The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-10-17
BRANDON, Thursday, October II, 1874.

Thus have We voluntarily brought our
selves under a guaranty, 10 purge our
country from whatever is Inconsistent with
these principles. Nothing is more pal
pably so than slavery, We are under ii
pledge. then, to the world and to one an
other 10 abolish it: and in so far as our
government has permitted slavery to re-
main at ease-much more 10 enlarge and
magnify itself-it has proved recreant to
lis solemn undertakiog-has brought on
US, as a people, the charge of hypocrisy
and dishonored US before the heavens and
the earth.
Persons Of great experience and INTEL
ligsnce, as j%nrisIs, have satisfied then>
selves that the Constitution authorizes in
express terms the ful6Iment Of this guar
anly, by the government. Congress, say
they, has nothing TO do with the re-
latlon of Master and Saoe, Neither the
relation itself, nor the parties between
whom it exists are any where mentioned
in the Constitution, whilst at the same
time amendment W. it declares that no
!" person" shall be deprived Of Liberty
without due process Of law:-and this
without the slightest reference 10 his being
a native or Il to%reigner-a citizen or an
alien-black or white.-Those who are
called Slarss" at the South are called
" p~erSoas' in the Constitution. Are
these persons deprived of their liberty?
Yes. Bv due process of law? No. Then
why, it may be asked, are they not ent!-
tied 10 The benefits Of the constitutional
provision within the words and spirit of
which they are so expressly bronght2
Blu. should the liberty party be bro't
into power, a proceeding wholly unob-
iecliouable as to its constitutlonality--as
simple as it is constitutional, and n that
would prove as e%ifectual as it is simple,
would, doubtless be adopted for the aboll-
ton OF slavery. 1t is to conflne The ap>
poinlments 70 office under the governs
ment to such as are not shareholders. The
juslness and the propriety ofsuch a course
would be as unobjectionuble as its other
characteristics; 10. surely nothing could be
more reasonable than to exclude from all
share in the administration Of the govern
ment-from its offices and its honors-
those whose whole lives are passed in O.
pen conlempt of its fundamental princl-
pies.
6 It is my opinion that Congress can
stop the domestic slave trade between the
States under that provision of the constilu"
ton which gives ii the power 10 regulate
commerce among them. If 1t be said thai
Congress has no power TO obstrucl the
TRANSIT or removal Of persons, rom one
of the States into anolher-it may be re-
piled that lfcommere lay her hands on per-
sons, & .rausmule them into things to deal
in, she brings herself, by that act, and m
! relation 10 that matter, completely within
the scope ofthe constitutional provision.
| ought not to conclude tins reply 10
YOU communication, without stating
that all my views of matters merely o.
policy are greatly qualified by the consId'
Grafton OF their practica5lllly, consistently
with the harmony and fraIernal feelings
our whole population; as we'll as oy a de
cided preference OF economy, simplicity
imparliali,y and direcIness in the manage,
ment of public affairs, over what is prodl
gal. or artificial, or exclusive, or indirect
The genius and spirit of our population
will not bear patiently with any other sys
TEN of administration-he who disregard
or overlooks this truth. proves himself IN
COMPETENT, as a statesman, for the coun'f,,
and the times in which his lot is cast.
remain, gentlemen, very respectfully
Your most OBJ s~erV't,
JAMES G. BRNEY.
To Messrs' Lucian G. Jones, Salmon
N. Hart, Robert M Beebe, committee &C
Eek TRACTS