The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-10-24

whether this law shohIa mol W. ''l'"'"'' w ~ ~
revised.
The sad existence Of Slavery in many Of tho states
of this Union should be the cause oil deep humn"ton
to the moru the patriot, and tho christians but inc
continuance Of this ineabe curse in the District OF
Columbia, and in the Territories, should excite our
wnrmest Indignation. There, thousands oi human
beings arc in perpetual bondage; and slave market
Is openy held at the seat Of the (reest government on
earth This is n spectacle il only for tyrants to be-
hold; and to make this state of things not only per-
manent but rs If also to iasten the awful RESPONSE
bty of il upon the ctizons Of the free stniHs' thero
have not been wanting representatives IN Tue rcuo''
nj Government, from those statcs (hnpply none from
our own. ) who have refused where Congress has
clearly the right to act, to lei the oppressed go ieo'
and to abolish traffic, which, by the spirit oil the
laws even Of that government, Is ranked win piracy
ITSELF Nay, more: they have siIenced circumstances
of sovereign against these gevous wrongs ana
excluded the petitions of the people
A state may not infringe the compact as 1t exists
on the subject Of slavery, any more than other parts
of the Constitution. We have all sworn osup
port the instruments and to attempt to eVade or res
peal the onth by casustca sophistry as to iS bind
ing force would be neither just nor wise. But what
ever Legislative powers the states do possess, should
be exercised as occasions arise, as not TO give one
scruple more Of living flesh than the bond requires
An unhappy decision Of the Supreme Court of the
United States, made in January, 1912, in the case OF
prnq u.s. the State of Pennsylvania it is believed will
occasion some danger TO free colored people who
NAV be found in this State. In this case it is under
stood to have been decided that the Federal Govern
ment have an exclusive rightto regulate the mode in
,;ob ala of ms stpTO IN
be made that Congress has already exercised that
right in perfectly constitutional manner, the ngh the
law of 1893; that all legislation the part of the
several states, which directly indirectly limits or
restrans the right of recovery fugitive slaves, is
entirely null and void; that state can pass law
in any way interfering with the power of summary no
movul from its territory Of an individual cl"med as
fugitive slave,-provided that this power be exercised
under the sanction ofhe United States Courts but
is not obligatory upon any state tosuier its own mag
istrates TO exercise the same power
The law orCongress of 1898 con(ers the same
power upon the State magistrates that given to
Judges of the United States Courts, and upon that
statute the Court say, that their magistrates may, It
they choose exercise the authority thus conferred,
sunless prohibited by state legislation - This deci
sion is at present the law Of the land, and the dam
ger Is, that among our great number of magistrates
some may be found who are not well informed rs to
their duty, and may act unadvisedy, anil thus, up
on false claim, consign unfortunate being for
ever to hopeless slavery for from the decision Of
the magistrate there is no appeal.
therefore recommend TO the legislature to pass a
law prohibiting all magistrates, acting under the au-
thory Of this state, from taking cognizance of,
ting under the act Of Congress-, passed the 9Th of
July 1898, relating TO fugitive slaves, any other
law that may be passed Of similar import. This would
seem from the aforesaid decision be perfectly
slitutiona and proper, and indeed almost invited by
xhe court, by the language before quoted. By such
nm act, the evil consequences ofthe decision may in
some degree be mitigated.
also recommend a law prohibiting all executive
officers oc the state from arresting OBTAINING in
ia,lany person who is claimed fugitive slave; be
leving this to be proper mode Of exhibiting tho de
termination Of this to do act, which she may
cons,itutionay omit to do, to counenance the inst
tuition Of slavery. The commonwealth of Massachu
sets has recently passed such law, and the exam
pie is believed to be worthyof imitation If the passing
tho statute proposed shall incidentally tend to pre-
vent the recapture of fugitive slaves, may no
we'll excloim in its defence, in the language OF thu
no asyum!''
There strong reasons for anticipating that u,
attempt will very soon be made to annex the Repub
tic Of Texas the United States, well for the pur
pose of creating perpetual market for slaves, from
that large territory to out slave states enougl
to givo apreponderancy in the Union to the slave pow
or. Ifsuch attempt shall succeed, then be
tides unhappy country. Who then can hope tn
wrath of Heaven can be longer restrained
have spoken perhaps too freely upon this excitin
subject but at the capitol of Vermont, unlike that
Washington, there is liberty of speech upon all pub
lie topics.
In our expenditures the utmost economy that is co
sistent with the maintaining and promotion of tn
public interests, should be constantly practised TIL
just medium between parsimony and extravaganza
public Transactions it is not always easy to discover
and it is to be found only by the good sense of hos
who make the laws; and this is one reason why OF
Constitution declares that the House of Represents
tives, which originates all appropriation bills, sha
consist Of men most noted for wisdom, as well a
In this stote vhere the on, nrc