The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-07-21
The FanealiI Hall Address.
To the people Of the United States:

In pursuance of the custom of the
American 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 citizens
this day assembled in Faneuil Hall to ad-
dress you upon the state Of public affairs.
We claim no peculiar right to be heard,
even by reason of the sacredness of the
spot from which we speak but the great
ness of the exigency, the critical questions
your representives in congress will soon be
required to meet, and tho singular unani-
nifty which appears among the patriotic
people in this portion of our land, lead us
to hope for your attention and considera-
ton
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 meet
ing and this address have not been prompt
ell by any organization, Or by any purpose
Of party or personal politics. They are
the spontaneous expression of the convic-
lions of men in earnest, who have differed
much in times past, and may be separated
again in political action, but who are
forced to common opinion on the pres
ent exigency Of affairs.
That we may wisely consider our rights
and duties, understand whom and what
we have to deal with, and the probabili-
ties of the future, we must ask you to re-
view with us the ground, however familiar
it may seem to be.
For thirty years and more, Southern So
ciety has been moving steadily in an op-
poslte direction from our own, until its
entire system, and-if we may call it so
its civilization has become hostile to.
and, at last. inconsistent with our own
In their progress, the Southern people had
reached a position where it may be said
to have become their settled doctrine. So
cial and political, that the people OF color
are-not by accident and temporarily, but
by nature and torever-llntit for any 9TH
er condition than that of absolute slaves
On several millions of such persons-not
all negroes. but in whom there is much
white blood, with often but a quarter or
an eighth of the Alrican-their social fab
ric rested. When not aggressive, their
system was intrenched behind state insti-
tutions, where no national authority could
reach it, Frcm this condition of things
there followed consequences of the utmost
social and political importance to the gov
ernment and people Of the republic
Slavery, with its effects on what would
otherwise have been the laboring class of
whites, resulted in Il system which is sub
stantlally oligarchal. 1t gave to the mas
tiers the advantages of oligarchy, and train
ed them personally in its habits, sentiments
and passions. Slavery and oligarchy do
D not rest on political economy, but have
their sources i'll the pride and passions Of
: men. They are, therefore, if circumstan-
: ces at all favor them, an ever-present dan
ger The Southern people came to con-
slider themselves as nodded, by their train
; ing and position, into master race, not
only over their slaves, but III their rela-
tions with their fellow citizens of the free
= states, whose political equality and free
labor they had come to despise. 10 sup
> port their system, in national politics, they
n invented and used, as a most etfectua
weapon, the dogma of state supremacy,
which they disguised under the name Of
, state rights. 1t may, therefore, be fairly
said that three ideas had complete posses
sion of Southern society-slavery, aristoc
racy and state supremacy. Upon these
they carried on their political warfare un
til 1860. On these they founded their
empire in 1861. On these, and for these
they have waged against the republic fo
= four years war of stupendous proper.
tiOns.
d That we may understand the claracte
Of this antagonistic force, with which W.
now have to deal politically, we asl
you to remember what they accomplished
D They made no insurrection of professeC
citizens for redress of grievances. The,
- made no revolution or civil war within al
admitted sovereignty. They set up dis
P tinct and Independent sovereignty within
the territory of the republic, This ex
tended over eleven states, and we harll
: saved our capital; while in the states 0
). Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri, tn
l. most the nation obtained at first was
.e declaration of Soyereignneutrality. Look
r ing at the fact, and not at right or law
te we must remember that the rebellio
IS drove out from its usurped borders ever
Y representative and obliterated every sic
!. OF federal authority, possessed every foe
,t of ground, and established and put in oE
> Grafton a central government, completed i
he all its parts, legislative, executive and ju
le dicial. 1t is true the rebels preserved tn
n form of a republic, but they might hav
le made their government a monarchy
n They did as they chose. 1t happened thu
he they preserved their state lines, and mad
no atew changes in their state constitutions
but they might have obliterated both, an
resolved themselves into a consolidate
NO empire They did as they saw fit. The
es then demanded recognition of Us, and G
III the rest of the world. raised armies and
ct navy, and forced the issue of war. W
ed had only to decline the issue Of war an
as the rebel government would have stoo
&C. forth, completed. recognized empire.
IN In the course of a war of four wear