The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-06-08
Free Speech against Slavery as well as tor it


speech of an;i-savery men in years past, and DR..
Lord, in his tract, has labored to prove that Alb
ohtiouism is the causative antecedent OF the war.
This tract has been reproduced under Democratic
auspices, and seems to be now the platform upon
which that party stand, whether they work for
peace and disuuion with Fernando Wood, or for
political power and influence with Horatio Sey
mour. These same Democrats having now also
eakes Free Speech as prominent plank in their
platform, and having espoused its championship
with all the burning zeal of new converts, perhaps
wil listen moment to an argument for free
speech against Slavery as well as 10 its favor.
We are told by these pro-slavery writer's that
our sharp invectves, Our terrible words of condem-
nation of Slavery and Shareholders, have exas-
perated" the South, that our speech has not been
brotherly, kind, nor in good taste, nor consld-
crate. 1t is said that lived in peace until the
era of antislavery agitation, and this golden age
might have continued till now, with promise of
Infinite wealth, and quiet, and contentment for
generations to come, if the evil spirit of hatred Of
and opposition to, Slavery had not found its way
into oar political Eden, and destroyed the very
life of the Republic the unity of sentiment, with
cot which the Republic is but union of force.
This is no doubt, 10 certain sense, true, just
as 1t is true that wickedness is always at peace
with all who do not denounce it. While Slavery
could have all things in the Republic to its liking,
1t was, ofeourse, we'll satisfied, and would have
remained content with that satisfactory order of
sAngs to the end Of time, no doubt. 1t is true
sno@gh that the Shareholders would have been in
&uitely better pleased if the Abolitionsts" would
have Let their institution entirely alone. They
night then, as qmd pro quo, have called us
aesa @requently "mudsills," peddlers," "misera-
ole Yankees" filthy operatives" GREASY me-
chanics" "small-fsted farmers" moon-struck
theorists" and occasionally have given us pleas
amt notce as clever fellows; at last however, CO.
Jug for us what they did for the great Webster,
who in his old age almost denied the faith of bis
youth to please them, and was at last kicked out
efa convention without the poor gift Of compIi-
Jnentary vote for President having used us to
pdIidA with gentle and courty phrases their giant
aniguity, TO fertify with logic their citadel Of
oppression, they would at last, as we should have
deserved have spurned US from their feet with in
Gnte disgust and inefable loathing. lid = .
but the North had an undoubted right to de-
mounce slavery. They believed it wrong, and so
achieving they would have been false to their con-
tscSsnces if they had not worked for its removal.
Mit was Introducing moral element into the
reckoning of politics, it made politics better and
safer, and not worse and more dangerous. And vii
she new advocates of free speech and q free press
tel US wherein these men who denounced slavery
+traHscendet their rights, went beyond their priv
Ieses, as citizens Of the republic Will those
wae advocate new compromises and guarantees tc
Gortify slavery by the bulwarks of an amended
rSus.itution, tell us wherein those who condemn.
Csd that Instrument because it already gave too
Enuch to slavery, were dangerous agtators? Viii
those who hold indignation meetings to protest
against any interference with Val.sndgham ir
bis disloyal utteranceS, and his persistent efforts
10 weaken the arm Of the national power in this
hour of national peril, tell us wherein the exer
crise Of his freedom of speech is necessary to TIKI
safety of our liberties, while the Incorporate speech
al aboltonsts has been fatal to our Uuion
Was not the right to speak, to print, to petition
DO hold meetings, to pass resolutions, as sacred il
Ghe one case as in the other and if Vallandig
han is to be praised as the noble champion 0
free speech, while he was spouting his inferna
treason at every cross road, are Garrison AM