Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1861-09-12


Our readers will remember that early last
winter, when the whole country was filled with
gloom at the sight of secession and rebellion
then commencing. and patriotic and business
men felt themselves in no very good humor
towards abotionism, the preaching Of which
they regarded as the source OF "al our woes
the ultra aud rabid abolitonists attempted to
hold public meetings in Boston Tor the purpose
ofexpres,ing their joy at the growing troubles
between the North and the South, and the hopes
freshly awakened in their bosoms thereby -
But the solid men" Of Boston rose in in
dignation, and suppressed the attempted gath
erings. This at the time excited much remark
throughout, the country, and it was denounced
as an unjusti6nble invasion Of the rights of
free spccch." Tho tables are now turning,
and the very men who talked then are now
demanding that "frec speech and pres"
shall be put down, when wantonly used against
the interests of the country and in violation of
the moral sense of the community. This is all
right but men should be consistent with them
selves, and, if they are not so. should be will
ing to learn lesson of humiliation and self
rebukc therefrom.
The following, from late number Of the
Boston Courier, shows up the matter in its
true light -
Free Printing.
One weight and one measure. Nothing can
be more easily demonstrated to be in accord.
ancc with common scrsc, than the ground TAX
on hy US at the time of the abolition meetings
in fremont Temple last winter, against "irce
'spcech," as cxpounded by Gov. Andrew and
the other semi aboIiionsts of the Republican
party. The same argument applies with equal
force to the abuses of the press. So lorg as it
appcared to be chiefly for their interest % al
low sedtions and reasonable speech and print
ing, no men were more vociferous for unlimited
license in these respects than our neighbors of
the Republican and neutral" press. His tx
celleacy's dogma enuncatcd from the Charles
street laleony, was accepted by them as the
orthodox doctrine. But no sooner were there
symptoms on the other side, of conversion to
the true faith regarding free speech than the
church was declared to be full aud the door
closed The men who were for the largest
liberty Of speech FIR Garrison Phillips, Doug
lass and the rest of the pari-colored crowd
upon the Temple platform, and Of printing, for
the Li1e,a and Standard; who believed ii
heinous offence TO interrupt orators or sup
press papers that, not occasionally, but syste-
Ina,icaIly and on principle, assaulted with all
their power the Constitution and the Govern
ment. -~,these free speech men at once changed
front. The Dcighbors bull had his head down
aud his tail up, aud their oxen were in danger
They became suddenly and suspicIously scnsi-
tive abont the Constitution, and unaccoutaby
loyal to the Government. Men who thought
with the Governor, that "the idea" OF John
Brown was right, men whose personal associa-
tons VIGOROUSLY were and had been for years
with denouncers of the G institution, now want
, ed to SILENCE speakers and suppress newspapers
which in their widest and most rhetorical flights
made no, the slightest reflection upon the ra'
tional charter, and only attacked the govern
r ment for what they asserted to be uniai'htu
ness to its letter or its $, irt Nay, so far does
one of these arges, liberty advocates 60, that il
recommends to the attention of vigilance com
nIittees the writer's of private letters. who
: merely express opinions adverse to the WAL
Men who denounced the Courier because it saic
that, in times Of excitement, at least, treason
should not be preached unrebuked from public
platforms in q few weeks wanted to mob the
Courier tor cri,icising a measure of the govern
mcnt.
So great has been the change on the part O.
these ouondam apostles Of license, that they
now not only hold it to be treason worthy
J instant visitation by the hands of the mob, tt
give countenance to rebellion, but even to ex
press discomfort with strictly partisan measures
And yet so forgetful are they in their rage, anc
so transparent in their disguise Of patriotism
5 that they are actually unmindful of the continu
ed existence aud the continued treason of ,hel
proteges of the abolition press, aud unconscious
OF their own glaring inconsistency, in denounc
ing in one 1.-THE of what they regard with an
ruled complacency in another.
Our position upon this subject remains I'M
changed We believe that at no time shoult
. the habitual incubation Of treason from thu
tribune, the pulpit, or the press, be permitted
! We are opposed to mobs but we know human
nature, and those who habtually outrage thu
e patriotic feelings of people have only them
: selves to blame when they bring down upol
their own heads the just Indignation of an out
t ragged community. If the President may
in such times as these, 90 beyond the writes
t Constitution and the laws, without imputaton
it is not strange perhaps that patriotic PEG
c pie should feel themselves warranted in suppress
;. ing, as in New England at least they do, will
II as little violence as possible, the PRONUNCIATION
= Of sentiments calculated to destoy the power G
: the government. Formally, such course il
r illegal but the spirit which inspires it ma.
II nevertheless be engaged in the vindication o
c the law and the Constitution. But we mus
a have one weight and one measure Let Seces
5 souists be queted bat let not Abolitionlsts b.
e allowed 10 vilify and denounce all that we hole
u dear with impuuiy. Indct traitors, but in
diet them all. Let Pierce, Butler and MIR
, Faulkner be put upon their trial, but let no
u Owen Lnyeinv and Mr. Phillins be fnrpntten