Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-01-28
The Coming Anti-Slayery Convention
What Action will it Advocate.

There are, undoubtedly many honest hearts
in Vermont beating high in compassion for the
Slave and who share with Governor Fletcher in
the Indignation and alarm felt at the rapid in
crease of the Slave power and the extravagant
nature of its demands And who apprehend
there is little hope left that the spread of Sla-
very will be stopped under the present form Of
Government
There is no doubt also that something is needed
to 3" arouse the Free State from their dangerous
apathy" prehaps the presence of Shareholders
in Vermont with the seven hundred slaves which
they hold for REORGANIZATION of Vermont, would
be the thing, it might arouse us to sense of our
responsibilities and our intimate relationship
with the attrocious system. Shareholders, from
the little acquaintance I have with them,
appear like other men, to place more reliance
upon what one does than on what one says as q
true exponant of his convictions and they can
learn, from studying in their Ledgcrs their cotton
accounts with the North, as much of the real
anti-slavery of the North as they can by read
ing the most ultra resolves that have been passed
by the most ultra Legislature. The same mail,
indeed, says he, that brings me those ultra res
olntions brings me from the same State the indis-
pensible Cash tormy Cotton. Themselves will an
swer for home consumption Or some other con-
sumption but the cash comes very opportunity
gust in time to pay for those field hands |
bought yesterday. -" Ha, gontlemcn--Nqrthen
cotton buying Abolitionosts You are the aJoH
tionists for nae!'
1t may seem very presumptious to accuse Ver-
mont of being even indirectly slave-holdng
State, but do not the facts in the case indicate
something very mnch like it? In the Patent
Office Report for 1872 page 576we find " YER
mont, nine establishments in operation with
capital of $2O2,5OO and using 2,243 bales of
cotton y annually, to which we may safely add
as much more used in the manufacture of fabrics
brought in from other States and we have 44S6
which divided by (the number of bales slave
is able to produce in one season) and we have
more than 700 for the quotient-seven hundred
human beings held in Slavery for the accomoda-
ton of Anti-Slavery Vermont, Are the figures
wrong-are the facts misstated? If not--are
We not deeply implicated?
Now does it not seem to border on presump-
ton to expect any reasonable amount OF conyic-
ton in the Shareholder by appeal to his con-
science long as he precieves that ourconscienccs
do mot restrain us from participating with him,
(whare we can do it without direct ownership
i'm the conveniences derirable from that Domestic
Insitution?" Might not the rum drinking
temperance lecturer as safely count on reforming
the .drunkard
Bait amid so much that looks gloomy and dis
couraging their are few bright spots-There is
encouragement in the belief that " there are many
in our State who desire to occupy a higher moral
platfann than that occupied by political parties.
Such need not be informed that to maintain an
occupancy of that higher platform will require
4 no small amount of self sacrifce-perseveranc
in course which the wiley wise and prudant
politician may even sneer upon.
There appears one way open in which we can
work Constitutionally, Powerfully and effect
ually land who shall say that Providence has
not opened that wayO Itiswell known that
there are Aa'sdreds Of small plantersm the South
.ahs do net haM &aues, some of these are strug-
Cling under their many difficulties and raising
cotton by their own free hands Let us form
an association with judicious officers and form
an alliance with these non Slaveholding plant
ers-let MS begin with the Germans in Texas
that belong to this class, they are co-abores with
us and pioneers in this great work. Let then,
understand that we regard them assucb and are
Willngto transfer our money patronage from the
Slavehoiding planters to them, and we cannot
fail OF making allies where they ore the most
nceded-in the very midst of the enemy. Let
such of us as are Store Keepers and have acted
as agents to the Shareholder in selling his blood
stained cotton give up our commissions. Let
our women initiate the women of l776 who re-
f Trained from drinking tea that had been taxed
by King George, let them refrain from the use Of
Southern products that have been wrung from
the trembling limbs of the object of their COM
passion-im6ttered with their tears. Some
thing after this manner let us move before the
South, asking the Devine blessings upon our
humble labors, and conviction may be the result.
, II. N.
Monkton lst month Ia, 1858.