Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-03-24

General Gaines, TO enter this territory o
the King of Spain, to destroy the fort
and "to arrest and return The fugitioe SldUc!
to their masters" A gunboat was des
patched for the purpose of eilecting these
objects The fort was cannonaded will
hot shot until the magazine was blown up
and two hundred and seventy men, women
and children were instantaneously murder
ed in cold blood, for no other crime than
that ofpreerrng liberty to SLAVERY. A law
was passed in February, 1888, to pay more
than five thousand dollars to the officers
and crew, as bounty Cor this destruction
of our fellow beings. Our people of Ohio,
and other free States, were thus involved
in the expense ofmurdring .tngjtive sldrcs,
for the benefit of that institution.
The bill granting this sum, as meritcd
bounty for killing siaccS, was reported by
the chairman of the naval committee, and
it is said, was passed upon their authority
without further examination in the House
Many the slave States have laws authori-
zing their officers TO arrest and imprison free
colored persons who enter their States, and
to sell them as slaves, unless the expense
of mprisoning them be paid Many free
colored men i'll the employ of the United
States, have been thus imprisoned, and the
expense paid by Government in order to
release them. wide reports of committee
made the last session Of Congress- Much
expense has been incurred by Government
in sending attachments of troops and of
the marine corps to intimidae the slaves of
the south to obedience. These instances
have been frequent so much so, that Off
GERS, commanding detachments, do not
even wait for orders from the War Depart
ment to march their forces into any region
where appearances Of instruction are man
ifestedt Every reader is aware that ships,
engaged in the slave trade, have been wreck
ed on and near the British West India
islands and the slaves, finding themselves
at liberty, have refused to return Our
Government has espoused the cause of the /
slave dealers, and have for many years.
involved the people of the free States in the
expense Of obtaining, from the British Gov /
eminent, the, loss which the slave merchants /.
sustained by the Liberation of their slaves
Thus we have been taxed for the support of
the slave trade. need not mention the
particulars concerning the Creole. They
"hi w iCSpHNbtSh ny CtNi1 mOlG
than hundred thousand dollars have been
appropriated for the erection ofprisons in the
District of Columbia. These prisons have
been, and still are, used by slave merchants,
to confine their slaves until their cargoes or
collles for southern markets are completed.
In former number, | referred to the
that, that a Democratic Legislature of our
own State appropriated the money of our
fellow citizens, to pay themselves their per
diem, while they discussed the proper mode
of catching southern sidrcS. These are
some of the instances in which the people of
the free States have been involved in the di-
rect expense of sustaining and supporting
slavery. The amount cannot be ascertaned
with precision. Many have estimated it at
one hundred millions dollars, or more than
pended by the United States, since the a.
loption OF our Federal Constitution, in
GLIDING the expense of the late war with
Great Britain They include, in such es-
innate, the expense of removing southern
Indians, and the amount paid for the pur-
chase of Florida and Louisiana. The pro-
lection of slavery, doubtless, entered into
and formed part OF the objects attained by
hese purchases and the removal of the In
lans. But the writer is unwilling to bring
forward, upon his own responsibility, any
estimate that admits of dispute or argu-
nent. The amount is immense when view
ed in the most favorable light. Yet the
7baSe consists in the clear and palpabe
violation Of our constitutional rights, rather
han in the number Of dollars and cents la
Ken from our pockets, and appropriated to ,
he support of slavery.
The Constitution has been violated and
hese violations have become so frequent, c
rs to create alarm among our patriots and
'ages. Wide Mr.. Adams late speech at {
Brantree) The writer, however, consid- c
IRIS the most alarming circumstance to be !
he perfect silence Of our northern press,
md our northern statesmen aud politicians,
lnder the lnhlctlon of those abuses and Vi
,lations of the Constitution, and of our t
lights and interests. We have submitted !
o them SO long, and so patiently, that many =
If our people begin to entertain the opinion i
hat we are constilutionally bound to con- v
rbute portion of our substance, acculnu-
ated by our toll and labor, to enable the ,
laveholders of the south to keep their 0
laves in subsection. Sir, this supineness of a
he northern press and northern men, is UNI b
worthy of the descendants of our revolution
ny fathers. Further abuses should be re- r.
listed. While we pay all possible defer K
nee to the rights Of the slave States, we l.
urely ought to maintain our own. We y
hould stand upon the strict line of the Con- C
titution. We ought not to permit Our 4
outhern brethren to invade our rights, "
While we should be equally careful not to 4
ncroach upon theirs. PAClFlCUS. y