The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-12-19

comes imperious and exacting, controlling. like
dread necessity, all whom circumstances have
compelled to live under Its sway. hamperlng
their action and thus impeding our national pro-
grcss. As political institution it could exist
as a co ordinate part only OF two forms OF gov
eminent, in the despotic and the free, amt 1t
could exist under tree government only where
public sentiment, in the most unrestricted exer-
else of u ROBUST freedom, leading to extravaganza
and licentiousness, had swayco the thoughts
aud habits of the people teyoud the bounds and
limits OF their own moderate constitutional pro-
visions. 1t could exist under a tree Z 'vernInent
, only when. the people in period OF unreasonlna
extravaga nce had permitted popular clalnor to
over come public reason, and had attempted the
lmpossibili,y Of Sc ting up permanently as pc.
iulcal institution, social evil which ~ opposed
| to moral law.
BY revertng to the history Of the past, We
| fine that Que of the most destructive wars on
record, that of the French Revolution, was orig
mated by the attempt to give political character
| 70 an institution which was not susceptible OF
] political character. The church by being en-
lowed With political power, with its converts,
us schools, its Immense landed wealth, lis ass0
| cations. secret and open, became the ruling
power of the State aud thu, occasioned u War
vi more strife and bloodshsd, probably, than
any other War which has de.oiattd the earth.
slavery is still less susceptible OF political
character than WAS the church 1t Is as III at
this moment Tor the lumber room Of the past as
Was in 1898 the monastery, the landed wealth.
its exclusive privilege, etc., OF the Catholic
Church. III France. Lie hehOoves us to consider,
as Il seli-govtrnlng people, bred and reared, and
practlceu in the habits Of self government, wheth-
er We cannot, whether We ought not to ievolu-
riurlze slavery out Of existence, without the ne
ccesity oi "a conflict Of arms, Like ,hat OF the
| Fiencn Revolution.
Indeed, We feel assured that the moment sav-
cry Is abolished, from that moment our South.
EN- brethren, every ten oi whom have probably
seven relatives in the North would begin to
emerge from u hateful dellrium. From hat mo.
ment, relieved from imaginary errors. their days
become happy and their nights peacc.ble and
tree from alarm; the aggregate amount OF labor
under the new Stimulus vi lair competition, be.
comes greater day by day; property rises in
value; lnviaoratlng Influences succeed to stag
nation. degeneracy and decay and union, har~
mony and peace, to which we have 80 long been
strangers, become restored, AID bind us again
III the bonds Of friendship and amity as when
we first began our national career under our
glorious government OF 1889.
Why do the leaders OF the rebellion seek 10
change the form of our ancient g"vernment?-
IL is because the growth of the African element
OF your population has come at ength to rem
der change n.c, ssary! Viii you permit tho
iree government Under which you have thus far
lived, and Which is 50 well suit d to the dcye.
opnent OF true m tnhcod, to be altered to be-
hitting dtslmtism, in order to adapt it t. thu
necessities OF iguUrant slaves and the require.
ments OF their proud and a,istocratic owners.
Will the lahoring men Of the South bend their
necks to the same yoke that is united to the
slav We think not. We may safely answer
that the time has not yet arrived when our
Southern brethren, for the mere sake Of keep
lng Africans in slavery, will abandon their long
CHERISHED tree institutions and ensIave them
selves.
1t is the conviction Of my command, as a tart
OF the National forces Of the United States, that
labor, manual labor, IS inherently noble that
it cannot be systematically degraded by any
nation without running it's peace, happiness and
power 4; that free labor is the granite basis, on
which free institutions must rest that it ia
the right, the capital, the Inheritance, the
hope Of the poor man everywhere that it is es.
pecialy the RI hit of five millions of our fellow.
conntrjmen in the Slave States, as well as the
four millions of Africans there, and all our
efforts, the retore however small or great, whether
directed against the interference Of governments
lIom abroad, or against rebollicus combinations
ut home, she'll he tor free labor. Oar motto
and our standard shall tse here and everywhere.
AMI on all occas;ons-FREE LABOR AND WogG
irGMEn RIGHTS. It IS on this basis, and this
',asls alone. thai Cur munfcent government
the asylum of the paions--can be perpetuated
and preserved. j. W. PnELPs,
Brig ten. o! Volunteers Commanding.