Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-02-25
TIE DELAYS or DEMO CRATIC LEGISLA-
TON

VI CN'tS
TO delay the proper measures at the proper time
as it is to hurry them over with haste and in
dehberation. Both of these traits have marked
the character of our democratic legislation of
late years. While certain national measures
have been enacted with indecent haste and con-
fusion, showing perfect contempt of that staid-
ness and gravity which should accompany all
Legislative proceedings; other measures again,
of the first importance have been wholly
neglected. Such traits OF character as these
cannot be mistaken they are indicative of
a sense of weakness ON the part of the gov
ernng power-a consciousness of a want
of responsibility. 1t is the nature of abso
Lutte power and of demagogic control to des-
pise those who are subject to their sway and
no power in this respect has ever been more
contemptuous of its subjects than has our slave
oligarchy of the South. A slave-power in the
possession and exercise of a free democratic
government is something of itself so anomalous
and monstrous that we could hardly expect any
thing short of folly and absurdity in its pro-
ceedings. 1t is like the prodigal suddenly come
in possession of large inheritance, lavishing
national resources of strength and vitality with
perfect recklessness of the consequences and
a total abandonment of individual character.
1t is now about twelve years since a stand
was made in the shape of the Wilmot Provso,
for preventing the farther spread of slave-labor
over the free soil of our territories, and still,
h. e cot,1o1 I,o1,. la,
that time, although laboring under the oppres-
sion of centuries, has twice asserted her claims
to freedom, and has already made such advances
that of her former tyrants several have been
got rid Of, and the temporal power of the Pope,
the greatest hindrance in their way, promises
soon to disappear forever. But while Italy,
thus oppressed and thus weighed down by ages
of entailed despotism is gradually rising into
the dignifed attitude of liberty and freedom
nay, while Austria is elevating the condition of
the Hungarians and Russia manumittng her
serfs, our American slave-power is seeking by
every ingenious preteXt that cunning can invent
t. compel its victims to carry into new territory
the chains that have been riveted upon them by
thc SiaiI anu Suplult VI lhS Ciuci ptules' w Hle
the governments of the old world are seeking
to enlarge the liberties of their subjects, ours,
of the United States is tending in the opposite
direction, and is making desperate efforts to en-
slave US. And to such an extent is this mad
ness carried that even those citizens of the old
world who came to our shores to escape the
despotism at home, and who have united them
selves with the democratic party as the best Sc
curity of the liberty which they seek, are now
pausing in wonder at the evidences of greater
oppression which, under the name of democracy,
is threatening them here. The German finds
it more difficult to carry his free labcr from one
of our free States into a slave State, than he
would to carry it from one German Principally
to another.
Such are some of the consequences of the
delay of the party representing the true power
and wealth of the country in putting decisive
stop to the spread of slavery. And every year
that this necessary step may be still further de-
layed, will increase the difficulty in geometrical
proportion. With but Indifferent means Of ed
ucatng their children at best, and with pas
sionate determination to educate them as far as
they are educated in subordination to the idea
of human slavery, the slave States are rapidly
becoming every year more unfit for approaching
or attaining to the condition of freemen, and
consequently of performing their duties as mem
beers of free and independent government as
stipulated in the constitution. The common
loxr hat q
Anglo Saxon freedom, is rapidly becoming lost
among them under the sway of that other law,
the law of the stronger, which with all its con-
comitants of fraud, collision, duress and assas-
sinatiou is already prevailing with all the force
of law of the land SO that Virginia, which
in past years drew herself up SO dignifedly in
the face Of incpient abolitionism on the broad
common law maxim that every mans house is
his castle, now finds that maxim constantly yio-
lated within her borders against her dignity,
her peace, and her welfare. And still she
clings to slavery as if it were her glory and her
honor.
The pretexts and measures that have been
resorted to by the democracy for putting off the
"HSh WV SPiSHu Va hiu tHe hldNe-
influence shall cease, will no longer answer
They are injurious to the cause to which they
were in vain sought to be rendered subseryient
The attempts to meddle with the tights of thc
people in Kansas, have brought down upor
them vindicator of human rights, after theil
own fashion and teaching, in the person of Johr
Brown the Shareholders dread the poor man.
friend, spirit which the oligarchy would hard
ly wish to arouse again. In their efforts upor
Utah they have allied themselves, NATURAL,
enough, with people whose principal aim has
been to degrade and Cypress humanity; and il
this alliance they have been allowed to remain
until they have almost revolted at its contamina
ton themselves. 1t will no longer answer thei
purposes to divert the attention of the countr,
from the true issue demanding its considera
ton.
The pretext now under consideration, q favor
lite one with the South since the annexation o
Texas, is some kind Of alliance. more or les
perfect, with our Mexican neighbors. To diver
our attention now from the insiduous spread
and continuance of their favorite institution