Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-06-12
"rHE 1RRDPREss1BIE CONFLICT"

"rHE IRREPREssIBLE CONFLICT"
The irrepressible conflict still goes fercely on.
Freedom and Slavery, the North and the South,
stand face to face in the deadly struggle The
shareholders seeded, endeavored to destroy the
government, and to establish n confederacy on
slavery as its chief corner stone, for the purpose
of strengthening and perpetuating that "pe-
cular institution" of theirs. They calculated
on foreign aid they expected that the North
would be divided they had been long making
their preparations, and they felt sure Of success.
They took up arms against the government, and
openly and defantly commenced the rebel
lion by their attack on Fort Sumter. The
first gun fred on cur flag waving overt THAT Fort
was the signal of alarm. The whole North
rose as one man and rushed to arms, and from
that day to the present there have been men
enough in the loyal States to start for the bat.
tie field at the call of the President, to swell
tn army of the Union to any number desired.
And now, at the end of one short year, how
stands the "Irrepressibe Conflict" between
Freedom and SaveryP To say nothing of the
cities and forts we have re-taken to pass by
our command OF the seaboard and nearly all
the navigable rivers, and the driving of the
rebel armies out of Missouri. Kentucky and
Tennessee, what have the rebels gained for
Slavery Is the constitution" any stronger
than it was before the rebellion broke QUIT Is
slave property any more secure and valuable
Has the constitution" been extended and its
power increased Far otherwise: thousands
at the North who once cared but little about it,
or who perhaps were ready TO apologize for it,
now hate it with perfect hatred, and wish for
its utter determination. Our army too, having
seen and experienced some of the barbarities
which the supporters of slavery do not hesitate
TO commit, has been greatly aboionized and
its officers and soldiers are now ready to well
come its overthrow AS our army has advanced
from place to place masters have fed from their
slaves and slaves have fled from their masters,
and their former relation can never be renewed;
thus thousands who were in bonds at the
commencement of the rebellion are now free
men,-Ond this process will go on as long as
the war lasts, And besides all this Slavery is
bonshed from the Capital, and prohibited in all
the territories Of the United States. A treaty has
been concluded more effectuay to put stop
to the slave-trade; Western Virginia has cast
an overwhelming vote in favor of emancipation,
and Hayti and Liberia have been acknowledged
as independent governments and diplomatic
relations established with them. And last
though not least, the resolution of the Presi-
dent offering aid to any State DESTROYS of free
ing its slaves, has been adopted by Congress
So much has Freedom gained and Slavery lost
in the course of few months enough We
think to satisfy the most ardent abolitionist, il
he is only reasonable.
The passage of an emancipation bill in con-
nection with'a bill oonfscating the property OF
the rebels, will not materially advance the good
cause, while in many of its aspects it will be
positively injurious. The composition of oui
Supreme Court is well known, and as a matter
of good policy merely it is well to have reason.
able assurance that measure, which will SC
soon be brought before that tribunal, will stand
fair chance of meeting with favorable con.
sideraton. We depend more on the success o.
our armies and the inevitable tendencies o
events that are every day occurring during thu
progr ess of this war, for the annhilation O
Slavery, than upon any special act Congress
may pass in regard to it. We should be gla,
to have the Fugitive slave bill" so modified
by the present Congress that it will embrac,
the provision offered by Senator Coamer, t.
the effect that every claimant as prerequisite
to making his claim shall furnish full proof O
his loyalty during this rebellio2. This modifi
cation will well accord with the signs of tn
times, and made we shall be quite satisfied will
what has been accomplished in this impressol
conflict of Freedom with Slavery during tn
present year.