Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-02-06


malignant carpings OF the most fend;sh
criticism. To say it is contrary to the
spirit of our Constitution, is to say that the
preamble to the Constitution is false,
which says :" it was ordained for the pur-
pose of establishing justice and Kberty.'
Ii IS as clear as though it had been writ
ten, s." Congress shall have power to aboi-
lsh slavery in the District of Columbia. y
1t IS one OF those cases where the PROPOSE
ton is itself more clear, than any argu-
ment, evidence. or illustration assumed as
true, can make it. "ClariUs luce )" more
clear than light, assthe Roman orator
once said. Whoever undertakes, BY 9TH
er arguments than the text of the Consli-
tuition ITSELF to make it appear that Con-
grcss have, and should exercise the abo-
lltIon power it possesses, for the benefi,
Fof f000 persons, would make the cues
ton more doubtful by words, and might
as well undertake to prove tn, existence
of the sun, by his light reflected from the
moon, rather than by his own shining, in
all the glories of noon.
But many will assert it inexpedient TO
abolish slavery i'll the District OF CoIum-
bia, because the STAKEHOLDER is opposed 10
it. ~*
Shall we wait Till the Shareholder is
willing, where the nation has the power !?
Shall we reserve the first princi pies of
our government, and allow the minority
to rule, and commit crime, when the ma
ljoritv should rule, and must be response
bic for all the wrong and misery which
they have power to prevent!
Is the friendship of wicked men and
Shareholders more important to MAJ ori-
! ty of the nation than an approving con-
science, which is the voice of God, and
the opinion of good men all around the
world? If the tree states refuse (having
the power as they really possess it) 10
abolish slavery In the District of Colum-
bia, it becomes, truly, the sin ofthe North,
Of the free states, and ON US rests the re-
sponsibiiity of every pain of mind or
body, which may be endured by these
1000 slaves, which they would not suffer,
were they free; yea, more, the horrid
countenance we seem to lend to the slave
holders, in the states. where they as states,
claim to have the only power to abolish
slavery. - es, slavery may put forth a
very plausible defence of the system, by
saying that the North, without profit from
slavery, permit it to exist, when they have
power to abolish It, therefore, they of the
North can not consider slayeholdlng very
wrong, or they would abolish it, where
they have the odium of It's existence. with.
out the profit of its continuance Gentle.
men of the committee, we now come to
the legislature of Vermont, asking it with
great respect, to embody and express to
Congress the desire ofthis sovereign state
that slavery should be Immediately anc
forever abolished in the District of Column
bia. Your citizens of this state, have be.
sought you by their petitions on this sub
ject to lend suffering humanity helping
hand.
The peculiar posture of affairs in the
present Congress, seems to invite the
states to come forward in their highest lie
glslative capacity, and rescue the Consti
tuition of our common country from III,
most gross violations violations fol
which every patriot should tremble for ,h,
perpetuity OF our blood bought liberties
The citizens OF Vermont, as well as thos,
OF the other free states, have sent thou
sands of petitions to Congress, PRAYING
for the abolition OF slavery in the Dislric
of Columbia. and the internal slavetraG,
and for kindred objects allof which, il
the past year, have been laid upon the ia
bic, unread, unreferred, imprinted, unde
bated, and unconsdered.
Thus have the members of Congress
from the free states, bowed themselve
e lower, In base submission, to the footstoo
$ OF slavery, than on all other proposition
4 ever before united. But the norther
r members, who voted the Patton gag, be
e fore they got so low, they had to crop
/ their way down on a ladder of perjury
There was no other invention, bv whic
g they could have debased themselves, an
}, found for themselves so abject point
!, cit was only by jumping the life t
r come"
: The Constitution has secured the eteI
u nal and heaven-descended right of petilio
to the people of this country, not that tn
: Constitution gave or conferred this rich
u no sirs, it bare Y spoke against It's viola
: ton, it threw its powerful arms out 10 d.
s. fence of this right, coeval with man. b,
0 these members of Congress. who voted f
t. the resolution of the 81 December, lS3'
: TO lay the petitions of the freemen an
of women Of the North on the table, unrea,
J. unconsidered, and imprinted, must stan
D, on the page of history in all coming Tin
: as the assassin's, yes, the perjured assa
sins of their coun,rys reputation, for ii
r Infamous purpose of UNFOLDING slavery
'e the capital of the nation, and the siav,
.e trade between the states in It's most dii
is holical form which this world has nu,