Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-04-28
THE STATE or THE UNION.

On taking general view OF our national al
fairs at the present time, it must appear mani
fest to every one that the defence and propa-
gardsm Of slavery are not enc and the same
thing with the fermentation Of the true interest
of the country. We are beginning to expert
ence the i'll consequences of that forced system
of policy by which all our great and leading in
terests have been rendered subordinate TO one
single interest. Whilst administrations as orig
inally established were progressive and incitive
of the spirit of enterprise uur policy has been
retrogressive, teaching, as it were, that the
larger mass, the Sun, .revclves around the small
er mass, the earth or in other words, that cot
ton as produced by slave labor, which is of less
value than oar hay crops, should be made the
basis of our national legislation the center
around which all our other interests are to re-
volve. A system so false as this is, is now be-
ginning to show itself in its fruits, clearly to
the most ordinary comprehension, and the ne
cessity of a change of pelicy has become evident.
That the people Of the country however,
will act with that promptness and decision which
is due to the exigencies of the times, we may
well be inclined to doubt. 1t is often not until
the stones are about ready to cry out in the
streets that the people become thoroughly
aroused to the importance of the occasions that
call for their action. We frequently hear it
stated even now, as a plea for inertia and in
action that if the abohtionists had let the ques-
ton of slavery alone, Virginia and several other
slave states would now be free. But it is very
doubtful whether people who make such a
plea for the continuance of slavery would ever
have profted much in the way of free institu-
tons if they had been left undisturbed in their
course of retrogression. If the state OF Vir-
ginia has chung to the old pagan customs of
slavery merely out of spite and resentment
against the abolitionists thenis II indeed doubt
full if she could have had the energy and vigor
necessary to throw off the shackles if she had
been left 10 her own complacency to do So.
No. all the facts in the case are simply these,
that after some thirty years of the exercise of
free speech and thought in the free states, the
condition of Virginia in now beginning to dis
close itself fairly to the view of every body as
much worse than it would have been had she
followed the example of Pennsylvania and de-
cared herself for freedom.
1t cannot be possible that under free institu.
tons freedom of speech and thought are wrong
1t cannot be possible that their exercise has
let it be admitted that they have operated tc
confirm Virginia in her adherence to slavery
it must also be admitted that the humiliatinl
prostration of character that has followed sHcl
adherence, has taken away from her that prouC
dctational spirit which formerly frowned s,
ominously in the cannon and bristled in tn
bayonets of her own manufacture, made to aw
the rast NJ tho Ir~;o- ;r.. hos 49, I'll
threatening martial display which she once mad
against sediton-laws would be no longer pos
sible now when in the search of post office
she virtually practices those laws herself Il
humhling herself to the democratic party I'll
going down upon her knees in the very dust i
the presence of that party to implore its aid t
sustain her in the enjoyments of slavery, sh
has lost, except in individual instances, tina
proud, conceited, overbearing spirit of tn
cavalier, which, if she had early freed herse
from slavery, size might have retained, an
might thus, perhaps, have been led TO produc
greater mischief than she has now done.
severe ordeal and transformation was necessar
to prepare Virginia for the Ineligible Apr,
citation OF free institutions. 1t was geographic
position rather than any deeply rooted attacl
ment to liberty that determined the odd Dt
minion' to separation from the monarchy
the mother country.
Whatever is said to the contrary, howev
terrible may seem the accusation of "agitator
we may be assured that freedom of speech
as natural and necessary trait to free instit,
tons as fruit is to the Towering of the app
tree; and we need fear it no more. Witho
it, our government would be but death
abortion, not attaining to the ends for which
was designed. Its exercise has brought us
the position in the face of the world which v
now occupy, position in which, by prom
and decided action. it is still possible Tor US
manage the heavy bvrthen of slavery, and
the same time develope those vital interes
of the country which claim our serious ate
ton. The colonization of our surplus negro
and the opening of an interoceapic rail-roa
especially at this juncture when the liberties
Italy are claiming the regards of Europe, a
rendered possible, great as these undertaken
are, by that condition of the country which
been effected by thirty years struggle for I
freedom of speech thought and action. T
time has at length arrived when we can
longer delay, if we would, the stern practi,
ouaetson that slavarv praeante TIC with II ~,
be met, not as a mere political question for t
distribution of Office and party power, but al
civil question of the most grave importar
that concerns the whole country.
BUcHANAN's KANSAS LETTER.-The let
of President Buchanan to Governor Walk
which has been smoked out by the House