Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-03-13

many things which can be done, the force t
# which may be estimated, in degree,
~ the extreme anxiety of the slavehold-
RS 10 keep Congress from even commenc-
ng an inquiry into lis own powers and
But we call upon Mr.. Clay, as we
have often called and called in vain upon
other opposers of our cause, to point out
those parts of the United States Constitu-
ton which are TO be regarded as I" above
all, carefully and absolutely excluding
ALL POWER over the existence or |
continuance of slavery in the several
states" We have looked the constitution
tion through and through, and we cannot
find in all its pages the slightest evidence
that slavery was regarded by the authors
OF that instrument as "above all, - In any
sense whatever; but, on the contrary, the
care with which they excluded the term
and all its synonimes proves that they re-
garded 1t as too far below all the other
recognized interests of society to be nam
ed in the charter of liberty. Neither is
there any proof of their intention of
carefully and abso!utel excluding all
power over the existence and continuance
OF slavery In the several states" On the
contrary, so far as the written instrument
shows, it has left 1.-THE existence and con-
tinuance of slavery in the several states''
Just as open to the influence of congress
ional Legislation as the existence and con-
tinuance of the silk business, or the fish
cries, or the manufacture of cotton bapo-
ing, or the establishment of rail roads, or
any other of the thousand local interests
with which Congress is constantly inter
meddling. The only difference is in the
TACT that the shareholders have the upper
hand in Congress, and they know that
slavery will not bear that open and unre,
strlcted discussion to which other interests
are subjected.
None but the guilty deprecate
| The lightning-hash Of free debate"
1t is not true that Congress has no
"power over the existence or continuance
OF slavery" Congress had the power 10
prevent the "existence" of slavery in the
new states north Of the Ohio, by abolish
ing its continuance" in the N. w. Ter.
rltory, by the celebrated Ordinance of'87
And we have never seen good reason
assigned why the same power" NIGH
not have been as constitutionally exerted
IN the same way at the same time ovel
the s. w. Territory, including all the
non-slaveholding states lying back from
the Atlantic ocean in which case, the as
pirations of youthful generosity which
once glowed in Mr.. CIay's bosom, accord.
ing to the statement of his bioorapher
would have been gratifed. Had this pro
hlbltlon of slavery not been restricted ge
graphically, the states of Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Alabama, mississippi, louisa
} ma, Missouri and Arkansas, would have
} been freed from the pollution OF SLAYER,
| while they were wholly within the consti
tutlonal power of Congress. 1t Is be
cause Congress, by one of these wickec
and servile connivances which are ofe,
l giorlfied under the name of "comprom
. lse," refused TO act while they could, tina
f slavery was thus left to run at large, "un
, whipt of justice" and spread darkness an,
corruption over one of the finest region
OF the earth. For we do not believe ey
en- Mr.. Clay will seriously contend tina
the power of Congress in the matter i.
either eonitl.ution0Lly bounded by lines O
latitude. or inherently incapaciated, Xix
5 the tabled demon of cid, from crossing
f running stream.
Was the National Government scare
S fully and absolutely excluded from al
t power over the existence or continuanc
! of slavery" when Mr.. Clay and his fel
low-commissioners at Client were neqoci
allng, on its behalf for the recovery O
slaves that had become self-emancipatec
: by joining the British standards Has
, no power" when it legislales, as by tn,
Act of 1907, making the slave trade
coastwise, d lawful commerce of the ma
uon' and requiring the collectors of tn,
e customs TO expedite the business by reou
: lar manlests and permits for a" shippino o.
S and g nlading" the human cargo2 Ha,
, the Congress no power" when it droy
t OF the Cherokees from their own soil
# solely for the purpose of securing tn
continuance" and strengthening tn
reign OF slavery in the several states p
1 Has no power been exerted for the con
2 tlnuance' of slavery, bv the millions O
r dollars and the hundreds of lives that hav
!. been sacrificed in the Infamous Florid;
: war, begun and carried on solely for III,
r sake of slavery? Is there no power ov
er the existence and continuance of slave
J ry" conferred in that provision of tn,
! constitution, which is so often thrown il
the teeth of aboli!ionis,s, by which tn,
General Government is authorized, if it
existence and continuance should be Sc
rlous y threatened, to drive our sons ant
brothers of the North, by thousands, al
conscrlots, to lay their bones on the sand
: OF the South, fighting ingloriousy in be
J half Of slavery and .arruinn On