Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-11-02
rrEI. p. THOMPSON, Editor
MONTPELIER:
THE INCREASE OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY
SENTIMENT AT THE NORTH.

There has been, perhaps, no Era in our his
tory as people, which has been so marked by
revolution of public opinion, as will have been
the year 1854, by the great and palpable in
crease of the Anti-Slayery Sentiment which has
taken place in the free States since the year
commenced. 1t is remarkable fact that, dur
ing all political campaigns preceding the cleo
ton of the ten of these States--which have al
ready taken place, and the preparatory canvass
still going on in the others, no other subject but
Slavery and its aggression has been agitatcd or
discussed, and no other element seems to have
had any essential bearing in those electoral re-
suits which 80 strikingly demonstrate the truth
of our assertion.
So great indeed has been this apparent change
Of public opinion at the North on the subject
Of Slavery, that the old Liberty Men, who have
seemingly toiled almost in vain for nearly twenty
years to effect this change, stand amazed at
such unexpected results, and. looking distrust-
fully around them, appear inclined to dscredit
the evidence of their own senses. But it is,
nevertheless, for ought We can see, reality,
and if so, it is a reality which these same old
Liberty pioneers, who have so long held on
through good and evil report unchanged and
nnwavering, have been the first great instru-
ments in accomplishing. 1t was they, and they
only, who sowed the good seeds which have
sprung up and yielded a hundred-fold under
the peculiar developments of the year, consti-
tuting moral product, which, if it could now
be truly and efectually represented in the coun-
ellis of the nation, would be sufficient to expunge
the black Fugitive Slave law from the disgraced
national State Book, sweep Slavery from the
district Of Columbia and put an eternal quetus
to any further aggressions Of the Unsuitable
Slave Power of the South.
But will the sacred cause of Freedom, which
is the same, yesterday, to-day and forever, be
able to avail itself of the great and manifest
advantages which this year has given it, Can
or will this present tide of Anti-Slavery feeling
be kept up and sustained till it can be made tc
"oo""PAAch "u0uu"N dhu PeImdiiChV leSultS
That is the problem next to be worked out-a
problem on the working of which the destinie'
alike Of Freedom and of our Republic, may
turn as on pivot--to rise disonthralled from
the black load that is now dragging it down tt
darkness and ruin, or to sink with it, to rise
probably, no more forever
And tits, therefore, no time now, for the OLE
and tried Soldiers Of Liberty to put off theil
armor and trust the battle to the new troops
however numerously they may be found flock
ing to the white standard. These veterans must
relax no vigilance, and no exertions, but be
everywhere active in staying up the weak--in
encouraging the doubtful, and in giving dircc-
ton to the great moral power, which now seems
so clearly available for placing the cause of Free
dom in an impegnable position, but which may
all be squandered aud lost by their supineness
and indiscretion.