Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-06-22

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| interest greatly aggravate the customary ir-
ritation atteniing purely political conflicts
This is one reason why changes in the
doctrines of the slaveholdng party from time
to time, have so rapidly taken place. The
most material Of these, and that which made
the present position of parties inevitable,
happened about thirty years ago, when the
old revolutionary dogma that slavery was an
evil imposed upon one portion # the country,
against its VIII, which it tolerated only from
the necessity of the case, gave place to the
modern dictum that slavery was benefit to
the African. and positive blessing to the
master, and that the social system evolved
from this relation. could Justly boast Of being
the highest type OF civilization.
have no manner of doubt that this novel.
and, to me- shocking doctrine, always has
been and is set Iepudiated by many Of the
wisest and the best Of the citizens Of the
slaveholding States, Just as it vas rejected by
Washington and Jefferson, by Madison and
Mason Virginia can boast Of no greater
names.0 in the early, and by Henry Clay in
the later, days Of the Republic. Bat they
find themselves p0werless against the progress
of an idea that seems to relieve people from
the necessity of excusIng 4 wrong which they
are at all events determined to commit. 1t
IS much easier TO turn the doubtful act into
a positive merit, aud claim credit as q virtue
for steady perseverance, in what they desire
to do.
Be this as II may, it is this chang which
Is brought the country lnto its present diff
cult situation for just 50 long as slavery
was conceded to be an evil in the social sys-
TEN, Just So long was 1t unreasonable TO
demand Its establisGm' ut in regions where It
had never existed. The law Of liberty as an
acknowledged blessing was then the rule. and
slavery was only tolerated as an exception,
from the necessity of the case, IN countries
from which it could not be safely cradicltcd.
But 50 soon as this theory was exploded, and
the notion that slavery was a positive advan-
tage, not only to both master and slave, bat
to all the members of a civilized community,
became prevalent in its place, another set of
duties Immediately devOlved upon the con-
scientIous believers of the new faith.
The right to expand became no less clear
than the obligation grew imperative. The
question no longer remains confined within
the borders Of actual slave-holding States.
1t spreads itself abroad, not merely over the
plains vet untrOdden by the foot OF the set
tier, but into lOng-establlshed and pOpulOus
| communities which do not yet see the light
| of conviction on this point. If, indeed, tae
proposition be once admitted a. sound, l
/ cannot. for my part, u der>tand why 1t does
| not legitimately follow that every free State
| in the UniOn-nay, every free State IN the
worlds not doing itself positive INJURY
/ bv refusing to harh0r the blessed institution
/ in its bosom. If slavery he good IN itself,
why not difuse it everywhere:
Here, then, wcsee the practical cJuseq quence
| of the abInd0nmeut OF tie tuntam utI
| principles of the Declaration ot l"deIch-
| dence and here we see the absolute necessity
for the estabIl-huont of great a>soclated
organization which shall be potent enough
to overthrow this false doctrine, and 10 resist
every practical form of its development. |
say it not ia any way ,piric q menace or OF
unkindness to those who disagree with me
| on this matter. but because f ell It % be
solemn duty incumbent upon me as Il Repre-
sentative Of State pledged by all 1,s past
/ history to maintain the cause u. freedom and
/ free institutions. There can be- hO compromise
/ ,rhqterer on this issue.
So long as it remains uudeteTminld-anI
that is equivalent to saying So long as the
people Of these States remain .ree-S) long
| an organic d party Will continue IA t-e
| field, having for its main Object tie rcst9rl-
ti1n, as a cardinal principle OF the Federal
/ Government. of the ancient doctrine OF the
! inalienable rights of man. II Ill b. %
/ standing menace 10 the people 4 tie e.aT'-
/ holding States, 50 be it. We may regret
that they 50 regard It, and love tGcm too. bus
! we -~,'~r Love liberty more. - SIlu brutH-
| and CdssIUs in their hOu4 e' rorii ta Marx
Antony, when be was dcserting the slcrcj
cause they had sworn 10 support: .' IJcemu;
| iifS Il
/ tram H5criafaa guam f'laW GlHiGtiam aStfage-
mus
The party thus associated has n, purS'7as
/ which it seeks to conceal. it h"s''r5 no
| hostile designs against the ri.L's oi any ot
! the States. Its lcddin. iict Is Reform, total
and Fundamental. i'm the spirit M which tae
/ government has of late years been admins
/ Tared-refornn. also. in the detlu, which ap-
/ near Of late to have been suffered to run inJo
( many grave abuses. lJ D, not 90 be conceal
! ed that all over the country there is J we'll
| defined impression that, fox tn sake ot t.
! tainiug power, corruption has been tolerated,
| if not actively encouraged, in high places
| and the various efforts at Investigation made
! within a few years. 80 far from removing
/ that uncasmess. have gone far to increase 1t.
| Without undertaking TO judge Of the truth
| OF the error at the bottom of the feeling, |
| do vet maintain that, for the honor Of the
country. and of all who may be concerned
in the administration of the government,
there is an overriding necessity for q complete
| change of the persons now responsible lor It's
direction.
The reform must be ride enough u restore
freedom as the guide Of the Federal policy
and to set aside the new idol which has
usurped her throne Ii must be deep enough
to renstate honesty above suspicion IN the
dispensation of the pecuniary contracts met
dent to the possession OF great place. IT the
execution OF such policy as this constitutes
good ground for a resort to extreme measures
of resistance by any portion of the people OF
these States, then is there no hope OF further
harmony in America for the evils when
would ensue to us, if we were deferred rom
action by such considerations. would Dc IaT
more fatal to the public peace and ProspeFlty
in the ultimate result. than any whleh couIu
grow out of perseverance against unieaSoIa-
bIe demands. Once more may the words Ol
the great Roman patriots be appealed to
50 Mia e1lin HliHGufiS aJ5ctoT3taS aPud H5sro'
eSt.''
And the remedy is secession, or in palmer
words. d dissolution of the Union, and DIS
ruption of the Constitution 50 we are told
In word the people who defy us to put
the negro out of this hall who claim that
by virtue of that negro, twenty OF theiI
number stand on this floor; who hold q
majority Of the seats upon the bench of tn
Supreme Court who have time out OF mind
welded in their own favor the executive
influence of the Federal Government, INA
zine that they are about to better ther
condition by abandoning all these enormous
privileges, and by setting up another gov
ernment, without any similar advantages
: among themselves. Perhaps there might b
: some plausibility in this idea if you coul'
fence Yourselves all round with high wall
and proclaim complete non-intercours
with the world outside.
But the day for these iancies is passing Oh
even with the Chinese and the japanese
who have held to them the longest. You
, slaves will not be made safer at home, or les
; aggressive when abroad, by the wlthdrawa
! Of the power of reclamation neither WI
your internal condition be less an object
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