State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-06-21

tIlC JuulCidIy system on lne SuuItfl Ol
.4Joiition Societies and Mceniiary PuJiica-
lions. Mr. STEVENS, it will he recollected
is Chairman of the Judiciary Committee
A correspondent of the Philadelphia lnqui-
rer justly remarks that the Report is "brief,
but lucid, explicit and to the purpose" and
"eXpresses the sentiments Of the great mass
of the People of Pennsylvania, without
/ distinction ofparty, in relation 10 Slavery
and the Slave Question" We ask for the
Report an attentive perllsal.
THE SLAVE QUESTION.
REPORT.
The Committee on the Judiciary System
to whom was referred the message of the
Governor, transmitting resolutions of the
legislatures of the States Of Virginia, Ken
lucky and Mississippi, on the subject of
abolition societies and incendary publica-
tons, make Report:
That the Resolutions of the Legislature
of Virginia, with which those ofthe other
states named accord) assert:
LIST. "That this commonwealth Virginia
only has the right to control or interfere
! with the subject OF domestic Slavery with
in its own limits; and that this right will
he maintained at all hazards"
The committee readily grant that none
of the other states or congress has any right
by legislation to interfere with or control
domestic slavery within the slavohoiding
States. This is prohibited by the Constitu
ton of the United States. Nor are they
aware that any of the States, or citizens
thereof, or Congress, claim such right But
the committee cannot conccde that lndivld-
| ual trccincn are, or can he prohibited from
discussing the question of slavery in all its
bearings upon the morality, religion, or
happiness ola people, aud the eXpediency
and duty of abulishing it by constitutional
means.
ID Resolution "That the State of Virgin
| ia has right TO claim prompt and efficient
| legislation by her co-statcs 10 restrain, MS
far as may be, and to punish those of her
citizens who, III defiance oitheir social duty
and that of the constitution, assai her safety
and tranquility, by forming associations for
the abolition OF slavery, printng,publisllng
and circulating seditious or incendiary
| publications, designed calculated or having
tendency, to OPP rate OH her population ;
and that this right. founded on internation-
al law, is peculiarly fortified by a just con-
sideraton of the intimate and sacred rela-
tons which exist between the States ofthis
| Union"
The 9th Resolution asserts "That Con-
gress has no power to abolish slavery in
the District of Columbia, or the territories
of the United States"
The 9th declares "That this General
Assembly would regard any act of Con-
gress, having for its object the abolition of
slavery in tile District of Columbia or the
territories of the United States, as afiording
lust cause of alarm to the slaveholding
Il.
nent peril"
The committee are compelled, by a sense
of duty which they owe to PENNSYLVANIA as
a sovereign and independent state, and to
themselves, us treemen to deny the right
of Virginia, or any other State, to claim
from us any legislation of the character
referred to in these resolutions. Every cit
izcn of the MISUNDERSTANDING States has n
right freely to think and publish his
thoughts on any subject of national or state
policv. Nor can he he compelled to con-
fine Ills remarks to such subjects us effect
only the state in which he resides. With
out regard TO the place of his residence, he
NAV ATTEMPT to show that the usurv laws of
New York or Pennsylvania, or the laws
regulating negro slavery in Virginia and
Nssissippi are immoral and unjust, and
injurious TO the prosperity aud happiness
of the respective States; his arguments
may he weak, foolish and false, hut ii
= would be tyranny to prohibit their promuI-
CATION. Could any other state maintain
the right TO CLAIM, from us such legislation,
we and our citizens would be reduced to a
} vassalage but little less degrading than HAT
ct the slaves whose Conu''oh we Se,l
Inc risiit 10 "'sous:' 4Np' '"'' we ''"' we,
assent 10 lle opinion 'nat Ioiier'SS uouS
!; within the District ofCoumbia and the ter
rilores of the United States. But the I'm.
restrained right to lrgislatc for them is eX-
= | ~, orontoI