The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-01-24
Vigilance, the Duty of Freemen.

Much has. been said and written
about the horrors of revolution and
the cruelties of the people, when they,
by some mighty effort, throw off the
shackles that bind them to tyranny
The atrocities of the French revolu-
tion have been a fruitful theme for the
conservatism of the age to dwell upon.
But, to our mind, there never vet was
a revolution, that in it's most frightful
details, has equalled the yearly and
daily atrocities of tyrants' rule,
whether they are the despots of the
Old, or the oligarchs of the New
World. Take, for instance, the de-
velopment of American slavery, and
the long series of atrocities practised
by its supporters. Can we find aught
in the bloodiest days of the Reign of
Terror that equals the general details
of the slave system !? Look at the
Southern newspapers and see the long
list of crimes and outrages with which
they are constantly filled. Take the
late slave inSurrection excitement, and
the heart sickens when it hears of the
hanging, shooting and butchering
committed upon the unfortunate vic
tins, whose only crime was loving
that liberty of which their tyrant mas
ters boast so loudly. Yet the great
mass of our people pass them quietly
by as triAing things that must necessa-
rily occur in the system. When these
same quiet people see further the de-
velopment of this plague-spot, slave
ry, they are astounded that it SHOULD
dare make aUkitc men slaves, as it has
attempted to do in Kansas; as it has
boasted of its determination to do in
the late campaign; as in its organs it
has boldly said, that labor and the Ia
borer should rightfully be the proper
ty of the capitalist and they are very
indignant when the legitimate bios
SONS of this evil tree ripen into that
bitter fruit which the Kansas squatters
have had to partake of during the last
two years. We are not astonished at
these occurrences, for we look upon
them as the Legitimate result of the sys-
tenn. All we have now to do is to keep
the public mind up to the point that
the late events have brought it to, and
impress upon it the necessity of vigi-
lance in watching the powerful antag-
onist now menacing the liberty of the
American Republic. Slavery has
shown itself in colors sufficiently vivid
to excite in every truthful and just
mind, detestation sufficient to over
come all the lingering conservatims
of the past, that sought to keep the
agitatisn of this subject down. Let
the free North remember, that it is a
terrible misfortune to humanity that
virtue should, in most cases. be blind,
and that vice is erer active and vigi-
liant. Let US watch with a keen eye
and discriminating spirit the move
ments of the slave power by every
means and at every hazard prevent its
further extension, and efectually curb
and control its violent and factious
spirit. Let not the bugbear of reyo-
luton and disunion frighten our friends
from ever active opposition to the
slave oligarchy, for there never was q
revolution, We repeat again, SO disas-
trous and terrible in its effects upon
the well being of the race, as the IN
sidieus encroachments and frightful
atrocities constantly practised by dss-
potism in all ages of thu world and
there never was an oligarchy so dan
gerous to liberty, as thstwhich exists
in the slave States Of the Union.