Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-04-14

Number Nv.
VIOLATION or THE CONSTITUTION ron THE srrrosr OF
SLAVERY.
Mn. EpiroR In my first communication, stated
that by out Federal Constitution, the free states pos.
ecssed the absolute and ungua iied right of being
exenp and entirely free from the expense, the guilt
anu the disgrace Of slavery and Of the slave trade"
T. establish this principle beyond all doubt or c,vil
has been the object OF my second and third numbers
Having thus disposed Of that part OF my subject
shall proceed TO call the attention OF my readers
20 some few Of the instances IN which the people Of
the free States hive been unconsitutionay involved
IN the expense Of that institution; reservlng for lu
turc number, all reference 10 the gull and disgrace
which his been forced upon u.s. in order TO sustain
aud encourage slavery. This practice Of sustaining
slavery the expense and inconvenience OF the pto.
pie Of the free States had its origin in the days of
revolution. IN 1850 The authorities of South Carroll
ma sent conf cn,ia agent 10 inform Congress that
their State could furnish no troops TO defend her ter
tl,ory against the British forces, necessary
that her should Nil remain at home to defend
fheir families and trtr0s against their sores Ia
Of insurrection wide scctet Journal Of Ccngress)
Undef hess circumstances sreops we're taken from
the northern State. TO defend them against the Brit
sh, while they defended themselves against their
slaves and compelled them to labor for the benefit Of
their masters In this way southern plantations
were rendered productive, while those Of the north
were left destitute Of iahorers and the burden of sup
p,rng slavery was thrown almost entirely upon the
northern states BY the SUI sequen adoption of the
sttiuton. Is burdens TO be borne by such States
continued them, while those States who preferred to
do 50, had an equal rph, TO be exempt from all its
r's, BY sn,anciparinc their slaves Yet the practice
OF tln1wng the burden Of supporting slavery upon
the nation at large thereby involving the free States
in lis axpenss, Kiss continued down to present day
These burdens hsv been cast upon the people Of the
free States: Firstly, by appropriations made Ivy Com
gress for the direct and avoTea purpose of sustaining
slavery and the slnve trade. And, secondly y such
action OF the executive and ieeisn'ive branches OF GOV
eminent, was calcoa cd. eventually, to produce
that effect and, in soma instances, the refusal Of
Congress and the Executive ~ act, cst such action
~oud relieve the people Of the fee States from hs
burden.
To the Ara. branch Of his proposition shall dc.
vote the present Number.
Our frs, treaty, formed with the crsek Indians,
~es Ell ned 7ih August, 1900. Il contai led srula.
'on on tile part Of the Indians to surrender up al ne.
grots then in their territory.
Tho same stipulation was contained in nearly all
subsequent treaties with that savsge nation. Ire.
aret tina. the mlts prescr ed 70 myself will nd.
init Of detail, ana will here state, tina, il any reader
shall Grill for details on any point embraced in these
essays, will most cheeiilily give them hereafter
This covenant OF the Indians surrender up ne roes
was connected with strulao iona TO perform other acs
and the exact amour, paid for surrerdny negroes is
therefore unknown For ,he violation OF this clause
of,hs trsrty compelled them 10 pay tho slave.
holders Of tn'rgia, Mt one limo, two hun fed and fl
~ thousand dollars. ,h!nS II fair estimate, 10 SET
dowi the sun phi to that nation, for the purpose OF
inducing them 20 rsturr fugitive slaves three hun
dred ,housaIi dollars I'm treaty with the Fori.
d Ind inns concluded at Camp Nonl,rie in 1928 we
agreed 10 pay them six thousand dollars and m.
nu'y o! Ave thousand dollars for twenty years The
indians their part, stipulated "so be cctire end
cigilan: in preventing fugitips sarss from passing
through their country aud in dpprehending nd re.
turning 10 their masters such as should seek an osy.
ium anon hem"-Otfical reports and documents
row on 6s IN the War Department, show, beyond
contradiction that the Florida war was comn,'nced
and pro.ecu,ed for the purpose Of regaining fugitive
slaves ami 10 prevent further escapes OF tina, class o.
people.
iions q 9ol!a-s.
