Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-18
g he freemon,
MONTPELIER, VT.
Tuesday Morning, July IS, 1905.
THE FANEUIL HALL ADDRESS.
10 The People of The United States;

people to confer freely with one another in times
Of civil emergency, and the example Of our own
ancestors TO speak to their fellow citizens from
this place, we have been commissioned by the cit
izens this day assembled in Faneu Hall to ad-
dress you upon the state Of public affairs.
We claim no peculiar right to be heard, even
by reason of the acredness Of the spot from
which we speak; but the greatness Of the ext
gency, the critical questions your representatives
in Congress vii soon be required to meet, aud the
singular unanimity which appears among the pa
triotc people in this portion Of our land, lead US
to hope for your attention and consideration.
To remove distractions which we know may be
artfully thrown in the way, we wish to say to you
in advance as matter Of honor between citizens,
that this meeting and this address have not been
prompted by any organization, or by any purpose
Of party or personal politics. They are the spon-
taneous expression Of the convictions OF men in
earnest, who have differed much in times past,
and may be separated again in their political
action, but who are forced to common opinion
on the present exigency Of affairs.
That we may wisely consider our rights and
duties, understand whom and what we have to
deal with, and the probabilities Of the future, We
must ask you to review with US the ground, how
ever familiar it may seem TO be.
For thirty years and more, Southern society
has been moving steadily in an opposite direction
from our own, until its entire system, and--ii We
may call il so-its civilization, haf become hostile
! TO, and, at last, inconsistent with our own. 10
/ their progress, the Southern people tad reached
position where il may be said to have become
their settled doctrine, social aad political that the
people Of color are-not by accident and tempo
rariIy, but by nature and foreyer-uuiii for any
other condition than that Of absolute slaves On
several millions Of such persona not all negroes,
/ but 10 whom is much white blood, with often but
quarter or an eighth Of the African, their social
fabric rested. When not aggressive, their system
was ntrenched behind State institutions, where
no national authority could reach j.. From this
condition Of things there followed consequences OF
the utmost social and political importance to the
government and people Of the Republic Slavery
/ with its effects on what would otherwise have
/ been the laboring class Of whites, resulted in q
system which is substantially oligarchal. Ii gave
to the masters the advantages Of oliglrchy, and
trained them personally 10 It's habits, sentiments
and passions. Slavery and ogarchy do not rest
on political economy but have their sources in the
/ pride and passions OF men. They are, Therefore,
# circumstances at all favor them, an eyer-present
danger The Southern men came to consider
themselves as nodded, by their training and po-
sltlon, into master race, not only over their
slaves but in their relations with their fellow cit.
I zens Of the free States, whose political equality
/ and free labor they had come TO desplse To
support their system, in national politics, they in
vented and used, as most efeotual weapon, the
dogma Of State Supremacy, which they disguised
under the name OF State Rights. Il may, there
fore, b. fairly said, that three ideas had complete
possession cf Southern society. Slavery, Aris-
tocraey and State Supremacy. Upon these they
carried on their political warfare until 1860 On
these and for these they have waged against tho
r, public for four years a war Of stupendous pro
portions.
That we may understand the character OF this
antagonistic force, with which We have now to deal
politically we ask you to remember what they
accomplished. They made no insurrecuon Of pre-
fessed citizens for redress Of grievances. They
made no revolution or civil war within an admit
ted severe guty. They set up distinct and nde.
pendent sovereignty within the territory OF the
Republic. This extended over eleven States, and
We hardly saved our capltal while 10 the States
Of Maryland Kentucky and Missouri, the most
the nation obtained at first was a declaration Of
sovereign neutrality. Looking at the fact, ard not
at right or law, we must remember that the re-
bellion drove out from its usurped borders every
representative and oblilerated every sign Of Fed
era authority, possessed every foot Of ground,
and established and put in operation central gov
ernment, complete in oil It's parts, legislative,
executive and Judicial. 1t is true the rebels pre-
served the form Of a republic, bu, they might
have made their government monarchy. They
did as they chose 1t happened that they pre-
served their State lines, AnG made few changes IN
their State constitutions but they might have
obterated both, and resolved themselves into a
consolidate empire. They did as they saw fit.
They then demanded recognition OF US, and Of
the res, Of the world, raised armies and a navy,
aud forced the issue of war. We had only to de-
cline the issue Of var, and tie rebel government
would have stood forth, o completed, recognized
empire.
ln the course Of a war Of four years, for the
restoration Of the Republic, we must no, forget
that not one place surrendered from political con-
.iderations. There were individual dsserters, but
not a regiment laid down its arms from motives
Of returning loyalty. They fought to The last
as bitterly at last as ever and were surrendered
hy their commanders only when there was no
other resource. 1t was by force that their gov
eminent was broken down. 1t is by force that the
territory they held is now in our military oocupa-
ton. They admit themselves oyerpowered by
superior numbers and material resources, but We
are not aware that the admission extends any fur
ther. Military organizations against the Republic
sre not practicable but they are seeking to open,
aud with the least possible delay, the avenues to
their old fields Of political contest and ascenderoy.
They will endeayor to save all they can Of the
doctrine Of State Supremacy for future use. 10
the permission Tor the return n the rebe LegisA-
ture to Richmond, aud in the Sherman Johnson
paci6olton, our government barely escaped ST.
rious II not fatal defeat, at the hands ot van.
pushed enemy. The purpose Of the South now
/, 10 resume the exercise of State functions With
the utmost possible speed, and with the loastp pos
sibe change in their home systems. 10 secure
that they will 10 and submit to whatever is nee.
essary. 1t must constantly be born 10 mind that
when once State is admitted to its place, the
power Of the nation over all subjects Of State
eognance is gone. II the dogma Of State supre-
macy is not destroyed, for practice as well as
theory, the war will have been IN vain. Il has not
only been the iayotte weapon Of slavery, but has
been eagerly caught up by the enemlts Of our in
stitu,oos in Europe, the tenet that the United
States is not nation, government, sovereignty ;
that the citizens owe to it no direct allegiance /;
/ that they cannot commit against il the crime Of
treason, il they carry with them into their treason
the forms Of State authority. The nghi Of his
/ Republic 10 be a sovereign, among The soruagniies
Of The earth, must be put teyOnd future dispute,
abroad as ,reH as al home, We have paid the
fearful price, and we must not be deiriuded Of
! the results.
let us now, fellow citizens, look at the dangers
which attend an immediate restoration Of The bel
States TO the exercise Of full State authority.
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