Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-07-14
The Faneuil Hall Address.
o the People Of tts United States

this place, we hsve been commissioned by the
citizens this 6ay assembled 10 Faneuil Hall to
address you Epon the state Of public affairs.
We claim no peculiar right to be heard, even
by reason of the sacrednese If the SPOT from
which we speak; but the greatness of the exig-
ency, the critical questions your representatives.
in Congress will soon be required TO meet, and
the singular unsnimity which appears among
the patriotic people of this porticc OF our hand,
lead us to hope for your attention and considera-
tioR-
To remove the distractions which We know
may be srtfuly thrown in the way, we wish to
say % you in advance, as matter ef tonor be-
tween citizens, that this meeting ar3 this address
have not been prompted by any organization. or
any purpose party and personal politics. They
are the spontaneous expressions OF the convc-
ton Of men IN earnest, who have differed much
in times past, and nay be separated again IN
their political action, but who are forced to
common opiuIoa on the present e1igency of az
fairs.
That We may wisely consider our rights and
duties, understand whom ard what we have 10
deal with, and the probabilities of the future,
We must ask you TO review with Us the ground,
however familiar it may seem 10 be.
For thirty years or more, Southern society has
been moving steadily in an opposite direction
we may call 1t so-its civilization, has become
hostile to- and, at last inconsistent with ourown
In their progress, the Southern people had reach
ed position where It may be said TO have be-
come their settled doctrine, social and political
that the people Of color are-not by accident
aud eznporarily-but by nature and forever
/ unfit for any other condition than that Of abso-
lutte slaves. On several millions Of such per-
sous-not all negroes, but in whom is much
white blood, with often but quarter OF an
eighth Of the African their social fabric rested.
When not aggressive, their system was intrench-
| ed behind State institutions, where no national
authority could reach it, From this condition
/ Of things there followed consequences Of the
utmost social and political importance to the
/ government and people Of the Republic. Slave
| ~. with It's effects what would otherwise have
been the laboring class Of whites, resulted in a
/ system which is substantially olicarchical
! 1t gave TO the masters the advantages Of oil
| garchy. and trained them personally in its hab-
| its, sentiments and passions Slavery and oil
! garchy do not rest on political economy, but
/ have their sources in the pride and passions Of
men. They are, therefore, if circumstances at
all favor them, an ever present danger The
! Southern people came 20 consider themselves as
moulded, by their training and position into a
master race, not only over their slaves, but in
free States, whose political equality and free la
Dor they had come to despise. To support their
system, in national politics. they invented and
used as a most effectual weapon, the dogma Of
/ State supremacy, which they disguised under
the name Of State Rights. II may. therefore,
be fairly said that three ideas had complete pos
4 session Of Southern society-Slayery, Aristocra-
cy and State Supremacy. Upon these they car
ried on their political warfare till 1860 On
these they founded their empire in 1861. On
these, and for these. they have waged against
the Republic for four years a war Of s,upendous
proportions.
That We may understand the character Of this
sntagonisiic force, with which We have now to
deal politically, We ask you to remember what
they accomplished They made no instruction
Of protested citizens for a redress Of grievances
They made no revolution or civil war within an
admitted sovereignty. They set up distinct and
independent sovereignty within the territory Of
the Republic. This extended over eleven States,
and We hardly saved our capital; while in the
States Of Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri,
the most the nation obtained NJ first was dec
laTaiion Of sovereign neutrality Looking at
/ the fact, and not al right or law, We must
member that the rebellion drove out from It's
usuIped borders, every representative and ohlit-
Grated every sign of Federal uuSoriiy. possess
.
I in operation a central government. completed in
! oil is parts, legislative, executive and judicial
| II il true the rebels preserved the form u n re-
/ public, but they might have made their govern
ment monarchy. They dill As they chose. II
/ happened thst they preserved their State lines,
/ and made few changes IN their State constitu-
/ tuns; but they might have obliterated both, and
resolved themselves into a consolidated empire
| They did as they saw e.. They then demanded
recognition Of US. and Of the rest Of the world.
raised armies and n navy. and forced the ISSUES
Of war. We had only to decline the issue Of
war, and the rebel government would have stood
| forth a completed. recognized empire.
| In the course Of war Of four years. for the
I restoration Of the Republic, We must not forget
that not one place surrendered from political
considerations. There were individual deserters
/ but not a regiment laid down their arms from
motives Of returning loyalty. They fought 10
the last-ss bitterly at last as ever-and we're
surrendered by their commanders only when
there was no other resource. Il was by force
that the territory they held is now IN our mill
tary occupation They admit thems,l v,s over
powered by superior numbers and material re-
sources, but We are not aware that the admission
extends any further. Military organizations /
against the Republic are not practicable; but
they are seeking TO open and with the least posi-
litcal contest and ascendaucy They will en-
deayor to save all they can Of the doctrine Of /.
State Supremacy for future use In the permits |
SION for the return Of the rebel Legislature 10 1
Richmond, and in the Sherman-Johnson pac;f- |
cation, our government barely escaped a serious |
If not a fatal political defeat at the hands Of a .
yanquished enemy.
The purpose Of the South is now 10 resume
the exercise Of State functions With the utmost
possible speed, and with the least possible change
in their home systems. To secure that, they
will do and submit TO whatever is Necessary. Ii
must constantly be borne in mind that when
once State is admitted to its place, the power
Of the nation over all subjects Of State co-riz-
snce is gone. If the dogma Of State Supreme
cy is not destroyed, for practice As well as in
theory, the war will have been in vain. II has
not only been the favorite weapon Of slavery, but
has been eagerly caught up by the euemi,s Of
our institutions IN Europe, the tenet that the
United States is not a nation, n governmental
sovereignty, that the citizens owe to it no direct
allegiance: that they cannot commit against il
the crime Of treason, if they carry with them
into their treason the forms Of State authority.
The right Of This republic 10 je q sorereiya,
among the SoUereignfieS Of the ecrth, must Be
put beyond future dispute, abroad as ,1eH as at
home. We have paid the fearful price, and we
must not be defrauded of the results.
Let us now, fellow citizens, look at the dan
gers which attend an immediate restoration OF
the rebel States TO the exercise of H1ll State au
.hority. Slavery Is the law Of every rebel State
10 some Of these States free persons Of color are
lot permitted TO reside; in none Of them have
hey the right to testify in court or to be oduca.
ed, In few ofthem to hold land, and in all ofthem
hey are totally disfranchsed. But far beyond +
be letter of the law, the spirit of the pc pie and
he habits Of generations are such as to insure II
he permanence Of that state Of thing, in sub q
tance. II slavery should be abolished ia form. "
heir spirit and habits, their pride and passions n
MI lead them 10 uphold their dig lrchal system, Il
uilt upon debastd colored population. and in 81
rencbed behind State institutions. yer which u
he nation canrot pass in peace. Their person. ii
relation with the colred people as masters ie
yer slaves being changed in law. they will loo II
pom them in new light, as a class to be fear AT
1, and as the cause of their defeat and humfl- fr
ton. al
They will nof fay IN