Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-10-21


IN region where every form OF oppression
must die.
Gen. Phelps proceeded to trace the history
of our country, and its European relations SO
far as connected with slavery.
MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
The next period is the Missouri Compromise.
This occurred about the year 1921, and it was
the first time when the forces Of slavery were
brought forward and successfug arrayed against
the moral sense OF the North. Then first policy
and mere human cunning presumed to array
itseli against high moral principle, and against
the native ruth OF se.i-goyerning people Un
I'll then, morality and public virtue had been
recognized as essential TO national prosperity,
bat then p0Aey was substituted in their place.
For time d contes, was carried forward
Henry Clay then used lis best Efforts to effect a
compromise, and then the first tJmpromlse with
this evil began. Mr.. Clay was young man vt
that tlme full OF talent and desiring always 10
lead As Phny the younger, when ne wit
Gtssed the eruption OF volcano, when he saw
the SKY darkened with smoke and ashes. threat
enlug destruction 70 the world, found consola-
tion IN the thought that il he persbed, 80 too,
must the world perish, leaving no place for the
exercise Of ambition 80 Henry Clay felt that he
would not wish to survive as statesman, as a
leader in fraction OF the Union. lie would
haye the entire Union in all its greatness rs the
arena IN which to win bis trumphs, if be won
them at all. With hls character 50 admra-
bic IN many points, be yet Is responsible for
compromise, obtained at the expense Of moral
principle. This was the beginning Of that yield
lng that has proved disastrous This was the
first act | remember the scene well as it was
told to me,-the last night when that vote was
put The great Capitol had just been finished
then. IL was new, and wonder to our New
England fathers All had been gathered
there that could dazzle and please the eye il
was splendid, theatre, sublime IT had been
conriyed o appeal to the senses, as one OF the
plans Of shareholders who have ever used such
appeals to conquer the honor and honesty Of the
North The beauty and wit, the brilliant Ia
dies OF Southern fashion were also assembled
Our fathers then cast their votes against moral
principles, or ia neglect OF them aud in favor Of
policy only. The South, it is true, had left
nothing untred that might aid IN carrying their
point. And now, what sort of vote should
nave been deemed necessary in deciding a meas
ure that was revolutionary III Its character and
that reached down in its results to the very
foundations Of the fabric OF our government?
" hat should the vote have been that should
have pressed our fathers to yield the principle
Of Liberty? A tw0-thirds vote at least but
remember that it was bat small majority OF
SIX or seven.
ANNEXATION OF TEXAS.
The next historical period | would notice is
the annexation OF Texas 1t is not necessary 70
dwell upon this after what have already said,
to show that we had no right to guarantee to
Texas that she should be allowed to form her
self into five SAyehodng States There is no
power IN our Constitution that gives us the
night to say to any State that she may hold
Saves The law OF moral ight Is against any
such action upon our part, and this is u law To
which every mnn and all human policy is bound
to succumb. IL is then becoming Tor us as
people to assume u be governed by Tvs rather
than ty polcy,-laws that are IN accordance
with moral night and prime pie. We hal now
ever, o, the time OF which | am speaking be-
come 50 dcpraged and perverted in our political
views and education, US to lose sight OF this
truth.
8 E4ANClPATI0N.
viii give you some OF my experience in this
matter Wuhin my remembrance the West
Indies were lIttle better than n nest OF pirates,
, moro dangerous ior their plrancal crews than
Tor their storms aud torados. They were then
a dark and gloomy region OF this globe. Taen
they were the home Of Slavery. That was the
condition OF the West Indies 50 long ago us I
can remember IRON the knowledge gained OF
them by reading. But Denmark, france, Eng
land ana other Powers have gone on lheratng
sayas there, aud with what result? believe
that in the aggregate those Islands produce
more now than ever before THIS is, dOub.
not, the truth Aud there is another point
the people there are nearly as moral and e,Ge-
lul Ia regard TO matters OF their social lie rs N
the Northern United States They are certainly
infinitely in advance OF the Southern States IN
these particulars. There lie those Islands in
those lot regions of the tropics, where the eli
mate layorS slavery ii 1t Ayors II aOywh@e,-
where certainly it seems more properly to lind
its home than In the Southern States. There
they lie reclaimed, while the Southern portion
OF our United States is still IN u comparative
state Of barbarism. Why then should We doabt
about the pracucAbilily and wisdom o. Emanci.
patton, when We lave such an example beloys
US?
MIS- POSITION.
may be permitted, in conclusion, to mako
some remarks ~ regard to my own postion,--
my position with regard to tins question, From
Newpor, News, where most OF you may bo
aware that lwas for awhile stationed 1t became
ms fortune as soldier to open cut the question
terrtorlally, into u little wider sphere thought
it was hugh timo that movement should be
made. for thought eooM see where energetic
,nauelees should be set at work. vas not then
unwilling to 90. WAS to take part IN great
N atary c1mbiat0n, u vast stratcgeuc move
meat Combined Wlth other movements, it was
70 throw troops upon the right alnk Of thu en-
envy, and to attack one Of the weakest, yet mos:
important points OF tho entire rebel teatory,