Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-01-24

MR. GEORGE Thomson, who. it viii be
remembered by many some years ago excited
attention BY coming over to this country
to deliver lectures on slavery, has been lee
turing in Manchester. England, "On the
/ American War" The first was delivered
Dec. 18th. The following abstract Of it
from the Manchester EI1mHcr will show
its character anu the tone with which it
was received.
"Mr Thom ps5n SAID he hoped that one
result OF the death of the Prince C0nsOrt
would be the bringing about Of better
state Of feeling in this country. II those
cold lips IN Windsor Tower could speak they
would advise the people 10 put away passion,
prejudice and prIde,to leave of the language
Of iaunt, menace and insult, and 70 remit to
reason and Justice the adjustment Of any diff
ference that for the present might disturb
the amicablc relations between Us and Amer
lea. To be neutral and not to give our sym
pathies to the North, was to be Ialse To the
cause of freedom, and to be on tie side of
slavery. The North was in the right consti
tuti0ua IL ard morally and the South was
III laAt hAOuzs 1AihNA was AAAl NaAN1e tl Llil5
carnival OF blood. (llear, hCar) The
South obtained tue ascenlancy wnen the
American government was established. and
maintained 1t until NIr. Buchanan left flee,
and i, was to regain that as,endIncv thar
the South were now in arms and for moth
Ing else Il was not ior empire that the
North werr fl f,hung, but tor the integrity Of
,ueif Z yernmeut, aud the institutions found
q
Were - a.ns % overthrow the Union, be-
caus- they desired u erect Ou ths runs Of
tue grand republic an Institution the most
sxecrIble,l government based avowedly upon
the ensavement OF mankind, slavery being
It's chief corner stone. (lle4r, he4r.) The
North had no other object than to prevent
the establishment Of that government. Hear
hear, and hlsse-. which were cheered DOWN.
As to secession, 4 nation alone c0u d IecOg
nize the right to secede, not sworn servants
to the Constitution, who knew nothing OF
sec ssion. Hear \ constitutional right
to sacede was Z constitutional ahsurdity and
a contradiction in terms. The Constitution
prescribed the means to be taken TO ascertain
the sense of the people in reference to any
organic change. There was no unanimity
in the South as most people thought.
There were terrorism and Lynch law there.
Only seven days ago he breakiastei
with party ot American gentlemen,
including two from Georgia, Uni0uisis.
who had been driven out for their known
attachment to 70 the Union
They said that If Georgia could be polled,
threelourths Of the votes would be for the
Union II the whole south could be polled,
the rattlesnake flag would soon give place to
Il. Ill h,
was. be could not say that Mr. Lincoln had,
at any time, had the right to decree the alb
clifton of slavery. lie wished he had |
Hear, hear. Just as a magistrate was !
guided in his decisions not by his private |
opinions but by the law books, so Mr.. Lin |
coin, the chici magistrate of the United |
States, had to be guided by the oath he took !
on the 18th of March To support the COnsti- !
tuition, and not by his inclinetions, which |
would make him wish to see freedom in every l
part OF the republic. Hear, hear. The |
South was not menaced by the election Of /
Mr. Lincoln. lie hoped that Mr.. Lincoln !
would live TO see the newspapers in this |
country, which were daily giving columns !
to the Misrepresentation ot his acts, change |
their tone and that before he left the chair, !
Mr.. Lincoln would be the President OF a |
Oulbn NANhOhb a - We III AhN- 7
publican purity, which triumphed in the last !
Presidential election, knew that they could |
not interfere with slavery in the several
States; all they said was that it should no
extend into the territories Of the Union and
it was owing to that party that slavery had
not overrun thousands Of acres in the best |
part Of the country" Hear, hear.
Mr.. Thompson quoted largely from the
history bearing On his subject, and contended
that the courseioi the North had been right
throughout. lie remarked that, although
emancipation was not the object Of the north,
yet the result Of the conflict would be tina {
the slavery system would be wounded
Hear, hear At tho conclusion Of the
lecture, which occupied more than two
hours, vote Of thanks to Mr.. Thompson
was moved by Mr.. Nelson, seconded bV Dir.
G. Wilson, and passed with acclamation.-
Ibis concluded the proceeding.