The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-02-06
Tho Anti-Slnvory Convention At
Bradford,


The following Preamble and Resolution,
seem 10 have furnished lh' principal theme
Of discussion through the several sessions Of
the recent Aut.-Sh,cy Convention at Brad
/ ford
IIhcrcqs,Nhc Union ofthc States was form
ed by unholy compromises with slavery and
the slave power, which demanded the coutn-
unucc Of the African slave trsdc, rcprcscuta-
ton ia Congress for slave property, and the
delivery up Of slaves escaping from IA ,ir
masters whereas these compromises were
incorporated into the Constitutions aud
Mhcrcns. c,etsiArc the adoption uf the Con-
sl.tutlon, aud owing principally 20 its pro-
slavery compromises the number oi slave,
has been ON the increase, the slave power has
become more and more dominant, and the
Federal Government has become one ui the
strongest allie, of the slave power, no thut al
mott cycry power under the control Of the
national government is now made suhscr,i-
cut TO the interest of slavery therefore
Rcsoired. That the Union, which was form.
-! rii--uivrr urrri tiTr OFT
stitution winch was formed aud adopted in
iniquty, should be icpudiatcd, and thus the
way prepared for the establishment of a nov
Northern Republic, IN which justice and
. rghtcousncss may prevail
This Resolution represents the sentiment
of nobody In Vermont. II ia evidently q for
cgn product cmbodyiug the reckless spirit
and crazy logic Of certain ,agrant abolition
rantcrs of auli-Sabbath, anii-church and anti
government, uotoriety We presume It was
introduced at bradford to give some Of these
individuals opportunity TO air their sclccon-
ploccncy and rail at men and institutions that
have refused to give 10 themselves, their long
and intensely coveted elevation and cclcbr.
ity. Nr-rruri Of ccrtuiu individual in an
cent history, whom Providence had failed to
cndow with ability to acquire by honest
means an honorable notoricty, whose nmb-
tiun co.. fame was so iutcn&r, that, dospgirieg
of other means, he resolved 10 secure his OBJ
jcct 10y burning famous temple at Ephcsus.
which had been two hundred and twenty
years in building, in which the great artists
of antiquity had dedicated their most perfect
works to postcrity, and whose massive struc-
turc and architectural beauty made it the
wonder and admiration of the world Not
unlike his, seems TO be the ambition OF those
men who have deliberately set themselves to
work forthc dissolution of the Union. I'm
potent for doing good and securing esteem
in their appropriate sphere, by reason of an
inordnate self esteem and passion for notori-
etythcy have sold themselves to purchase an
immortality of niomy. We would he always
charitable in our judgment of the motives of
every man or class of men, but we cannot re-
siSt the conviction that something more than
an intense hatred and abuse of white men
is involved ina benevolent regard for the
welfare Of the negro that something more
than dcnuncaHon Of the church as brother
hood OF thieves, the abiuration of the Bible
and it's authorized institutions, with a sovcr-
eign contempt for the common prophecies of
social intercourse, is. GhNractfristic Of genuine
philanthropy. We suspect that disoppoint-
ed ambition and consequent envy and hatred
Of those who have failed to CRAFTY its aspira-
tons, is the ruling spirit that anmotes most
of these abolition disunionists with their fiery
zeal and noisy defamation. They seem to
coyet not half so much the power to abolish
Slavery or nmolorate the condition of the
colorcd rage, as they do an opportunity to
vent their spite in macdctipns aganstall who
refuse their leadership or dissent from their
opinions. The anti-slnvcry sentiment of Yer.
mont has no affinity with the malicious and
reasonable spirit of such men.
Tho people of Vermont arc, and always
haHn been. heartily opposed 10 the inslitutiun
of Slavery, but they do not believe that dia-
solution Of the Union is the only, or the lo.
climate means, either for procuring its OK