Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-12-21

| . REBEL, of TRAITOR; In position where, If th
| Government should succeed, and put down th
revo.stio~, and my friends can be srraigned b'
fore the Supreme Court Of the United States, IN
there be sentenced to be kangsd, violating the Con
stastio~ and laws Of my country"
Such il the admission Of the leader whom 20
propose to follow. and you make an earnest appe,
to me to unite with you in assuming the positio
of . rsbsl and fraifor, for which may be senten
oed to b. hanged for violating the Constitution An
| laws of my country. Pardon me, my respected
| but impetuous friend, bSs I had rather sos; a
impeled By every consideration Of honor and duty
| to decline your very polite invitation.
!
South Carolina, spurning the oounsels and co
operation of Virginia and other Southern States
| has Of her own accord, and upon her own hook
chosen to raise mighty and fearful issue with tn
General Government, and upon tho General Gov
srnment rests the responsibility Of settling th,
question. Hands of and fair play TO both, say l
it, and SO far as I am concerned, turn her owe
to "Uncle SAM" and if she can maintain her po
sition against that respectable and powerful ole
gcntl sman, let her have all the honor aud glory
and benefit of the achievement TO herself I hops
she may have good and merry time Of it. Shs
will still be State or the Union, IN q state of
rebellion, and have not shadow Of doubt Of.
ther of the right the power to control her; the
only question would be, Is Il north ssaile' Would
it not be better to let her 20 out, and stay out
until she made tho experiment, and, like the
prodigal son. return to her homo 10 eat tho fatted
calf
But that unfortunately would lead TO another
perplexing difficulty, which is. that it would
amount to an acknowledgment, that We have no
Government and never had one: that our fathers
werea set of old fools and foges, thou they
wero making for their posterity Government
that would endure forever, whilst It was nothing
mora than q mere voluntary association Of States,
to be tolerated only long as 1t was entirely con-
venient and agreeable to all the parties to remain
in it, but that the momeu. it became irksome to
any ono State it might bo broken MP, as readily
as An ordinary party at whist, whenever one OF the
parties happened to tire or grow drowsy-and 1t
requires but little reflection to satisfy any rea-
sonable man, that if the doctrine Of the right OF
secession is once recognised by the Government,
all its powers cease At onoe. even although the
docrine may not be carried into efeot. The Gov
ernment is now supported by loans and Treasury
notes, aud has been with the exception Of short
intervals for the past twenty-five years. What
credit would the Government be entitled to, and
what could it obtain, either at home abroad, If
it were understood that any one State might at
any moment break up tho Government, and ia rs
cancel the debt as South Carolina now proposes to
cancel hers!
When should We be safe in declaring war for
the defence Of honor, or our rights, or Tor the
prote Of our people, if in tho midst OF the
war, the Union could be dissolved, and the Gov
ernmcn destroyed, whenever some one OF the States
Nigh be disappointed in the eecticn Of her favor
ite candidate for the Presidency, or because her
interest would be promoted by doing so. Or 6seazss
scould enkoace the T1es Of eotfos 10 dUScf
trade uth the enemy! What Government on earth
would thereafter + eat with US, a. ono OF the n"-
fions OF the world or treat US with respeetl
do not wish 70 be disrespectful to anybody-and
most surely not to you, but hopo you will PAR
don me for saying. that ono Of the inconceivable
and rreconcilable things Of this world to my mind
is that an idea, of such unmi1ed and unmitigated
nonsense and absurdity as that OF the right OF a
State 20 seccde at pleasure, should ever have OBJ
taiued place in the mind Of any man, who was
not an absolate lunatic. Mems minds are differ
entity organized, know, and VIC see things thro'
different optics, and dare say, you and others
look upon me, in the same light, Is I look upon
you and them, Well, be it so; hoxors ere easy.
and We break even.
