ing and suffering all this, the friends of Free
dom are at length gladdened by what really APP
pears to be the dawning light of better day.
They find their early, but long-revlled and I'M,
needed, opinions and principles now not only
respected by those majorities, but extensively
adopted. They behold the claims of conscience,
humanity and Of God everywhere beginning to
be widely acknowledged. they hear the pulpit
of the North, with almost one accord, lift up
its voice against tho agsressions of the monster
iniquity. They see the State judciaries, one af-
ter another, beginning to take u stand indopen-
dent Of the Slave Power, and dare to give the
violated CONSTITUTE ton its just and only true in
depreciation and finally they behold the great
masses of the people, throughout the free States,
everywhere burying political differences, casting
aside old party ties, like worthless garments,
and moving on and concentrating their forces for
the great work of national redemption, which
they evidently 500 and feel must now, as the last
hope of liberty, DO achieved by their united
effort.
Seven among the most influential States of
our Confedeacy have already met in . Peoples
Conventions" in numbers, and with an ca rnest
ness of purpose, and u combination of moral and
political power rarely if ever before cqualed in
this country. In all these the single issue Of
Liberty or Slavery is, by common consent only
presented and discussed ; and they all, with sim
gular unanimity, have established purely anti
slavery platforms, embracing, in substance, all
for which the old and long-contamned party of
Freedom ever contended. And though all of
them may not, under the peculiar embtrrass-
mcnts of a first meeting Of men coming from all
parties, be able to agree on tickets combining
the most strength, and afordng the best prom
Use of immediate triumph, yet in the al-impor-
tant matter of principle, we find no division of
sentiment, no disposition to qualify or soften
them down, and no lack Of earnest purpose in
carving them into effect.
Such and so many have been the new move
ments for Liberty. Others will speedily follow
The ball has been put in motion, and, unl3ss the
signs of the times are unusually deceptive, it
will not now stop. bat 60 on gltamins an in
petus and power before which all old party or
carnations shall be swept away, leaving the
way clear for a new aal ovcrpowering party Of
Freedom, which will make the Declaration of
Independence a living principle in our land.
If then, as we believe, such nlomentons re-
suits can be effected through this nav and truly
great movement for Freedom, is it not of the
highest Importance thai We shonld 81 manage
at the outset, as to draw and combine the great
est possible strength from each Of the three par
tiee? So it has ever seemed to us; and tho
friends Of the movement in TIE other States alp-
pear to have been Of the same opinion, and
made all their casts of banner-bearcrs for their
respective campaigns accordingly. And it re-
mains to be discussed whether some alteration
for the better cannot yet be made in oar own
For with 50 noble a platform, and one which we
are Sc unitally determiaol on supporting, it is
folly, and worse than folly, be divided on can
didates.