Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-01-24
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN, JAN. "a, 1861

government, Universal suffrage and the alb
sance Of standing army are essential to the
republican system. The world has yet to see
single self sustaining State Of that kind or
even any confederation Of such States, except
our own. Canada leans on Great Britain not
unEiingly, und Switzerland is guaranteed by
interested monarchial States. Our own exper-
nent has thus far been successful because. by
the continual addition OF new States the nHu-
ence Of each Of the members Of the Union is
constantly restrained and reduced. No one. of
course, can foreteU the way and manner of
travel but history indicates with unerrng Ger
tanty the end which the several coniederacies
would reach. Licentiousness would render
life ntoerabe, and they would sooner or later
purchase tranquility and domestic safety by the
surrender of Liberty, and yield themselves up
to the protection Of military despotism.
Indulge me, sir IN one or two details under
this head. First it is only sixty days since this
disunlon movement begun already those who
are engaged in 1t have canvassed with porten-
tIous freedom the possible recombinations Of the
States when discovered, and the feasible ALI
ances OF those denominations with European
! latlons; alliances as unnatural, and which
would prove ultimately as pesilcntial to society
here as that Of the Tlascaans with the Span.
llrds, who promised them revenge upon their
ancient enemies, the Aztces
Secondly, The dlsunon movement arises part.
! ly out Of dispute over the common domain Of
the United States. Hitherto the Union has
confined this controversy within the bound Of
political debate by referring it, with all other
national ones, to the arbitramcnt Of the ballot. |
box Does any one suppose that disunion would
transfer the whole domain to either party, or
that N NJ &.
dissolution, be invoked
Thirdly, This movement arises, in another
view, out Of the relation Of African slaves to |
the domestic population Of the country. Free
dom If to them. as TO all mankind the chief OBJ. !
jet Of desire. Hitherto, under the operation
Of the Union they have practically remained
ignorant Of the controversy especially Of its
bearing on themselves Can we hope that fla.
grant civil war shall rage among ourselves in
their very presence, and yet that they will re-
main stupid and idle spectators? Does history
furnish us with any satisfactory instruction up
on the horrors Of civil war among a people SO
brave 80 skilled in arms 50 earnest in conyen.
ton, and SO intent in purpose, az we are Is
u mere chlmera which suggests an aggraya-
ton OF those horrors beyond endurance when.
on either side, there shall occur the intoryen-
non OF an uprising ftr cious African slave pop
ulation OF four, or six, perhaps lwenty millions?
Ihe opinions of mankind change. and with
them the policies Of nations One hundred wears
ago all tie commercial European States were
engaged in transferring negro slaves from Africa
to this hemispl err, 70 dayall those States are
firmly SET in hostility to the extension and even
70 the practice o. slavery. Opposition toit
takes two forms one European which Is sim I
lla direct abolition, effected, if need be- by com
pulslon the other American which scebs to
arrest the Airican'slaye trade, audresist the IN
trance Of domestic slavery into Territories whore
DC i- yet unknown. while eat leaves the disposition
OF existing slavery to thc considoratc action Of
The states by which it IS retained 1t is the /
lnlon that restricts the opposition to slavery in .
TINS country within these limits Ifdissolution
prevail, what guaranty shall there he against
the fun development here Of the fearful and un-
comprising hostility TO slavery which elsewhere
peryades the world, and Of which the recent in
vsion Of Virginia was an illustration
Mr. President, have dcsignedly dwet So long
on the probable effects Of disunl6n upon the
safety Of the American people as to leave me lit.
tie time TO consider the other evils which must
follow in its train. Bat practically, the loss OF
safety involves every other form of public calam.
ity When encc the guardian angel has taken
hlSht every thlng Is lost.
Dissolution woul not only arrest, but extin.
guish tie greatness Of our country Even if
separate conleierleics could exist and endure.
they could ,cyeraly preserve no share of the
common prestige ct the Union II the constcl-
hton is T. he broken up the stars. whether
scattered widely apart or grouped in smaller
clusters, will thenceorlh shed forth feeble, clim-
meriug AMI lurid lights. Nor will great achieve
ments hc possible for the new ccnt0dcracics -
Dissolution would sgualize lis triumph by acts
Of waut1nn $ which would shock and astonish
the world Il would proyincmlize Mount Yer
non aud give this capitol over 70 des1laton at
the very moment when the dome is rising over
our heads that was to be crowned with the statue
Of Liberty. After this there would remain Tor
disunon no actot stupendous infamy to bccom.
mitted
No petty coniederacy that shall follow the
United States can prolong, or even renew, the
majestic drama Of national progress. Perhaps
it is to be arrested because its sublimitv is in
capable of continuance. Let it be So, if we
have indeed become degenerate After Wash.
ngton, aut the inAexible Adams, Henry, and
the peerless Hamilton, Jefferson, and the ma.
eStic Clay, Webster, and the acute Calhoun.
Jackson the modest Taylor, and Scott. who
rises in greatness under the burden of years, and
Franklin, aud Fall and Whitney, and Morse
have all performed their parts, let the curtain
fall
While listening to these Debates. have some.
times forgotten myself in marking their con.
trasted effects upon tho page who csstomariy
stands on the dals before me, and the venerable
Secretary who sits behind him. The youth ex-
hibits intense but pleased emotion in the excite
mant, while at every irreVerent word that ~ mt.
tered against the Union the eyes of the aged
man are sulused with tears Let him weep no
more. Rather reioice, for yours has been a lot
of rare felicity. You have seen and bceu part
Of all the greatness of your country. the tower.
ing national greatness Of all the world Weep
only you, and weep with all the bitterness ofm-
..l,.L lLAL ~. LL-r.-