Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-11-23
nbly Of the State, which we will briefly

The influence of slavery on the economy of
the entire milton is great every way, and as
State, as we'll as individual members Of the
nation, We have q great concern in that
matter. The history Of the world shows,
that whenever a nation has allowed system
of slavery to exist within it, national weak
ness, corruption and degradation, have been
the sure and disastrous result, The expo
ricnce of our own country thus far, is no cx
ception, and, unless stop can be put to its .
growing influence, the omcns for our ma /
tional future are such ms the patriot cannot /
look at, without the gloomicst lorchodings
In the early history Of the world the notu-
raj influences of slavery made their way
slowly, and ages passed away before a ma
tions life was dried up by its poisonous
breath. Two generations Of men have
/ scarcely passed off since cur national exis-
tence began, and already the paug of suIoca
| ton is felt to be gathering around its heart.
The reason for this difference is at hand.
Siarcry ,r0s GUo,ccd 10 be a special means Of
political powcr, though at 'n,oiced TIE eb-
/ 5UdHy Of 'accatWg Tie poUer Of a Siate an
making lars for .trocmcn, m proportion as
that STATE rioiaicd the rights Of .ttecdom.'
We need not recount the steps by which
the slave-holdng power of the nation gained
its present dangerous asccndoncv. We need
not speak Of the millions of the national
treasure which lave been lavishcd for its
special benefit. how it has now almost I'M
disputed possession Of the official patronage
Of this great nation. and uses il to corrupt
the ambitious and the selfish in every State,
how war has been made to give it
broader field to expand in.--tow the national
faith hpa rsen broken that it might range
over the consecrated domain of freedom -
how the solemn guarantees of the constitu-
ton have been cast aside to iutlict insult on
he ircc States, and to outrage the common
humanity Of the civilized world, how worse
than ron-hcar,cd and pagan Rome, vi ich
said between man and man the presumption
must he III favor of trosd0W, the slave power
in our country says it shall be in favor of
slarcrV-how in defiance Of all law. it has
sent its rufian bands to break down that
r popular sovereignty which it had hypocriti-
cally pretended to set up,-how worse than
all these, it has placed It's own hirelings in
the holy seat of justicc-has used the sacred
writ Of freedom not for freedom but again st
it, and declared from the judicial bench that
the STAKEHOLDER may, at his own pleasure,
carry his unnatural power with him into
States where its presence is forbidden by
their own law, anG is a loathng and abhor-
renee to those who dwell there Again we
say we need not dwell on these cnormities.
for they are present to the minds of all whom
we address.
VET FOR ALL ms, VERMONT DOES NOT pEs-
PAIR or THE REPUBLIC. Her faith in its glo-
rious destiny is mistaken She knows that
the hour Of trial is come, and she is ready to
meet il. Eye to eye, hand to hand, and foot
to foot, tho struggle between Liberty and
Slavery, is hereafter to he carried on. Her
sons never yet went into battle with trembling
steps, and their hearts will not E.l them in
the great battle OF the world between the
principles Of Despotism and those of Freedom.
Vermont raises no parricidal voice against
the Government she lives under. She leaves
) that for those who are striving 80 break up
Q those eternal principles ofjustce and truth on
which its foundations are laid. She will
stand fast for their preservation. Her voice
shall ever be heard for them in the war Of
opinion, and to tue latest generations her
= children will be ready to pour out their blood
if need he, To maintain them.
- Vermont has ever held position in regard
10 SiaTcry, aud its spread into free territory, OF
which her citizens may well be proud lndiyid.
uals might indeed be named whom at one time
or another the slave power has relied on fJr
support, and even now there are found some
whom it counts upon as its active sustaincrs
or apologists The sun itself has its spots
dark of themselves indeed, but they veal ken
not its glorious brightness TO find the true
sentiment Of our State we must 20 to the
- election polls, or to the solemn declarations
on her Legislative journals Born Of resist.
S ance to arbitrary power-her first breath that
n of Freedom-her first voice declaration OF
the equal rights Of man,-how could her peo
t pie be otherwise than haters Of slavery -
how can they do less than sympathize with
r every human being and every community
which asserts the right OF all men to blessings
C like their own Nowhere can be found NOR,
= decisive language than that Of her legislature
e in 1920. Hearkcn to one of the noble anC
c just sentiments which that body put forth
d " The right to introduce and establish slav
= cry in free government does not exist, -
n and anO her Congress has a right to inh
bit any further introduction or extension oil
slavery, as one of the conditions upon viii CT
: any new State shall be admitted to the Union
+ From that day to the present, time after tint
y have the General Assembly made solemn de-
d caratons of like tenor to the world, varyin,
e only as the peculiar case under consideration
d might demand Such declarations this Gene
a raj Assembly ought to make.
o We report therefore the accompanying reso
lutons, and recommend their adoption by tn
q Senate and the House of Representatives,
& Respectfully submitted,
N GEORGE W. BENEDICT w..
a JAMES W HOTCllKISS, C ;',"-
It JOHN PIERPOINr, "'"'
d RESOLUTIONS.
10 l.-Rooived, That on the extension of slavery, b.
IL -.