What may be tho ultimate condition OF things.
do not pretend to be prophetic enough to fore.
tell, but do not think there is any likelihood that
any other State will 60 out, a. South Carolina
proposes to do,!in sort Of sky-roeAa Mage, the
carefully and will take time for consideration and
reflection, during which much may, and I think
will be done, to reconcile existing differences.
The Northern party has succeeded to power;
they are deeply interested political senss, in
keeping tho Union together, and can we'll afford
to do all that We have . right to demand, under
the Constitution; and if they not Ws ,noy be able
to accomplish all thaf u essensia through ths action
of Consress.
lIsst do Aa hv
with me-" and let us talk this m after over. Sup
pose the North should agrce to repeal their ob.
noxiou. legislation, which has for its object the
obstruction the execution Of tho Fugitive Slave
Law. (Which they ought not to hesitate to do,
even if no Union were at stake,) and if not, sup
pose Congress should SO modify that law as to re-
lieve it Of that obnoxious feature to which ro-
ferred in my Lynchburgh speech, and thereby add
to, rather than impair its efficiency, and accom-.
bs .ossI :ics .si;aton 81 with bill declaring il to
besyy penalties BY sne and inpi.ssaal sa subject to
cue or attempt t: rescue slave in custody Of the
officer. or after ho had been restored to hi, master
and making tho General Governm mt Responsible
for the value of the slave that may be rescued,
and holding it as . charge against the state mat
shall permit the law to be thus violated 1tnrn l:'
Territory; then suppose in refereaos to the Icrri
tories, there should be wisdom and patriotism
enough in both sections Of tho country, to restore
matters to the condition they occupied prior TO
1854, by re-establishing the Missouri Compromise
line; don't you think, my good friend you could
then be persuaded to agree that all the Southern
states, except South Caroline, WoHid agree even
vi.hout the restoration Of the Missouri line, to
remain little longsr in the Unioul although
South Carolina nigh have assumed that she was
too good, and hi gh toned, and chivalrc to remain
where Virginia, kentucky, Tennessee, Maryland
North Carolina and Missouri would be proud to
stay1 And if South Carolina should be deal TO all
rem oustrances and insist that she would stay out,
after that don't you think she ought to be leit 70
sbar, the fate she had so unnecessarily courted
and provoked
All this have strong hope may be accomplished
If REASONABLE, time is allowed suitable spirit II
adopted, and q proper course is pursued; but oe
not think it can be donc by the system OF bullying
| and bravado. that many of our leading men nave
| decided passion for Tho North and South arr
! equally brave. and . bravo people, Ike q otAve
| man, will always despise and defy . ouiiy' AM
| there has been too much Of that game played Oh
| both sides.
! Nobody purposes to FIRE our dwellings, OF ssea
! our substance away from us; there IS plenty Q
| time before us-let Us then be patient, be wise
be moderate; give time for the passions excited
the late election and tho scenes that now surroun
| ms to calm down. Let US act like men, and nc
like children, and above all, let US take time {
,oetoin fac ts, and not be led away from the pat
OF duty and honor, py tue Yen tnoueoh" AnAeiSPi
sentations that are scattered broadcast over tn
country for the purpose Of innaming popular pa
sion.
1t takes a great whils to build up Govern
ment, and it will require a vast deal OF labor, n
Election. foresight, knowledge, wisdom and exper
ence to form one that will prove . satisfaetor
substitute for this which you propose to di
card.
Do you feel sure that the State Is prepared at
momsnt's notice to bring all these various and el
sential elements to bear upon this subject II 80
are, an not and as there is less danger TO /
| apprehended from cautious deliberation than frol
impstuous haste, beg you to unite with me /
urging the people Of Virginia not to be IN II
great hurry to destroy, OK hazard the loss o
what all the world will never be able to give the
again.
Tam, respectfully, your obodisns servant 3.
M. BoTrs.
To Il. B. NJ, Esq., Of Staun:on, Va.
THE T.. 8. TREASURY
, Is empty, or SO nearly so that the Cover
ment cannot pay the salaries of the Congress
. men, nor even the wages of the laborers