Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-04-12

Southern society, just as they do the various
socielies Of Europe aud Asia. But the great
body Of the people have never evinced any ag-
gressive disposition beyond that, and are viii
ling to leave the practical treatment Of slavery,
in the states, to those who know its evils, AMI
are to be presumed best able to devise a rene
dy. What concerns them solely and exclu-
sively is, the relation Of slavery to their own
interests and responsibilities. 1t might be con-
ceded that the peculiar socialism Of the South
is the best for il, under the circumstances, that
human wisdom can conceive or, that il has
the divine sanciion-being equally beneficial to
the white and black races, without touching
the marrow Of our dispute.
For the real question, let US remark. in the
second place, arises out of the struggle Of two
incompatible orders of civilization for the mas
terry Of common field 1t has fallen to the
lot Of this country to make the attempt to con-
federate a series Of states, separated by two
distinct social systems and, though the at
tempt is not impracticable in ITSELF nor was ii
impraclieable under the original conditions, nor
is yet impracticable, could these conditions be
adhered to-lhe actual working of the expert
hi'hN nus oNftioltu a utbdu dNh otIloh1 dNtdb-
onism. The evidences of latent difference
have appeared, from time to time, from the be-
ginning but they were adjusted by our wise
statesmen Of the past, as they appeared, on the
principle Of peaceful compromise. In late
fatal and perfidious hour, however, that prinei-
pie was flung to the winds, and the elements
Of discord left to the chance Of a hand-,o-hnnd
encounter. As the first result of The abandon
men,, the western breezes brought 10 our ears,
from the plains of Kansas, murmurs of war
like preparations even as we write,
"From camp TO camp, through the fatal womb Of
night.
The hum Of either army Silly sounds -
aud long before our article shall be read per-
haps, the din Of civil war will have broken
the distant soliiudes.
The controversy, between what NAV be
termed Our northern and Southern civilizations,
presents two aspects first, whether the influ-
ences OF the one or the other shall predominate
in the federal government; and, secondly, wheth-
er the one or the other Of these influences shall
prevail in the organization Of new territories
Virtually, these questions are one for which
ever side succeeds in regard 10 the first point.
will be sure 10 succeed in regaid to the secone
and rice rTsa.
AS to the first aspect oft, we are all aware
what the facts of The case have been hitherto
we are all aware, that for many years the n-
terests of slavery have carried the day com
plelely, in nearly every department Of the ma
tional government. The executive has always
inclined to that side, and so has the Judiciary,
and, with occasional exceptions, both branches
Of the legislature. Ii came to such pass,
indeed, at last, that no man. whatever his ca
pocities OF claims, who was in the least ad-
verse 10 that interest, was allowed to hold the
lowest Office Of profit or honor under the gen
eral government, and much less TO achieve any
Of its higher places. II is true, at this hour,
that the most illustious poet of his country,
that its most llustrious historian, that It's most
ilusirious philosopher, that its NOS, ilusirious
novelist (were she mani could not be made
gate-keeper of the public grounds at Washing
ton, il he desired tn be- aud that for the sim
pie reason, that having formed different lleo-
ry of social life from the one which obtains at
the South, he has been honest enough to ex-
press it. Even the most eminent statesmen of
former days, our Jeffersons our Franklins our
Jays, ard our Adamses, could they arise from
their graves, and write wha, they once wrote,
would be excluded forever from political en-
ployment. Thus the men of the North, who
are born TO freedom, who are Graded to rest
by the songs Of its surges as they roll in from
the lakes and oceans, who inhale il with every
breath blown from their eternal hills, and who,
shonld they fail TO extol il, would be recreant
to the earliest and deepest inspirations of their
lives, are begirt by an intolerance more exclu-
sive Than that which disgraced The osiracsm of
the Athenian demos, or the inierdicls of tho me-
diaval papacy. The men of New England,
and New York, of Ohio, and Wisconsin, are
yet called upon to adopt the peculiar senli-
menis Of The men Of Georgia, and Texas, or
at least 10 hold their tongues from the temerily
Of criticism or disapproval, on pain of poiti-
cal banishment. Let them but once whisper
abroad any disparagemeni Of slavery, though
it were in the friendliest tone, with the sin
ceresi convictions, under an earnest and con
scientious sense of its important bearings, and
they are marked men, Now,
against this they contend and protest. it is a
dictaiion so arrogant, that to submit 10 it would
be to deserve il and every impulse of self-re-
sPeci honor, and liberty prompts them to avoid
that humiliation.
The more immediate and pressing aspect of
the great controversy, however, is that which
relates to the future destiny of the territories,
1t presents this simple alternative whether,
contrasting the effects Of the free condition Of
society with those Of The slave, we ought to
abandon our virgin soils 10 the occupation of
the one, or solennly consecrate them to the
use Of the otherl AS a nation, we have had
a broad and ample experience Of the influences
Of both systems on the prosperity of slales,
and we are summoned TO decision between
them. In this view, the question is one, we
repeat not Of races, nor Of abstract theories Of
rights, nor even Of religious convictions (al-
though all these will influence the decision
but of actual facts. Demonstrated before us,
lie the results of two social experiments, and
we are asked in the light Of those demousira-
tions, 10 determine which il is best TO apply, in
the formation Of our young and inchoate com
r H.