The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-03-29


served to the several States. II is, there.
fore, plain, that the General Government
have now no more power over the institu-
ton of slavery than il had prior to the adop.
ton of the Constitution. The people of the
southern States hold that institution as indie.
pendently of the Federal Government as
they did under the old confederation
Precisely to the same exten, do The peo-
pie of the free States hold and enjoy the
blessings of personal liberty. They dele
gated TO the Federal Government no more
power to involve them in slavery, than the
south did to involve them in its abolItlon.-
The rights of the States on this subject were
mutual, and perfectly reciprocal. Those
States who desired to DO so, could continue
the institution of slavery; and those who
desired TO be free, and entirely exempt from
the expense, the disgrace, and the guilt of
it, reserved to'themselyes the fell and indis-
putable right to remain altogether separate
from, and unconnected with, its evils. The
sons of the pilgrims regarded slavery rs a
violation of the will of Heaven, and fra
gran, transgressiou Of the law Of Cod
They would no sooner have been prevailed
upon TO involve themselves in its moral lur
pitude, than they would in that Of piracy or
murder. The people of the free States.
therefore, secured to themselves the absolute
right of remaining free from the guilt, the
disgrace, and the expense Of slavery, by
Withholding from the Federal Government
all constitutional power liz regard 10 that in
stitution while The slave SiaIes secured 10
themselves an equal privilege 20 enjoy the
benefits las they Supposed) resulting from
continuance of slavery.
These doctrines are not ae,c-they are as
old as the Constitution. They are not To-
cal, for they have been substantially asser.
Ted in Congress, and both in the north and
the south. They are not anii-Slauery, for
they have been, for half a century, the de-
clared doctrines of the siars Siaies. lfany
anii-slavery man cllims for the Free States
any further rights in regard 10 slavery than
those expressed above, he is requested 10
make them known. If any Wing or Dem
ocrat of Ohio is will 'rg to deny 10 the peo-
pie of the free States the rights above set
forth, he is invited TO express his views, IN
order that the public mind may be Informed
upon this very important subject.
Iftl.ese be the constitutional rights of the
free States, all will agree that they should
be maintained and supported. On this point
it would appear impossible that Wings and
anti.slavery men should disagree. l.there-
fore, submit the question to our editors. and
the conductors OF the public press generally
whether they ought not 10 speak out boldly
and temporarily upon this subject. Ought
they not to urge forward our State and Ma
tional legislators 10 maintain and defend the
rights of the free States. as assduously as
they do those of the slave States The
question is also submitted 10 tie mambers
of our State Legislature, and to our mem
bers of Congress-. whether they are not as
much bound by their oath Of Office TO pres
erve the free States from all participation
in the guilt, the disgrace, and the expense
of slavery, as they are 10 preserve the slave
States from the abolition of that institution
by Congress : Ough, they not to put forth
their influence to separate AMI wholly d.
vorce the Federal Government from all sup
port Of slavery, ard to bring it back 10 the
position in which The Constitution placed ii
in relation to that institution?
Having thus stated, generally. the rights
Of the State, shall, in my next communica-
ton, examine the subject of fugitive slaves /;
which has sometimes been urged as mn ex-
ception TO the general principle that we, Of
the free States, are constItutionally uncon-
nected with slavery. PACIFICUS.