Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-01-24

demand of us either dissolution of the Union
or the surrender of moral principle, which is
our public life. We should have no vigor, or
life, and be fit only for slaves if we should con-
sent to the demands of the slave-states.
Mr.. Hunter of Virginia cody tells us, with
all the contenptuous assurance Of the save-hol-
der, that our union is destroyed, like dollhouse,
and all that we have to do now, is to recon-
struct another; and in his stolid supercilious-
ness he proposes plan for new one. And
such plan 1t is worthy Of the muddy, cha
otic brain from which it sprang-an indescriba-
BILE confusion of parts which could not even be
constructed, to say nothing Of being carried in
to execution-a perfect abortion. worthy of
such paternity as Virginia abstractionism.
Our Union is not yet wholly destroyed for
even admitting that the states south of the Po-
tomac will revolutionise, there will be Union;
the United States with their star spangled ban
ner will still remain, and with much more Wig
or than they have had while under the incubus
of slavery.
The trainers of our constitution recognized
the same right in Others which they claimed
themselves. They acknowledged that when
people considered themselves oppressed they
had right to seek redress through revolution.
This right, moreover, flows naturally from a
general principle, which is, that people will
always have that government which suits them
best. 1t is doubtful whether liberty is suitable
to the condition of the slave-states, even under
the best of auspices, which are that oftheir con-
nexion with free states. If then they are not
fit for liberty and should desire to revoutionize,
it is questionable whether it would be proper
to try and hold them. They could be held on
ly at the expense of liberty. Our Republic is
founded on reason while the social condition
of the South is founded on force, and it has
need of force to be kept in harmonious opera
ton.
If the southern states should prefer to remain
in the Union, they might possibly do so by
purging themselves of slavery. Or, if there is
large party in them who wish to do so, but
who are overawed by the revolutionists, it is
due to them that the government should raise
force sufficient to give them confidence and
security. And even supposing that the ulti-
mate result of the action of the slave-states is
revolution and separation, even .hen large
armed force will be necessary for establishing
the boundaries between the United States and
them. Under any circumstances, then, the
proper course for the government to pursue is
to call out force of fifty or one hundred thous-
and men and unfortunately, amidst so much
political extravaganza and exaggeration as now
prevails among us, this is the only way left Of
| giving unmistakable evidences of our sincerity
and determination.
The issues of the presidential election were
clearly understood; and were asserted by a
large majority ofthe free-states. Among those
issues was one that slavery should not be estab-
lished where it does not already exist-it should
be excluded from the territories; and if civil
war should result from the coercive attitude o.
the slave states, we should have to defend thi.
issue by force of arms, as wellas we might know
how. With Kansas Territory and New Mexi
CO we should be forced to take Missouri i
would secede from slavery to freedom on ac
count of the large number of Germans in it
and from its isolated position in respect to th
other slave-states.
Let us suppose that separation takes place
and the slavc-states prove themselves capabl
of establishing satisfactory form of govern
ment for themselves, then their course woulC
be reasonable one, and according to our owl
principles we ought to be satisfied. But
they cannot establish satisfactory government
and should fall into anarchy, as they probabl
) would, then, like Mexico, they would seek re
union with us, which they could gain only b
, endeavoring to render themselves fit for it, b
} purgng themselves of their disqualifyirg disa
bilities.
Under any circumstances, it is plain that W
} cannot enter into any compact with the slave
states, since they have failed to keep the oil
one. At the instance of two slave states, vi
|