Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-05-21
The Immutable ( y Democracy.

The Inmutable ( > Democracy.
Up to very recent period, and enc within
the memory Of every voter in the State, there
was Democratic party following the lead of
the name by wbieh.they we're designated. That
Democracy had brought the Nation through
successive trials, and established government
Of the people. A government. docking TO, Mt
no distant day, the freedom of every human be-
ing in the United States. or4who should in any
manner be found therein
Jefferson uttered the first great truths by
which the feet of that party were to be guided.
and while they walked by the light of those
truths, they moved on to glory, to prosperity,
and to the universal Freedom of. Dug Country.
That we may have it trcshi in memory ,7hst his
doctrine was, we make dew extracts from his
writings. One of the facts which Jefferson, in
the drafts Of the Declaration of independence,
stated as the reason for absolving allegiance 10
the British king-(the clause was struck out
at its adoption, by the demand of Georgia and
South Carolina, but still stands Apon the orig
inal copy, in the handwriting of lis ,author) -
was as follows:
" He has waged civil war against human nc
ture itself violating its most sacred rights OF
life and liberty. in the persoDsef a. distant pep
pie who never offended him, capturiag and car
rying them into Slavery 10 another hemisphere
as to incur miserable death ip their Transports
ton thither This piratica warfare, the Oh
probrium Of INFIDEL Powers, is the warfare of
the CHRISTIAN King of Great Britain. Deter.
mined to keep open market where MEN should
be bought and sold, he has prnstituted his neg
atlve tor SuppreSSing erery Legislative attempt
TO prohibit or RESTRAIN this erecrable commerce.
In 1885, in u discussion with NJ. de Meus-
nier upon the slave law passed about that time
Mr.. Jefferson thus warmly reminds us of the
unieeling Of those who, after Kidding them
selves of oppression by the Rebellion that led to
the bondage or their brethren-v.(page go, vol.
0 Of his works.
" That stupendous, what an Incompetent.
sibe machine is man! who ;can endure toll
famine, stripes, Imprisonment, and death itself
in vlndlcaton of his own liberty, and the next
moment be deaf to all those motives whose pow
or supported him through his trial, and inAict
ON his fellow man 4 bondage one hour of which
Is fraught with more misery than ages of that
which he rose in rebellion to oppose. But we
must await with patience, the workings of an
overriding Providence. and hope that that is
preparing the deliverance cf these, our suffer
ing brethren. Whom the measure of their
tears shall be full, when their groans shall have
involved Heaven itself, in darkness, doubtless u
God Of Justice will awaken to their distress and
by dilfusing light and lberaEty among their
oppressors, or ut length by his DISCRIMINATING
thunder, manifest his intention to the things OF
this world and that they are pot left to the
guidance of blind latalityn
In 1922, at the age of 81, he submitted ic
the Constitutional Convention proposition to
emancipate all slaves born after its adoption a,
twenty one years Of nge, and those now in bon
dage at forty. In 1926, in letter to Edward
Everett, he says:
"On the question Of the lawfulness of Slave
ry, that is OF the right of one man to appro
pirate to himself the faculties of another with
out his consent certainly retain my earl,
opinions
Still later, and following down in these foot
steps, we have the resolves of the Democrac,
recorded. All over the Northern States dur
ing The admission of the Territory acquired from
Mexico, tho Democracy were more special il
their denunciations of Slavery. In New IIamp
shire they had both branches of the Legislator,
under control, and We find upon the record
proceedings, the following. In l847 had com,
up the question Of the Constitutional power
and duty Of Congress TO prohibit Slavery in tn,
territories And what said the Democracy o
New Hampshire. on that question Here i,
their record ;ss.s--., -sTer=, --
! g Resolued By he Senate and House Of Rep
resenfdtfues- in Central Court Conueaed. Tba
we regard the institution Of Siauery as moral
social, and political euii, and, as such, we dcepl
regret its existence. and are willing to- concu
in all reasonable and constitutional measures TO
its REMOVAL
This resolution and others similar were sign
ed by the Speaker of the House, the Presiden
of the Senate and the Governor.
In l848 the Legislature passed, and the sam
officers signed, the following:
" Resolred by the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatiues, and General Court Conrened. Tia
we are in favor of the passage Of law by Con
gress forever prohibiting Slavery in New Mexi
co and California. and in all other terrtorie
now acquired or hereafter 10 be acquired by tn
United States in which Slavery docs not exis
at the time Of such acquisition"
These resolves received the unanimous sup
port of every member of the Senate and House
The New Hampshire Patriot, on publishing
them, praised them in the most lavish manner
as containing the very quntesssuce of DemoC
racy That paper said
ave need not say that these resolution
meet our hearty appreciation, for our reader
areaware that they contain the sentiments whic
we have always commended for since we hav
been connected with this paper; the sentiment
which the Democrats in this State have support
ed ever since the question of the extension 9
Slavery came up"