State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1831-1836, 1836-06-14
NOst daring attempt to put
down the Liberty Of
The Press

We have just received information by
papers and letters from Washington, of the
most extraordinary vote ever passed in
Congress. Contrary to the general eXpec-
tation the Incendiary Bill" or as it is fire.
quently called, Mr. Calhoun's Gag Bill, was
passed 10 be engroSSed in the Senate, on the
81 instant. The Senate was equally divi-
ded on It's passage to Island the Vice
President gave his casting vote in favor of
The bill The two New York Senators,
and the Van Buren, Senators from Penn
sylvania, voted for it. That the reader may
understand the nature and extent of its
provisions, we here copy it entire
A BILL
Prohibiting deputy postmasters from re-
ceivng or transmitting through the mail
to any State, Territory, or District, GER
tain papers therein mentioned, the circu-
laion of which, by the laws of said State
Territory, or District, may be prohibited
and for other purposes.
BE ii enacted by The Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the United States Of
america an Congress assembled That it
shall not be lawful for any deputy post
MASTER in any State, Territory, or District,
of the United States, knowingly to deliver
to any person whatever, any pamphlet,
newspaper, handful, or other printed paper
or pictorial representation touching the
subject Of slavery, where, by the laws of
the said State, Territory, or District, their
circulation is prohibited and any deputy
postmaster who shall be guilty thereof,
shall be forthwith removed from office.
SEC. 9. find be ii further enacted That
nothing in the acts of Congress to estab-
llsh and regulate the Post Office Depart
nent shall be construed to protect nny
deputy postmaster, mail carrier, or other
officer or agent Of said Department, who
shall knowingly circulate, in any State,
Territory, or District, as aforesaid, any
such pamphlet, newspaper, handful, or
other printed paper or pictorial representa-
ton, forbidden by the laws of such State,
Territory, or District
SEC. 3. .4nd be 1t further enacted by the
authority aforesaid, That the deputy post
masters of the offices where the pamphlets,
newspapers, handbills, or other printed pa
pers or pictorial representations aforesaid,
may arrive for delivery, shall, under the
instructions of the Postmaster General,
from time to time give notice of the same,
so that they may be withdrawn, by the
person who deposited them originally to be
mailed, and if the same shall not be with
drawn in one month thereafter, shall be
burnt or otherwise destroyed.
Such are the provisions of bill which,
by the casting vote of Mr. VAN buren,,
has passed to be engrossed in the Senate Of
the United States "a bill far more odious
and intolerable than the Gag Law of 90 !
What will be the response of the People to
this infamous attempt to strike down the free
dom of the Press--the palladium of liberty?
Can there be but one reply from the inhab-
itants Of our Green Mountans-a burst of
universal, deep-toned indignation? Where
is the man, SO dead to every patriotic i'm
pulse, rs to read this bill without most
heartily despising the miserable recreanf, by
whose CASTING VOTE, this foul stigma
has been brought upon the American name!
To those who have marked Mr. Van Blu
ren's efforts to court the favor of the South,
while he claims northern support on the
ground that he is Northern man, and will
be the champion of Northern interests. this
browning act needs no comment. He
doubtless supposes that he has got TIE
collar so well fastened on the necks of the
Northern people, that he can hold them Sc
curely, while he abandons them, and goes
over TO the South, upon one of the most
important questions affecting the relations
of the two sections TO each other. He, in
the first place says in effect in his North
Carolina letter. that he will, if elected Pres
ident, veto a bill abolishing Slavery in the
District of Columbia, although he admits
that there is no constitutional objection
against it, and now giUes has casting rote in
favor of a bin which aims deadly blow at
the freedom of the press, so far as it may
be employed to enlighten and convince the
South in regard to the duty of abolishing
slavery within the States of this Union.
1t seems to us that MIR Van Buren, will
miss his aim in all this. The South must
see that this is a forced and unnatural effort
to court Southern support. Its motive
cannot but be despised, both in the South
and at the Nor;h.
Our friends in Pennsylvania are coming