Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1856-06-20

charge OF the builders engineer ut the time of
the accident. The train had Just arrived,
filled with passengers, who had been trans
lcrrCd to the bOat-many were on the after
part Of the boat, but many were on the for
ward part-The Captain was about to ring
the bell when the explosion occurred.
The scene that followed the explosion was
fearful. The steam rushed to the back part
Of the boat SO as to completely blind those
who were there. All rushed hither and
thither, shricking loudly, and many Jumped
into the river and were doubtless drowned.
A women who was near the boiler had her
child, only five months old. blown out OF her
arms into the air, coming down on the top of
the freight shed. She herself was ~drcadiully
injured.
Immediately after the explosion the boat
sunk.
We extract the following from an eloquent
article in the n. Y. hdpcndcnt.-fhc
signature shows it to be from the pen Of
Rev. Henry Ward Beochcr,
SILENCE MUST BE NATioNALIzEp.-Liberty
of speech in dcspotic government means the
liberty Of the despot to say what he plcases,
and the liberty Of everybody else to hold their
tongues. This is the idea in the South now.
They are willing that the North should say
Amen, after their rhetoric. This is the
whole liberty permitted. No man can, no
man dare say one word in the South, in court,
in legislation, in the field, IN the church, or
anywhere else-no man dare say one sharp,
clear, effective word against slavery, or slave
policy. Any thing may be said in its favor.
No mans strength or name is enough to
make it safe for him to make an issue with
the tyrannical policy of the three hundred
and fifty thousand Shareholders of the South.
And there is not in Paris, to-day, nor in
Rome, nor in Vienna, II censorship more rig
id, Il police more Ubiquitous and searching,
to repress or punish free speech, than exists
in Richmond or Charlcstown.
The whole South is smOthcred. The slave
is dumb. The free colOred man Is dumb
The poor white man is dumb. The merchant
and awyer are dumb. The minister is dumb,
and the politician dumb. Dumb, we mean.
Tor liberty, for truth, Tor anything except the
defence of slavery.
As long ago as 1896, under the famous ar
itation about Petition, the South took impc-
rious attitudes, and squarely denied the
right of the North to saw one word about
that part of our national uulirv which Is fine
most vital, viz, real liberty. Freedom of
speech WAS rcsolutcly denied. and it WAS de-
ciarcd that it must he uut down.
The more it was surnrcssed the more dis
cus,ion grew. Mobs. caucuscs. conventions.
parties. platforms. treat men. and the roy
crnmcut itself. have all tried to nut down
free speech, which vet walks the earth. or
flies the air free as winds, and as MIGHTY Toe.
when it shall ere LONG gather its fprces. and
come as the breath OF the Lord. and the voice
Of a peoplc.
In lNjO. however. the question was settled
by lodging as all questions of prjac,plc in
American POLITICS have been settled for the
last thirty years. The most vicious element
that ever entered American alf,irs WAS the
once SO much admired policy of COMPROMISE.
COMPROMISE is nothing but "A method of
lodging a real principle. instead of settlinG
it by fair and full discussion and action. It
leads to il habit of shutting cowardicc. IL
DESTROYS that open, honest, manly spirit that
g%rapples with difficulties in a fair conflict A.;
and breeds instead IL miserable, housing, in
triguinr, munmuyerinr policy, Of seeming to
do what YOU do not of using words to hide
things Compromise is the beautiful illicit
mother of infinite lies, hypocrisics, and sleek
cowardices,
In 1880, the South demanded, and men a
greed, that there should be SILENCE, that it
should be HdiioHrI' But God thundcrcd in
the heavens, and the earth was full of the
echoes OF his voice. Thrice ten thousand
men refused to be silent, though almost ev-
cry leading man, North and South, had a.
greed that discussion should be put down.
In 1870 and lN36, the South pushed their
scheme W cstWard That gigantic cunspira-
cy was developed of which Kansas feels but
Il single finger, but whose whole hand is yet
to grip" the throat of the Nation. Under
cover OF compromise and peace, they violated
compact, compromise, and national peace
They broke over the line made sacred by Il
Natlons word. They crept to the cradle Of
IA young State, as the ny thlcal serpcnts eli
dcd to the cradle OF Hercules, to strange him
before his strength came upon him.
Their first stroke was to StIcHcc men. A
Legislature was made up of all destructive
Materials, aud then thrown over from Mis-
souri,, as engineers throw bombs from huge
mouthcd mortars, and it was its supreme err
rand to silence discussion. The imported
Legislature Of Kansas makes free speech, and
a free press, penltentiary offences, The gov
eminent OF these United States endorsed the
Deed, Let men consider The President of
these United States and the Government OF
this Republic are deliberately committed to
Il long-tormed, Geeply-laid plan, Of destroy
ing Tree speech IN this Republic, and making
SILENCE NATIONAL
At this point, some few men, in the good
providence Of God, stood in the United State
Senate, whose hearts were not scpulchres,
and whose tongues were not like dead men
lying IN them. seward, Wade, Chase, Trum-
bull, wilson, and Sumner spoke, and in sub
stance and manner that became men standing
IN the temple of Liberty, and in the home of
Liberty, demanding that freedom should be
the seed and fruit Of free institutions. OF
this heroic band there was one whose gentle
nature, whom retiring habits and scholarly
astidiOusness made it safer to attack than
another. 1t hanuCue1. too. that he WINS So
cOnd to none in the freedom of his speech.
Ills tongue moved To the impulses Of a heart
as true to Liberty as the heart of Washing
ton. But 1T was not safe to assault him as
he walked to and from in the street. The