Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-03-07


be pertinent to remind those who hippontly talk
of ostraczing such people, that when the old
Greek philosopher was banished from Snopc
he retoited And | condemn you to stay in 81
Hope. Certainly Vermont begs for no conces-
sions asks no guarantees. For years aud in
her infancy she stood alone, and such a doom,
now in her maturity, were it possible to be en-
forced, would have no tcrrors for her. as al
most each one of her inhabitants possesses with
in their own homes the metns--industry and
unconquerable will-of absolute independence
She can both feed and clothc herself with the
plow, the loom, and the anvil, no matter wheth-
er cotton or wool, flax or hemp, is king.
These taunts do not arise from positive
dislike to the thrift of New England character,
nor to their eminence in all the highways of
modern civilization, for among the most Sc
ductiyc arguments addressed by secessionists
to Georgia, to North Carolina, to Virginia, and
to Mary land, each in turn, we find this: that
they will become the Helo New England of the
cotton heptarchy; but the DISCUS arises from
the obstinate vote Of New England and, though
am for Cancellation, | cannot honestly say
that forcsee any millennium at hand when they
will have repented of the fanaticism they have
so long manifested in the persecution of the
prophets Of modern democracy, as that party
There seems to be tenacity of purpose, by
me-amendment of the Constitution, to foist
the word slar0y into that instrument, in order
to secure to it, by prolific brood of logi al in
terences, a higher degree of protection as prop
erty. Not content with the language of the
Constitution, it is hoped to make the rose, not
more aromatic, but still entitled to higher con.
sideration under another name. | have not
time TO discuss the length and breadth of is
apparently very innocent proposition, and will
only say that the language Of the trainers of the
Constitution was well chosen, expressed all they
intended ,and all we intend now and forever
Whether slaves are merely property or persons,
in the language of Sterne, "Disguise thyself as
thou will, STILL slavery, said |, still thou art
bitter draught"
The idea of a reconstruction Of the Consttu-
ton held out by the architects of ruin, who now
bear despotic sway in the South, to those who
hesitate to break away from the ark of our COW
enant, is fraud in its southern aspect, as South
Carolina and the autocratic Yanceys have al
ready imperously indicated, and wholly falla-
cious in its northern aspect as time will surely
proclaim. The leaders inrthe cotton States
mean something far different from reconstruc-
ton, and nothing less than revolution and its
consequences have been invoked from the out
set They may snatch some parts of our sys-
tenn of government; but, like the fortresses
they have seized, they will be converted to un-
wonted uses and, stiff with the embroidery of
new devices, seek protection no longer against
majorities, but against minorites. Once es-
capped from the power Of majorities good care
will be taken that minoritics are henceiorth
handcufied.
But, to suppose that nineteen free States
would consent to give slavery greater power or
privileges, under reconstruction of the Con-
stitution. than was consented to seventy years
ago, when there was but one free State, is sim
| ply absurd. 1t is a libel upon the age. Who
will contend that, though all other nations have
been steadily advancing to a higher plane o
freedom, the American people have relapscd
from their own key note? While the NORTH
does not, and will not, seek to retract or avoid
any point in the present compact, if the ques
ton is ever opened, it would be all opened
and property represented on one side of Masor
and DiXon's line would be on the other, ol
none at all. Open all the &c questions, and tn,
grievances Of the North, now dumb, would fine
voice, and unless redressed by constitutions
guarantees, relief would be snatched in the sep
aration already offered. There is no reactionar,
spirit that can eXtort greater submission t'
slavery from the present age than was conceded
by Franklin and Sherman, Hancock and Ad
ans.
II the South would live in peace and escap
the agitation of the subject of slavery, they hay
only to cease thrusting forward their aggre>siv
policy of its extension--a policy that canrot es
cape the stern and enlightened resistance of al
Christendom. In speech made by me at tn
last session of Congress, | showed that tn
South already enjoyed her full share OF terri
tory in proportion to her population, and that
should all the remainder be appropriated to tn
use of the North, it would be only at last a iai
and equal division. There is no inequality o
injustice to Shareholders in the exclusion q
slaves from the Territories. AS the LondO
Times aptly suggests, "the South is not to b
excluded from Territories unless the Southron
consider themselves in the light, not Of slave
holders, but of slaves
Mr. Speaker, speak not of the sacrifice c
blood and treasure it cost to create our preSen
Union-not of the glories in its civil history
not of its eminent prowess in military and nav'
exploits; not of its grandeur and power anon
the great nations of the earth; not Of its accu
mutations of legal learning nor yet of the i
Illuminated chapters in its administrative precC
dents, to all of which, though American charaC
! ter is only vet in the bud, secession bids adie
forever; but | will ask, what higher guage
I prosperity can southern military republic hol
e out than we have witnessed and now hold will
J in our grasp in these United States? In VIII;
! part of the world is labor more remunerativ
I or wealth less impeded by taxation? Is thel
n any denial of this in the planting States? VIII,
= sir they have incontestably grown rich. HAY
4; not the number of their slaves quadrupled, an
= their value more than quadrupled, in threescol
+ years and ten? The advance OF the America
, people in national and individual wealth-tl
a standing marvel of the worlds such that
has for forty years attracted, and still continue
d largely to attract, the enterprising emigral
o from every nation and tongue on the globe
=. The average scale of the comforts of life he
n obtained, the enjoyments incident to cultivate
a society here so widely diiused, find no parall
1t in any other land. These things may be BRAY
II ly altered but are they likely to be altered 4
d the better? New inventions do not always e
il throne the inventors. While it is obvious tn
~ no single right which is now claimed to be wit
= held can be secured through the doors of seee
e sion, the only new right which will belong
/ this attitude will be the right to make war up'
n the United States.
c Let me appeal, then, to all parties, to try,
At live under that Union a little longer which h
not only secured our property, guarded so W.
rs all our material interests, but which has recel
a. ed the commendation of the enlightened wor
G, and given to us a name not surpassed in all I
ID monuments of history. Give us another sp
n of seventy years, and prolong the hopes of ma
n kind in the possibility of mans power of Sc
,h government. DO not let us break up the me
at el with which patriots, though with 'uneq'