Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-05-02
Society and Slavery.

slavery has been the ruler Of society in
the national city of Washington, for the
last fifty years. Fashionable life there
has, during all this period, been denti-
fled with it, 1t was sufficient to bring
any man into contempt, and place him
under social ban, 10 know of him thai
his conscience was tender upon the sub
ject OF slavery. An aboitiouist in Wash
ington, so far from being received into
society, has not been safe in tho streets.
has not been safe, indeed, within the
walls of the capitol. This society has
held constant afiiliation with that in nor
thern cities which assumed the highest
rank, so that the stakeholder has always
found in Philadelphia, New York and
Boston large, influential aud wealthy
circle into which he could 60 and find
himself at home. In short, slavery has
been an exceedingly fashionable sin "a
mong fashionable people. II has been
associated from the first with what has
been, in fact, the ruling class, and has ac-
quired the responsibility which naturally
attaches to such an association. Power
has been yoked with it. Wealth and
display have accompanied it; and all
that class, North and South, that cherish
the thought tina: the many are made for
the few, have patronized and justified it.
We thank God for the signs that the
current is setting in another direction.
The recent message of the president, as
suming, as the head of great ration,
the ground that slavery is an evil-a
something most desirable to be got rid of
is long step in the right direction.-
The act of Congress in abolishing slavery
in the District of Columbia will, when
completed, be another step. But there
are other influences which are doing
more than these to render slavery un-
fashionable. 1t is coming every day to
be more and more fully realized that sla-
very is alone responsible for this infam
GUS war. The wealth Of this nation has
got to bleed for half century to pay the
expenses of a war which the interest of
slavery have precipitated. A thousand
millions of dollars must be earned and
paid before we can see through the cost
of this war; and year after year wealth
will be obliged to walk up ana pay the
taxes which slavery has levied upon i. ,
But further than this, we are paying an
immense tax in life to defend ourselves
against the treason Of slavery. When t
this war closes there will be hardly
family untouched by death. Look at the /
immense sacrifice of life and limb at the f
recent battle in Tennessee. Why, the II
cause of such slaugbter--and we speak il
with relation to foes as well as friends n
ought to be forever damned.
The time must come, and is coming,
'hen slavery in this country can wear
10 more a brazen front, nor hold up its :
read in decent or refined society, when 2
hose who practice and uphold it shall do d
a at the expense Of all social standing {
nd consideration. The time must come. i
md is coming, when slavery slsall be a tC
hame-iaced beggar for federation at the "
ational capitol--when its insolent tone II
n high debate shall no more offend the II
ar Of common decency, when it shall be 81
onsidered as mean a thing TO own q W
lave as it has hitherto been considered 10
0 own a conscience opposed to slavery, W
nd when a STAKEHOLDER shall be looked /
pom with the same contempt and the OF
anne abhorrence that aIe now visited on
Iave-;raders and slave-stealers and slave
rivers. There is no proper moral or IN
Ocal distinction to be made between a IN
Iave-trader and a slave holder-between &c
i'm who buys and him who sells-be- lit
ween him who speculates in men by 81
lercantile operations, and him who works II
rem in agriculture or manufactures. All SO
len who have anything to do with this pr
lferns system, which offends the laws of el
Iorality, tramples on the common rights ia
man, desolates the most fertile terri Is
'ries, bestializes all whom it touches ol
nd lifts its black hand against the nation W
existence, paralyzing industry, calling =
r untold expenditures of life and mon III
7, and convulsing a peaceful world, 81
ust be held to be associated with bar '''
,rous institution, and unfit for decent W
less for that which assumes &"
be the highest and most refined.
There was a time, doubtless, when ig- TO
france was an excuse for considering ,v;
avery legitimate institution, but that fro
ne is past. We know too much about 6a,
now. Every groan that comes to US
,m the battlefield, every shrek of wild |
fed women that responds TO the news to
I'm distant camps of patriots. tells TO in