Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-06-14
"Ee MORE COMPROMISE WITH SLlv:RY."

NJ Muht GUMFhUmloL WIN "l''-"''
This is our motto, and this is our posi-
ton. BY it we do not mean that we VIII
occupy post of neutrality or be iodiiter-
ent to the great interests Of humanity.
This we have no desire to DO and could
not il We would for we believe that in
this as in every moral question, ale that
is not for is against We have submit
ted to what some ha,s regarded as n
binding contract until submission has
ceased to be n virtue, it indeed 1t ever
was. We have long thought that the
founders of our republic committed a
great error when they made any admis-
sion in favor Of human slavery. How
ever much we revere their memory in
this work, we are now satisfied they en-
tailed upon us terrible evil, They
yainly imagined HAT the monster, after he
had attained strength TO do as he chose,
would willingly consent to die and leave
the land for freedom-for social, civil, and
religious liberty. 1t seems they did not
realize the deep and damninS deprayliy
of the Shareholders heart. They thought
such system could not long have any
charms for Christian peopIe--lhat The
presence of such mass Of degradation
and misery would be n source OF contin-
ual annoyance-that exerlions would he
made to diminish its pressure, tighten It's
horrors, and remove ii forever. But the
reverse is true. The slayeholding COM
munity now regard their foul system with
the utmost complacepcy. In their eyes
i. seems to be a most finished and eXQul-
site specimen of social order, master
piece Of policy, the most precious legacy
bequeathed to them by their ancestors
which they are bound to maintain invio-
late in every part, to defend at the
greatest risk, that it may be transmitted to
future generations unimpared. They
anticipate with the utmost confidence the
perpetual duration OF the system, aud
reprobate every measure which has the
remotest tendency to endanger IT'S exist
ence as the offspring of indesciibable folly
and wickedness. To such n degree are
their moral perceptions vitiated that they
really appear to to believe they have
prescriplive right to be guilty Of injus-
tice, and to lrample ON the image of their
Maker. The effects are seen in the eX-
hibition of the most inveierate prejudice,
pride which spurns the restraints of
justice. violence which is deaf TO the
dictates of ompassion--;n word, in
capricious and uncomfortable self-will
which lays waste all the finer sensiblites
of the soul and renders its possessor too
often n rebel to his God, torment to
bimse!f, and terror to his fellow crea-
lures.
In our opinion, the church and state
have too long connived with one Of the
greatest evils that ever arose to prevent
the triumph of truth, and only in the pos
tive overthrow of This "sum of all viii
lainies" can we see hope for the future
We do not believe that as n nation we
can advance in the path Providence has
opened before Ms unless we throw off this
mighty incubus which has for many years
been our curse, and a disgrace to our flag
throughout the world.
The whole history Of the Slave States,
the course pursued by her Legislators in
the national Congress, the decisions of
the Supreme Court, and the cringing of
the North,-all, are conclusive as to the
fact that slavery involves an unnatural
condition of society which has rottenness
at its very core, and juslles the strong
and expressive language Of one Of the
greatest scholars and most devoted Chris
tians with which the Church has been
blessed. who denounced it as ~ system
which is cursed at both ends. while the
blast of God is on its middle" 1t has
seemed for few years that many in both
Church and State have tried to see who
can do the most 10 riyet closer the chains
Of the slave, and make still more severe
the cruelty Of the oppressor. The pulpit
has been gagged, the press bribed, and
policy has assumed the place Of right till
hearers and readers have aroused them
selves and are calling upon these, their
servants, to do their proper work and
labor for God and humanity. The pull
pit and the press are now required to
speak out and lead forth to the overthrow
Of this hydra-headed monster that has so
long been as "a canker from The pit" in
the very heart OF the republic.
Judging from the course pursued in
the past. Ee can arrive at but one con-
elusion,-we mus, labor for the positive |
overthrow Of slavery, or civil and reli- J