Alter the close Of tho late war with Grea, Britain
our G,Serrmen. demanded Of shat nation compensa
ton, for tina owners Of such savesas escaped TO hc
army during hos.i'i'ies The demand was resisted
and yoars Of diplomatic efar! were employed in ex'
,ons from them The price Of i cr,y thus gained by
fellow men. After much effort and expense, ",
oh,.i,et fourteen hundred hcuson5 dollars for TIE
shareholders; bnt the people OF the free States wer'
ting tho moncy. In 1928 and for nsny years sub
seaient TO that time, the ef,r,s Of our Government
put forth 20 prsrsr The abolition 81 slcrery II
on IN or southern ~ States And an ana agen
was sent ,hora prevent the emancipation OF slaves
Our people Of the free S!aes we're thus involved II
the expsn~ Of opposing the liberty Of MANKIND: j.
1918, General Jact marched h;s army into t!ori
ia; while there his soldiers, and the blowers of hi
camp took many slaves from the people Of that ter
r;,ory and the people Of the free States have hee
taxed .opayfor the n"gross thus ;aksn.' wide doc
unen,s on file in the Office Of the Secretary Of tn
1.essury).
In 1916 cert.:n fugitive slavea took refuge in III
- Territory otFl5fids, and eractsd fort upon thu ban
of,he Aratnchicola river Here they made their gar
dens and cleared hsr fields, and cultivated the
farms. General Jackson sent orders 10 G .nerr
Gane. to enter this territory OF the King Of Spair
Z, destroy the fort. .nd 10 arrest and return the
soa,chsd for the purpose Of efFscting these Objects
Ths fort was cannonsded With hot shot until n
magazine was blown up and two hundred md sever
~ men, women, and children gere instantaneous
murdered in cpld blood Tor other crime than th'
ofp,sf-r,,g liberty to slavery. 4 law was passs
in Fsbrusrv 1893, TO pay more than, five 'housa,n
dollars II the officers and crew, a. bounty for N
cs''rnc'i'9 Of par fellow beings oar people Of ON !,
expsnss of numbering fugitive siars' for tine benei
OF that institution.
The bill granting this sum. - marited bounty +
tiHiag slars, was reported by the ch,irm'nt OF n
ihsir authority without further exsminslon III. IT
House. MANY Of the slave Staes have ltws aulho
siug their officers TO urres and impr san free colo'e
persona wh" enter Their s'aIs: and to cell them
paid. Mnnv FREE r0lored men in the employ Of u
Uniied states, have heen thus imprisoned. and Il
expense paid by Government in order 10 release then
wide reports Of committees made At the last srssio
Of Congress.) Much expense has aASo been incurrs
BY Government in NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. oftroops ar
OF the MARINE corps 70 iniiniais the slaves Of Il
bSNsh 10 ~ enres ' 0ese lnttanreS nave tfcN "
enent 70 much s., that nficers, c,mmfndns "
tachmenis, do even wait for orders from the w,
Department, to march ,heH forces ini' anv rigid
whore appearances Of ihsnireei"n are manifested !.
Every reader is aware ha, ships, engaged in the sla
trade, have bs'n wrecked on and near The BIRTHS
West India islands; and the slaves. finding then
selscs at liberty. hive refused 10 return oar Cover
msnt haseSpoused ths OF the slave dealers, NJ
have, for many years ini oved The people Of the fr
siates in the expense Of obtaning from the Brii
E,vern meni, the loss which the slave merchants su
sained by the liberation OF their slaves Thus ha
we been JARED for the support of the slave trade.
nesl not msn.ion the par cunrs concerning {
Creole. They will he recollecred nv every render.
S!orc than hundred thousand dollars have heen n
propriacd for the on Of prisons in the Dislc,
Columbia These prisons have been, and sill o
u.ed by slave merchants TO conhne their slaves M
thsir cargocs or coffee for southern markesarc COZ
plsted. In former number, ref.rled to the IA
hat Democratic Legislature Of or own S,nre
opristed the money Of our fellow citizcns, 10 o
rsrnselyes Their per diem, while thev discussed
proper mode Of catching southern slores. These
come Of The INSTANCES in which the people Of the
States have zen involved in the direct expense
sus,n;nnp and supporting slavery. The amount CT
not be- aS,ertsned with precision MANY have 81
mattel il A, one hundred millions ddars, or III
ut tho ,phola mr.. . n ndpd