Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-12-18
THE FREE SOIL SENTIMENT OF THE
SOIfTH

SOUTH.
The Free Soil element in the South, unlike
the pro-slavery element in the North is most
ly quiet and silent 1t is a latent heat, per-
yading the frontier States and the commercial
cities, and awaiting but the favorable moment
to break forth in light and glory. Not only
IN st. Louis is the doctrine openly avowed
and acted upon, but many signs presago that
the other great cities will soon follow our
lead. Why are all those cities in opposition
to the pro-slavery Democracy; Simply be-
cause they arc sayoured with the salt Of free
dom Their opposition may assume the or
ganism of the American party, but its Wtali
ty Is derived from free soil IDEAS which are
yet too timid to embody themselves in an or
ganization exclusively their own. AS yet
the frcc-Soil sentiment expresses itself anon
ymously in New Orleans, Louisville, Bati-
more, Richmond. and other Southern cities
which arc governed by commerce, but the day
is near when it will come forward in its own
name, and assume tho responsibility as well
as the honors of its position and conduct
The dccaying trunk of Know-Nothingism
which bore no wholesome fruit at any time
will yet nourish the Freo-Soil plant engraftcd
upon it, and so pay back what it borrowed
In the commercial centres of the South,
among the artists, merchants, mechanics and
artisans, this revolution, or rather natural de-
velopment will be soon seen, unless the Sc
quence of cause and effect is abolished
We do not intend to write an eulogy upon
cities, but we cannot be contradictcd when
we say that the struggle between Slavery and
Freedom in Europe was struggle between
the cities and the landed propretory Every
city was refuge for the fugitive sorf. Their
population was chiefly drawn from this source
Emancipated labor worked in their forges
and at their looms, built and manned their
ships, and built and manned their walls and
towers. The steel-clad baron and the mer-
chant and mechanic were natural enemies ;
but though the first owned the land and all
apportaining to it. he had to succumb at last
to the others, who gathered gold from the
waves of the sea and the bowels of the earth.
The cities became Independent Republics as
inl Italy. or sclf-governed municipalities as
in Spain and England, with ancient and ire
vocable charters, granting the widest fran
chises.
The pro.slavery deluge which threatened
to overflow all the Territories has retired
never to return. 1t has ebbed so far that
Virginia herself, the mother of States and
statesmen, of office-holders, Office hunters,
and niggers, has been left high and dry. She
has been abandoned by the hard pressed pro-
slavery men of the cotton States, as Britain
was abandoned by the Romans. At least,
such is the plain declaration of the ultra
Southern press, who place her with Missouri
and Kentucky. Again. there is every reason
to think that the National Democratic party
will divide upon the Kansas question. This
will be the greatest victory which the Free
Labor cause will have achieved-the conquest
and capture of large portion of its avowed
enemies Virginia and the National Demo-
cratic party unreliable. and Kansas lost to
slavery, the area of Free Soil must widen
rapidly, and the moral force of Free Soil prin-
The Pro-Slavery cause is therefore declih-
ing in spite of the political victories of the
party which sustain it. The South, too, is
isolated. Even Russia, which she has so ex-
travagantly admired hitherto, is about to a
bolish serldom by imperial ukase, and the
serf is going to be not only free man, but a
freoholder. Holland has preceded Russia,
and decreed the gradual emancipation Of all
the slaves in her West India colonies. Ex
cept from the Kingdom of Brazil and the Is
land Of Cuba, the South can receive no sym
pathy or succor in her stubborn battle for the
perpetuation of her beloved institution. At
home and abroad, she finds allies and auxila-
ries abandoning her. She finds Nature her
self arrayed against her, and the mute earth
protesting that this magnificent continent,
with its grand rivers and fertile plains, and
its mountains embowolled with the useful and
precious metals was not destined for the oc-
cupancy of slaves and slave-owners. Yet
the position of the South excites admiration.
She reminds one of the ancient tragedy,
struggling vainly but bravely with destiny
But we look for no catastrophe, for she will
see the proprety of acquiescng in what is
innvitahle. Missouri Delnocrat.