Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-07-09
noN. !. R. elnnlNos, Address


The interest with which have heretofore
addressed you, is in no degree diminished by
the considerations that this may, probably. be
the last time / shall enjoy that privilege
have never pcnned an address with more
buoyant hope, or stronger faith than do
now.
Slavery was originally an clement in our
Colonial Governments and was permitted for
time under most of the State Constitutions.
But those who formed the Federal Union of
l776, in the most explicit language rcpudiat-
ed it, and the trainers Of the Constitution in
1897 declared that under its exclusive iuris-
diction "no person shall be deprived Of lie,
liberty. or property Without due process Of lnc 4"
But these patriots failed to maintain the doc
trine set forth in the Declaration Of lndepen-
denee, and reiterated in the Constitution
In violation of those charters Of human rights,
the element Of dcspotism was practically
transferred into our federal organization. and
for half a century il has maintained an ag-
gressive war upon the interest Of the free
States upon free labor, upon the rights Of
human nature So far as It has attained pow
er in our government, Just so far has that
government approximated despotism. The
experience of thrce-fourths Of a century has
demonstrated that liberty and slavery cannot
prosper under the same government that they
are religious, moral, and political oyDosiics.-
That when government acts for one, it nee
essarly acts against the other.
When the federal power was cxortod for
extending and perpeuating Slavery in Texas,
it was to that extent welded against freedom.
Some Of the evils arising from that policy,
were pointed out in an address to the people
of the free States published more than hftccn
. q. ..ll !. a. II ii
Quincy Adams, and twenty other members of
the House Of Representatives But its pre-.
dietons made little impression upon the pub.
lie mind. What ,cas then prophecy has nom
become history" The act of annexation de-
MED the doctrine "tbai governments are cstab-
lished 10 maintain liberty" its influences were
put forth to maintain Slavery, to Danish anil
suppress liberty.
The repeal Of The Missouri Compromise,
and the efforts Of the executive to establish
slavery in Kansas is the natural sequence Of
the policy adopted in 1913 and the dccara-
ton put forth at Cincinnati, that the people
of a territory may rightiully form govern
ment which shall coDsgn portion Of the hui
man family to degrading bondage, was but the
assertion Of policy on which the Democrat
ic party had long prectced
This bold ouo,0ai Of dospotism, however,
brought upon the party proclaiming it, moral
and political pardiYsis--it became imbcclo
the scepter OF power fell from It's grasp 1t
thon ceased 90 wcld the moral energies of
the nation But to this day, the friends of
liberty have been unable so to concentrate
the political elements, as to guide the admin
istration Of government for those high pur-
poses for which it was formed The work of
founding political party upon doctrines so
elevated purely christian in their charuc-
ter, required time and effort. Ii was Obvious
that no ophemcrsl policy, no sectional inter-
est. no mere part2an advantage could cOnsti-
tute the basis of permanent organization.
Nothing short of restoration of the Govern
ment to its original principles, could give
peace to the country, security To freedom, or
pcrmanence to the Constitution. The Slave
power, then guiding the Democratic party,
must be met, exposed and overcome. Outside
the States the Constitution having exclusive
jurisdiction must be enforced The wing
party has faded from existence in consequence
of its efforts to conciliate the despotism of
slavery. The Democratic party had fallen a
victim to the same policy, and that man must
have lived to little purpose who. in forming
new political organization would so guide it
as to strike the very rock on which all former
stances that the new party was formed. and
absolute necessity dictated its basis of nm
changing truth Of equal Justice 10 all men. And
those politicians who now talk of modifying
the doctrines Of the Republican party, simply
declare themselves too timid TO look at facts,
or too much preiudiced to appreciate them.
The first effort to form new organization,
after the demise of the old parties was made
by members elected Representatives to the
Ihirty-ionrlh Congress. Al the assembling
of that body in December, 1855, a portion of
the members consisting Of a plurality and
numbering lO3, united upon resolutions look
ing to the rights Of all, sustaining the interest
ofall. They constituted an impregnablc phai-
anx, resisting all attacks and defying all as
saults Nine consecutive weeks OF uncxamp-
led excitement followed but partial victory
crowned their efforts. ! then supposed the
propriety of adopting great moral truths as
the basis Of our political organization had
been SO signally illustrated, that no member
would longer doubt it but some twelve in
dividuals of that body, continued to insist that
their policy in regard to foreigners, should be
adopted as the basis Of our future action
To this the Republicans could not agree and
no party had majority in that Congress.
The hopes of the nation were then directed
to the Philadelphia Convention, where strong
effort was made to incorporate the American
party rs such, with the party then about to
organize, but the proposition was not adopted.
All knew that Congress could only act upon
the subject Of naturalization, while the State
Governments must each, for itself. protect the
security of its ballot box, and extend or di-
minish the right Of suffrage at the will of its
people The Convention therefore worry proper
ly permitted those questions to DO determined
as justice may dictate when presented to Con
gross, or 10 the several State Legislatures, but
it consecrated the Republican party to the sup
port Of those rights which tho Creator has be-
stored upon all men, ,ohich pertain to epery hu-
map being ,ohether born upon our o,gn soil or
ioWiin The Jurisdiction Of a foreign goucrnmeit,
WHATEVER MAY M MS CONDITION on COM
PLKXIoN. In maintaining this platform. every
man knows and feels that he is sustaining his
own God-giyen rights, as well as those of his
fellow man and it is equally clear that no
man can oppose this doctrine unless he desires
TO invade the rights Of others,
The Ostend manifesto had been published.
and its author nominated for President by the
Democratic party. The plan Of extending
Slavery into Kansas, of acquiring territory in