Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-01-08

at last. when the length and gravity Of the
war sanctioned an extreme exercise OF the
powers OF Commander-in-C Chief, the absolute
and hnal Suppression of slavery in all the re-
voltcd Statcs
We, gentlemen, are ab0litionists and we
declare that We have never hoped nor wished
for more steady, rapid and resolu pro-
gres-. We have understood she difficulties
which surrounded Mr.. Lincoln. Va have
hOnOred his scruplos OF conscience with re-
gard to the constitution OF his country which
stopped his path We have admired the
courageous good sense with which he moved
stIptsht On, the instant he could do 80 with
Out danger o. h.s cause Or violation of the
law.
Wonder Is expressed that slavery if abo-
lisled in the revoltcd States ana vet presery-
cd IN the loyal States. Ia other words,
there i wonder that he who has sworn 10
obey the constitution should rcspec, It. Let
no cue take alarm at this. There i- no dan
ger that the " domestic institution, crushed
N the Carolinas and L Liuisiana, will long
survive IN Kentucky or Maryland. Already
a. YOU nave stated 70 us, solemn prupJsi-
ton has been mIde 10 all the loyal States /;
already one Of the most Important, Missouri.
has set the example Ct acceptance. 10 lie
thus uneasy about the maintenance Of slave
~ IN the North, argues 70 our minds quite
too much tenderness for the South. We
look wirh susI icion upon the pretended abb.
itioui-m whose unlriendly exactions were
int pat forth on the very day Illumined in
America hy tie dawn Of abolition.
We frankly say We could never have fore
-ecn that the election OF Mr.. Lincoln and
jnr several acts which We have iust enumcr-
ated would be- All endless cause OF complaint
aud distrust and unworthy denunciatIun
from SO many men who plume themselves in
( Europe anon their hatred of slavery.
And since - destroy the Northern public
opinion it was not enough 10 accuse it OF too
much favor for slavery, another grievance
has been found. The North oppressed the
South The struggle was OF two natiuuali-
tie, The South had risen for independence.
lts Independence These were then sub
iect provinces in the heart of tha Union.
Doubtless these provinces had no part in the
government OF the cnuntry-the South had
not tire same rights as the North OF
course the South was held in this state OF
interiouty and subjecuon by numerous fed
eral garrisOns? Not at all.
All The States enjoyed the same rights,
took like PARTS IN elections. IF any section
was iavurtd II was the South, 70 which a
further suffrage was granted in proportion
10 the number of its slaves If any advan-
taSc had been enjoyed It was by the South.
which had given the majority of Presidents
and chief officers Yet in tins free country.
country without an army, and whose ma
teTial means as well as laws were a sufficient
barrier against oppression. in such country
we are told OF province claiming indepcn-
dence.
We are Of YOUR opinion, gentlemen, that
independence and natiOnaty are words too
noble 10 be abused. In their abuse things
are compromised, and the more noble sand
sacred these things the more careful should
We be not 60 c0ntound them with what is
neither noble nor sacrcd-a revolt in the
name of slavery, faricidal revolt which
would destroy free Constitution and tear
asunder common country Tor fear lest
there might be interference with the inter-
nal slave traffic. the continued breeding in
Virginia. tie sale and separation Of families.
and let pcrchancc some Territories should be
shut ont from the conquest ot slavery.
/ In vain We seek IN tie United States for
nationality suNin- To gain iJz inicpen-
dcn,c. Net only has independence been
owhere assailcG, bat there j. abs llutely no
[ ace of a se. auate nationality Nowhere.
p rhaIs, IS there more thorough natl nj
h ,no-en, it,. NortI and South m race
l. tie same ; faith, language, history. and
We boldly add, interests. are all the same
All these States have struggled together.
suffered together. triumphed together.
IneIr gl9rles. their defeats, are common
Their Constitution sprung from the free con-
sent o: all all pledged themselves slike 10
. remain faithful 10 It's obligations
Iuis pledge Is no empty word with which
caprice may IDLY sport. Among thc iuven-
tions of our epoch there is none more cx-
trorlintry than the right OF sec,s-i "a
Those wao discover it will no doubt teach as
waer, il should stop.
II each section has right Of secession
from the country a. a whole. why not each
Stlte a right ui secession from such section?
Nhy not each county a night Of secession
from the STATE? Why not each town a right
of secession from the county? WHY mol
each citizen right Of secession from tie
town?
Tie truth is that, but for slavery, the south
would not talk of its suppressed Independence
nor of the right of secession. Slavery ha-
brought the two sections TO strife. Tne eI-
tincti0n OF slavery will restore unity. The
North and the ,uth will some dav wonder
that thev could have failed to appreciate the
most complete and homogeneous of national
tiles
4 last resort remains. That here we NAV
not see the great struggle on the sUhcc; Of
slavery an attempt Is made to prosent the
struggIeas as one for domination.
Bat this latter struggle Is the very life Of
free countries. Ii is not surprising that the
the North and the South each strove actively,
energetically, noisily for the triumph Of their
candidate and policy. But when one Of them,
losing the battle of the ballot, plunges with
out hesitation into another kind OF battle;
when it resists, arms in hand, the result of a
regular election when on the very day that
it ceases TO rule il tears into fragments the
common country, it is guilty Of crime To-
which it is difficult to imagine an excuse.
IL You will crush the revolt, gentlemen
You will succeed-such is our belief-in re-
establishing the Union. 1t will emerge from
the bloody trial stronger, more free, more
worthy Of the noble destiny TO which God
summons il.
Ii has been demonstrated 10 us, 1t Is true,
that the re-establishment of the Union was
! impossible; but was it not also demonstrated
/ To us, and by irrelutahle argument, that you
/ would he always and of necessity defeated;
/ that YOU would never know how TO handle
musket; that recruiting would become i'm
/ practicable; that your finances would be ex-
huusted that your loans would not be taken;
that you would become bankrupt; thst riots
would ravage your cities; that your govern
ment would be overthrown. You have given
to all these orscles the simplest and best an
swer. You will reply in the same manner
10 those who assert that the re-establshment
of the Union is impossible.
What seems really impossible Is not to re-
store the Union. Where draw the limo be-
tween North and South? How maintain
between them STATE of peace, or even OF
truce? How shall slavery and liberty live
side bv side? How, moreover, restrain the
South from European protectorates, and by
what means arresi the frighttul consequences
of such prUtector.ites Geographically. NOR
ally, politically, separation would create an
unnatural situation, a situation violent and
hazardous. where each would live arms IN
hand, waiting Tor the hour of conflict.
f..-a "a