Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1843-05-05
SLAVERY-RIGHTS or THE NORTH.

No. ].
Mn EDIroR,-l am glad you have given to The
rthn - vi the Watchman the communication
fro:n piclfru<, aud hope it will hi podered with
carr ald tiat alt our presses, which ave NOT sold
10 tli" slave power, viii freely discuss the SUBJECTS
TO WHw-he has called our attention. Surely II is
tim. thai HE free states should know their posi-
tion ul take efficient measures 10 SECURE their
RICH tuI The rights OF all their rilizru'. And
wou,I he editors If all oar public lpurnals have
the urr courage to Open giclr columns tor Tree
discussor, AMI throw their influence mo The
scale of cvd freedom, | am satisfied tlIuy would
greatly promote the good of our country.
1t seems 10 be Tue opinion of Paclicus that
shareholders have constitutional right to come
into our free states aud 10 seize and carry off any
person whom they may claim rs owing them ser
vice, aud that at the same Time the person claim
cd has natural and constitutional light to resist
even unto death. And perhaps this was the sen
tiuent OF those learned judges who decided that
the law or compact must execute ITSELF But who
does not see that this is substituting the law of VI.
Olence for the law OF equity; and that such con
structon would lead 10 violence and bloodshedlng
in all our towns? Every person who can, by The
use Of his legs, escape beyond the influence OF
slave avs, resains an unallenabe right, of which
lie had bseu robbed and Is as tree Us any other,
person in the community. lie IS made free. not
By state ilrs but by the ialOs Of his God. All
that state laws cun do is 10 recognize him as
freeman, aud to protect HIM in the enjoyment OF
his rights II the state where he resides cannot,
or will not protect him, he is thrown upon his
natural rights, and may deJend his tie liberty and
propSriy This is a fundamental principle rccog-
niZed ~ the first article OF the constitution OF
Vermont. It is then perfectly plain, that IN This
state, any person, male or female, Mite or black,
has n constitutional right to defend their hres,
iibefiJ aud property, when any one by violence at
Iempis TO deprive Them of them Consequently,
If n man from Virginia, under any pretence, at
tempt TO seize free man, or any person in YER
mont or any free state, and 10 carry him into u
slave state aud thus 10y whence deprive him OF
his liberty sud property, he may resist and repel
violence by violence. And clearly, when he APP
prchends danger, he has the same right 10 ann
himself that n traveller has TO arm himself against
a robber, It is then perfectly plain, that man,
who has run from slavery has right to arm him
sell aud to resist unto death, any man, who may
attempt by violence 10 reduce him TO slavery. In
so doing he exercises only right secured by the
Constitution of this sovereign state. And II the
slave hunter is sAiu in the conflict his blood must
rest upon his own Lead. Now if the slavehod-
er from Virginia has a constitutional right TO come
into Vermont to claim and by violence seize =
freeman, who may defend himself, then we have
constitutional rights arranged against constitution
al rights; the stakeholder fighting under the ma.
tional Constitution, and the freeman lighting for
his unalienable rights under the sanction OF our
state Constitution. And if the freeman Kill the
stakeholder, by what law can he be punished Or
who that has the soul of man, would blame
| him n? Our constitution says, that he ought not
to be holden by law TO serve the Virginian, and
that he may defend his life and liberty. In doing
so he has, then, committed no crime, aud Cannot
| by our laws be punished. Can it be- that the
constitutions of all the free states are so at wal
with the Constitution of the United States !