Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-04-20

fleeing for his life to escape the clutches of his nhuman
master we are called nulHfers-aye, than those
of South Carolina whose treason, fsern justice had been
inflicted would have consigned them to the gbbet! What
mercy the Liberty party are not, en- masse' under an IN
dctment for high treason awaiting all the pains and pen
altes in such made and provided" But the Sd
clause Of the I'd Sec 4h of the Constitution provides
for the recovery of fugitive slaves" All! indeed who
saws SOL E. p Walton jr. says so-Henry Clay says So
the Supreme Court say sohe article itself says no Such
thing Here it comes-read it, and " No PERSON
held to service OF labor in one State under the laws there
off, escaping into another shall in consequence of any law
or regulation therein be discharged from such service or
labor but shall be delivered up claim of the party to
whom such service or labor may be due" Now ask,
who but a slavehoder who would make US believe that
the garments of Satan were the livery Heaven, nor
thern dough-&ce taught in slavery school, would ever
suppose that this clause had reference any species OF
property, whether bipeds quadmpeds' Persons"
not property, ''sha be delivered up" There is vast
distinction between persons and property, for the lowest
state of humanity is an infinite distance above the highest
state of chottesp person be property for there
are certain attributes relationships and duties, belonging
to PERSONS that possibly be applied to property
and on the other hand there are certain laws restrictions
and usages established in reference to property that cam
NOT he applied to persons The person becomes
property he loses legal sense, his humanity ana can
not longer be called person. If the word person s
used in the constitution designate slave, why then the
9Th article of the amendment utterly annhilates slavery In
the District of Columbia and all the territories, for 1t ex-
presv declares that No person shall be deprived ofite
liberty or ptoperty without due process Of law" 80 hang
on which horn of the dilemma you please, Mr. Watch
y man. If an obligation to deliver up persons means to
deliver up slaves then the prohibition to deprive persons
of life liberty or property extends to slaves also Really,
u our treason fully proven, after all Again. they
- sha be delivered up on claim of the party TO whom such
service or labor may be DUE Now this implies the OBJ
legation ola contract for nothing is legally due from one
" person to another, except by virtue of contract Can
chatte thing make contract? Can any thing be due
from piece of property? Saveholdng laws have settled
this question: for they declare that slave cannot contract
or be contracted wihhat he cannot owe any hIng or
to have any thing due him. but is subject to all the laws
is and usages of property to all nens and purposes what
H. soeve How 'service labor be due from slave
who has oed unrequed all his life long for his maserE
The Sd clause I'd Sec LIST art Of the constitution establish
es the basis of representatives
among the States according to their respective numbers
which shall be determined by adding to the whole number
free PERSONS including those bound to service for term
of years and excluding Indians not taxed, hree-hfhs OF
all other persons" Now who meant by those bound
TO service for term of years. Slaves cannot be meant,
for three fhhs Of all other PERSONS, 1t is admitted oy a'
was intended to include tham 1t certainly is rational
construction that the are referred 10 "
b article that are spoken of in the fourth article as being
Oun1t IN L.
liver up on claim the party 20 whom it may be DUE as
in the case Of apprentices and others who brd themselves
nov to service or labor
Bot forsooth sa VS. the Watchman the Supreme Court
of the United States have decided that the fourth article
obges Us to deliver up fugitive slaves Well, what is the
Supreme Court? Why, true is the highest judicial TIL
buna Of the nation made up and pro-sIave
Vi ~ mon who are willing TO construc the constitution Il
the anv way that shall best protect the paracha institution
bor d. Ill.,. : ho ;n,isdcon Of the Supreme Court? TIL,
pe Constitution says its power shall extend to all cases
10 law and equity arising under the Constitution, &c Nov
unless the Watchman can make the resolution in ques
ton case of law and equity arising in The manner ai0re
said we shall plead abatement OF the charge Tor wal
of jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in our case and COT
A. slider their opinion ono importance than that OF an
other individual equally qualified to Judge IN the premise
If the Liberty Party should declare opposition to any LAY
Of the land and maintain it by forcbe resistance tn
m az would be altogether another They would then
noh hound by the decision of the Supreme Court But in tn
ue they have only declared that when elected to ONO
n and are sworn to support the constitution, they Will
uOuS guided by their construction of and where is
'o man that would not? Has not Henry Clay invariably dol
the same and every President, from Washington down
eoy John TYLER? What their oath of office! solemn
inc swear that will to the best of my ability preserve, pr
ength c...;.,,,;o, of ,ho I1n;ted States >,
y " Who ever heard Of officer swearing to support the
eisions of the Supreme Cour True, they are Imperial
and entitled to all the consideration they deserve, but
cry officer is bound to support the Constitution accord
public ...,.., .aa- III
the u -
ID ~ Now let us compare Abolition with South CAROL
app Nuillhcau'n' lne 'O''"e' 'ON''''9 :" '"'
void oution by Liberty Convention that when elected to
fee under the constitution, and to support it, Il
will construe it according its letter and spirit, vioa
:, h no law, resisting power but simply dscharg'ng
duties of office to the best Of their ability and judgment
The latter consists in the assembling of convention
! h South Carolina for the purpose of efeeting an organ
re.is,ance tn certain laws of CONGRESS- which convent