This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
18
APPEAL TO THE GREEN MOUNTAIN BOYS.

abase her for the disgrace she hat brought upon constitutional liberty until she atones for her sins.

I appeal also, to the fraternity of brethren, who are bound by kindred ties, to assist a brother in distress, in all cases where it can be done according to the rules of the order, to extend the boon- of benevolence and protection, in avenging the Lord of his enemies, as if a Solomon, a Hiram, a St. John, or a Washington raised his hand» before a wondering world, and exclaimed;—"My life for his." Light, liberty, and virtue forever!

I bring this appeal before my native State for the solemn reason that an injury has been done, and crimes have been committed, which a sovereign State, of the Federal compact, one of the great family of "E pluribus unum," refuses to compensate, by consent of parties, rules of law, customs of nations, or in any other way: I bring it also, because the national Government has fallen short of affording the necessary relief as before stated for want of power leaving a large body of her own free citizens, whose wealth went freely into her treasury for lands, and whose gold and silver for taxes, still fills the pockets of her dignitaries, "in ermine and lace," defrauded, robbed, mobbed, plundered, ravished, driven, exiled and banished from the "independent republic of Missouri!"

And in this appeal let me say: raise your towers, pile your monuments to the skies, build your steam frigates; spread yourselves far and wide, and open the iron eyes of your bulwarks by sea and land; and let the towering church steeples, marshal the country like the "dreadful splendor" of an army with bayonets: but remember the flood of Noah; remember the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah; remember the dispersion and confusion at the tower of Babel; remember the destruction of Pharaoh and his hosts; remember the hand writing upon the wall, mene, mene, tekel, upharsin; remember the angel's visit to Sennacherib and the one hundred and eighty-five thousand Assyrians; remember the end of the Jews and Jerusalem; and remember the Lord Almighty will avenge the blood of his Saints that now crimsons the skirts of Missouri! Shall wisdom cry aloud and not her speech be heard!

Has the majesty of American liberty sunk into such vile servitude and oppression, that justice has fled? Has the glory and influence of a Washington, an Adams, a Jefferson, a Lafayette, and a host of others forever departed,—and the wrath of a Cain, a Judas, and a Nero whirled forth in the heraldry of hell, to sprinkle our garments with blood; and lighten the darkness of midnight, with the blaze of our dwellings?—