Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-03-21


possess another slave by purchases% adding,
\" il being among my first wishes to see some
plan adopted by which slavery in this coun.
try may be abolished by law" (Appiause.)
In conformity with these views, the old
Confederation of the United States, at
time when the Convention for framing bur
Constitution was in season, by unanimous
vote prohibited slavery forever IN all the
territory that then belonged to the United
States. (App'ause.) Ard one Of the very
fir.t acts Of Washington, as presidanh was
10 approve a law by which ,lat ordinance
might continue to have full effect"
On the 9Th Of May, 1894, in the midst Of
his cares as President. he devised plan
for tire sale Of lands in Western Virginia
and Western PENNSYLVANIA, and after giss
ing other reasons for his purpose, he adds
/" I have another motive which makes me
earnesy wish for the accomplishment or
these things it is. indeed, more powerful
than all The fest-nahiely, to liberate "a Gers
tain species Of property which / possess,
very repusnantly TO my feeling.." Zap
pla1se) And 10 less than three months after
he wrote that Farewell Address TO which
we This day have listened, he felt hitAself
Justified in announcing TO Europe his hopes
for the future in these words: !. Nothing is
more certain than that Maryland and Vera
sinia must have laws for the gradual rbols-
iion Of slavery, and at period not remote"
(Applause.) But though Maryland and
Virginia have not been wise enough to
realize the confident prediction of the Fa-
ther of his country--theugh slavery is still
permitted in the District Of Columbia,
from which Madison desired TO see it re-
moved--the cause of freedom has been
steadily advancing. The line Of thirty-six
degrees thirty minutes, which formed BAR
rier to the progress Of skilled labor to the
sou,lward, has been effaced. Our country,
at one bound, crossed the Rocky Mountains;
, and the wisdom of our people, as they laid
, the foundations of great empires on the
coast of the Pacific, has brought about that
: to-day, from the Straits of Behrins TO the
Straits of fMagelan-waves the great ocean,
as they roll in upon the shore, clap their
hands in joy-for all along that wide region
J The land is cultivated by no hands but those
J OF the free. [Great applause.)
q Let US be grateful to good Providence
e which has established liberty as the rule Of
i our country beyond the possibility of re-
= lapse. For myself, was one who desired
Is 10 postpone, or rather hoped altogether to
9 avoid the &C lision which has taken place,
o. trusting that society by degrees would have
ie worked Itself clear by IFS own innate
l. strength and the virtue and resolution Of
as The community. But slavery has forced
q upon us the issue, and has lifted up its hand
ne to strike death blow TO our existance as a
10 people. It has avowed itself desperate and
u determined enamy to cur national life, o
u our Rnity as a republic, and henceforward
'r- no man deserved the name of statesman
~ who would consent to the introduction o
hu that element of weakness and division init
se any new territory. or the admission of an
an other slave State into the Union. (Grea
;. and prolonged cheering) Let us hop
III rather that the prediction of Washineto
re- will prove true, and that Virginia and Mary
'eS land will soon take their places as fre
en- States by the side Of Ohio and Pennsylss
nu MIA. loud applause.)
not Finally, The people of the United State
"p- must this day derive from the example I
eau Washington lesson of perseverance. w
au- have been forced into d strife from whic
ne there has been no safe escape but by III
on manifestation of az immense superiority
'ee' strength. The ages that are TO come wi
on hold close and severe reckoning with Il
men in power to-day on methods which the
ere may adopt for solving the question befol
ave them. In the present state of things II
us worst rashness is that which yields to cor
'oie promise from the feverishness ofimpatienc
'ch (Iiear, hear, and loud cheers.) All Il
lo'- wise and good of the world have their ey
oe upon Us. All civilized nations are waiti
u9n to see if we shall have the courage to ina
ehd it manifest that freedom is the animat
'fe principal Of our Constitution and the life
tne nation But here too, on this day
An have only 10 read the councils Of Washr
'or ton. When by his will lie left swords
l'Snn his nephews, he wrote :" Taese swords
opie accompanied with the injunction not to 7
ii'n' shield them for the purpose OF sheddi
ants blood, except il be for self-defence, or
IRA defence of their country or its rights; a
rray in the latter case to keep them unshield
ne and prefer falling with them in their har
from than the REIMBURSEMENT thereof e
; IT. pause) The President of the Unit
ence States has charged us this day TO meet a
anu take council from the Farewell Address
WASHINGTON.
10 We charge him in return, by his oath
'ne office, by his pledges 10 the country. by