Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-01-24


own wrongs. or to CRAFTY their own ambition
Rather do not men live least of all for them
selves, and chiefly for poslerity and for thei
fellow menl Have the American people tber
become all Of a sudden unnatural. as well AZ
anpatrotic and will they disinherit then
children Of the precious estate held only in tIus
Tor them, and deprive the world Of the best
| hopes 1t has enjoyed since the human race began
It's slow and painful, yet needful and wisely
appointed progress
Here ! might close my plea for the American
! I mon, But it is necessary, If not to exhaust
the argument, at least to exhibit the whole
care The dlsunionis's, consciously unable tC
stand on their mere disappointment in the re.
cent election, have attempted to enlarge their
ground. More than thirty years there has
existed a considerable, tho not heretofore a
formidable, mass of citizens IN certain States
situate near or around the deta of the Mississ-
ippi who believe that the Union is less condu-
dnclyc to the welfare and greatness of those
States than smaller cOnfederacy embracing
only Slave States, would be This class ha.
availed itself Of the disconicnts resu ting from
the election to pat into operation the machinery
OF dissolution long ago prepared and waiting
only for occasion.
In other States there is a soreness because Of
the want Of sympathy in the free States with
the efforts Of Shareholders for the recapture of
iugiu'es from service. In all the slave States
there lsa rcstiyencss resulting from the resist
ance which has been 50 determincdly made with
in the last ten years IN the free Sta ties. 10 the
extension of slavery in the common Territories
OF the United States. The Republican party,
xaslts nk - Il 4
tial candidate on the ground Of that policy has
been allowed, practically, no representation, no
utterance By speech or through the press, in the
Slave States while its policy, principles, and
continents, and even its temper, have been so
misrcprcseutcd as to excite approhensions that it
denies important constitutional obligations, and
aims even at interference with slavery and its
overthrow by State authorities or Intervention of
the Federal Government.
Considerable masses even in the free States,
interested in the success Of these mlsrepresonta-
iions us means Of partian strategy. have lent
their sympathy to the party claiming to be
aggrcFed While the result Of the election
hrpgs the Republican party necessarily into the
foreground III resisting dlsunon, the prejudiees
against them, which have described, have
deprived ilcm OF the cooperation Of many good
and patriotic citizens On complex issue
between the Republican party and the disinion.
lists, although it involves the direst national
ca antics, the result might be doubtful Gr
The Republican party il weak in large part Of
the Union. Bat on direct issue, y ith all who
cherish the Union on one side. and all who
desire is dissolution by force on the o,her, the
verdict would be prompt and almost unanimous.
desire thus to simplify the issue. and for that
/ purpose, % scpara from it all collateral ques
tions, and relieve it Of all partisan passions aud
7 preudices.
/ ! consider tie idea Of the Withdrawal Of the
/ Gulf States and their permanent reorganization,
with or without others, ina distinct cOufedcracy
as means Of advantage to themselves, sc
certainly unwise and so obviously impossible o
execution when the purpose is understood, tina
disniis4 it with The discussion | have alread,
incidentally bestowed upon it.
Tho case is different however, in regard to
! the other subjects which have brought in this
connection before the Senate.
/ Beyond doubt, Union is vitality important
0 the Republican citizens Of the United States
but itis Just as important to the whole people
] Republlcansm and lnisn arc, therefore, not
convertible terms Republcanism is subordin-
ate to Union, as everything else is and ought to
be-Repunlicansm, Democracy, every other
i political name and ding all are subordinate,
and they ought to disappear in the presence of
the great question OF onion. SO far as am
concerned, IT sha be 50 it should be SO ifthe
question were sure to be tried as il ought only
70 be determined by the peaceful ordsal oflhe
ballot. 1t shall be 20 all the more since there
1 is on one side preparedness to refer 1t to the
orbltrameoI OF evil war
have such ialJh IN this republican system Of
GUS, tlal there IS no political good which
desire that am not content to seek through its
I peace'n forms OF administration withoutny
/ ing revolutionary action, lfothcrs shall invoke
that form OF action To oppose and overthrow
Government tuey shall not 50 far as 1t depends
upon me- have the excuse hat ohstinately left
myself to be misunderstood. In such a case |
can afford to meet prejudice with Cancellation.
eS'ction with concessions which surrender no
priacple, and violence with the right hand of