Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-05-06

lutte injustice and oppression.
The idealist found living question to
deal with, which, like flash of lightning
struck into the very depth of his soul, and
set it on fire. The whsle ardor of his ma
turc broke ont in enthusiasm of the anti
slavery man. In a series of glowing ad-
dresses and letters, he attacked the great
wrong. He protested against the Mexican
war: he assailed with powerful strokes the
fugitive slave law; he attempted to draw
the Wing party into a decided anti-slavery
policy: and when that failed, he broke
through his party affiliations and joined
the small band of Free Sellers. His legal
mind found in the Constitution no express
recognition of slavery. and he consistently
construed it as a warrant of freedom This
placed him in the ranks of those who were
called 'poltical abolitionists." He did
not think of the sacrifices which this obe-
dence to his moral impulses might cost
him. For, ut that time. abolitionism was
by no means a fashionable thing. An anti
slavery man was then, even in Boston.
positively the horror Of a large portion of
polite society. And that the highly refined
Sumner. who was so learned and able,
who had seen the world, and mixed with
the highest social circles in Europe: that
such a man should 90 among the abolition
lists, and not only sympathize with them,
but work with them. and expose himself
to the chance of being dragged through
the streets by vulgar hands, with Il rope
round his neck, like William Lloyd Garri-
son. that was Il thing at which the polite
society of that day would revolt, and which
no MIN could undertake without danger
of being dropped. But that was the thing
which the refined Sumner actually did
probably without giving moments
thought to the possible consequences. He
went even so far rs openly to defy that
dictatorship which Daniel Webster had
for so many years been exercising over the
political mind of Massachusetts, and which
then was about to exert its power in favor
of a compromise with Slavery. But times
were changing, and only six years after
the delivery of his first popular address,
he was elected to the Senate of the United
States bv a combination of Democrats and
Free Soilers
Charles Sumner entered the Senate on
the 1st dav of December, 1851. He enter
ed as the successor of Daniel Webster
who had been appointed Secretary of State,
On that same lst day of December, Henry
Clay spoke his last word in the Senate,
and then left the chamber, never to return.
A striking and most significant coinci-
dence: Henry Clay disappeared from pub
lie life; Daniel Webster left the Senate,
drawing near his end: Charles Sumner
stepped upon the scene. The close Of one
and the setting in of another epoch in the
history of the American republic were
portrayed in the exit and entry of these
men. Clay and Webster had appeared
/ in the councils of the nation in the early
part of the century The republic was
then still in its childhood, in almost every
respect still an untested experiment, an
unsolyed problem.
On this field of action Clay and Webster
stood in the front rank Of an illustrious
array of contemporaries-C Clay, the orig
inator of measures and policies, with his
inventive and organizing mind, not rich
in profound ideas or in knowledge gather
ed by book study. but learning as he went
quick in the perception of existing wants
and difficulties and of the means within
reach to satisfy tile one and overcome the
other; and born captain alSO,-a com
mander of men. who appeared rs if riding
/ through the struggles of those DAYS mount
ed on Il splendidly caparisoned charger,
sword in hand. and with waving helmet
] DIllIllt- ItttllU0 liit llOul 1t lltiN duO
truly magnetic soul. overawing with his
frown, enchanting with his smile, flourish
/ inc the weapon of elOquence like Il wiz
ards wand, overwhelming opposition and
kindlin@ and flnning the flame of enthu-
! siasm "a marshaler of parties, whost
very presence and voice like signal blast
created and welded organization.
And by his side Daniel Webster, witt
that awful vastne>s Of brain. Il tremendous
store-house of thought and knowledge
which gave forth its treasures with pom
derous majesty of utterance; he not AZ
originator of measures and policies, but Z;
mighty advocate, the greatest advocate
this country ever knew,-a king in the
realm of intellect and the solemn embod
iment of authority,-a huge Atlas, who
carried the constitution on his shoulders
He could have carried there the whole
moral grandeur of the nation, had he nev
er compromised his own.
=, But among the problems which the states
men of that period had grappled with
there was one which had eludcd theil
grasp. Many Il conflict of opinion and in
tcrest they had succeeded in settling, ethel
by positive decision, or by iudicious com
position But one conflict had stubbornll
DtIIltti lilt JctticulS, iO
it was more than mere conflict of Opin
ion and interest. 1t was conflict ground
ed deep in the moral nature of men-th,
slavery question.
The anti-slavery movement found ar
rayed against itself all the influences, al
the amenceS. all the arguments which or
dinarily control the actions of men. Com
merce said. do not disturb slavery. for it
products fill our ships and are one of tn
principal means of our exchanges Indus
try said, do not disturb slavery, for it feed
our machinery and gives us markets Th
greed of wealth said, do not disturb slav
cry, for it is an ineXhaustible fountain O
riches. Political ambition said, do no
disturb slavery, for it furnishes Us combi
nations and compromises to keep partie
alive and to make power the price O
shrewd management An anxious states
manship said, do not disturb slavery, fo
you might break TO pieces the union 0
these states.
There never was Il more formidabl
5 combination of interests and influence
: than that which confronted the anti-slaver
movement in its earlier stages And wha
: was its answer? - Whether all yuu sa
be true or false, it matters not, but SLAYER
7 is wrong" Slavery is wrong! That on
| word was enough. 1t stood there like
7 huge rock in the sea, shivering to spra
the waves dashing upon it. Interest, greed
argument. vituperation, calumny, ridiculo
persecution, patriotic appeal,-it was al
in vain Amidst all the storms and assault
that one word stood there unmoved, intac
and impregnable; slavery is wrong.
Sach was the vital spirit of the anti
slavery movementin its early development
Such Il spirit alone could inspire that re
ligious devotion which gave to the believe
all the stubborn energy of fanaticism;
alone could hindle that deep enthusiasm
which made men willing to risk and sac
rifice everything for Il great cause; it alon
could keep alive that unconquerable faitl
in the certainty of ultimate success whicl
boldly attempted to overcome seemin;
impossibilities. 1t was indeed q grea