Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-06-21
From The Philanttropist
A Disclosure~The People Of the North
Taxed to Catch RunawayS.

in the Committee of the Whole on the Indian APP
preparation bill, was not reported in the Washing
ton papers During the debate, Mr.. Gddings
moved to strike out the item of two thousand dol
lars for the benefit of the Florida Indians. brief
report of his remarks on the occasion, is given by
David Lee Child.
He said he had made the motion to call the at
tentiOn of Congress and the Country to the object
of this appropriation. He called on the clerk
to read the article in the treaty by which the U.
States stipulated to pay this sum to the Indians
and then the next article, containing stipulation
on the part of the Indians to perform certain SET
vices in return, which was as follows;
"The chiefs and warriors aforesaid, for them
selves and their tribes ,stipuae to be active & Wig
liant in preventing the rereating to, or passing
through the country assigned to them, of any alb
sounding slave or fugtives from justice; and fur
Their agree to all necessary eXertions to appre
bend and deliver the same to the agent who shall
receive orders TO compensate them agreeaby to
the trouble and expense incurred"
The treaty containing this stipulation was form
ed in the year 1928. 1t dscoses the humiliatng
fact. that the Government of the United States has
heen appropriating annually for years past monies
out Of the public treasury, to pay the respectable
| fraternity of LaUe-catchers! A man who loses his
horse must get him back at his own expense. The
Shareholder who loses his slave, employs Govern
ment to catch him, and makes the whole Union
| paymaSter.
Mr. Gddings remarked that in this way, this
subject of southern slavery, is, year after year,
forced upon the consideration of members here.
In this way the Government is annually lnterfer-
ing with slavery, TO support IT, In this way they
are annually taking money from the pockets of the
Northern aborer, and paying it over TO Southern
Indians TO pay for catching slaves. He denied the
Constitutional power of the Government thus to
interfere. Resistance TO the unconstitutional and
shameful appropriations Of money, for such pur-
poses, was denounced as ''abotion." He should
like to see the member of Congress that would
come out boldly, and defend them as right.
Mr.. Levy hoped the item would be struch out,
but for very different from that of the gen.
teman from Ohio. These Indians ha0 been en-
= gagged in hostties against the United States, and
the uiOlat0n of this article, was one OF the causes
that led to hOstilities in Florida! 1t was a gerry
Just and proper stipulation, which the Government
had the right and the po,cer to enter into; and one
e which the Indians are bound TO PERFORM
Y "Mr Giddings.-This sir. is the very point
= which wish to see discussed. | am anxious to
o understand gentlemen on this plain dobctrne. For
the first time on this floor, it is now avowed & pro-
S claimed The right of the Government to tax the
laborers of the North to catch runaway slaves, is
l. now for once, and the first time, distinctly put
o forth in plain and ntelligih!e FORM deny it in
h the most explicit manner. And the issue is thus
l. placed in clear manner before the country"
;. Mr.. Giddngs was mistaken. No report of this
IS discussion was ever permitted to appear in q
IS Washington p0per:-nor have we seen any repOr
J. by single Washington correspondent, except by
" David Lee Child.
J. People of the free States! what say you? Are
If you willing your papers should bndfoId you
! Here is a plain demonstration of the fact that
f. portion of your taxes are paid to negro-hunters-
e and here too, is distinct emphatic avowal, in the
Hall Of Congress, that it is right and proper tina
N you should thus be taxed. What would you think
: if the Government should appoint sentnels aEOnt
l. all the borders of the free States, to sound the
" should appropriate monies every year out OF th'
t. public treasury for their support! But it woult
h be no worse, than the stipulation in the treaty
ut above referred to: in principle, it would be ipden
n teal with it. Do your party papers tell you o
A. these things? Not word. Their relations t
Or the shareholders forbid. The issue on this suffice
a. which Mr.. Giddngs thought would be placed be-
fore the country, was never mentioned by the pa
to pers at Washington, which profess to record TIL
n debates and action of Congress! Think of that!
lie Mr.. Dromgooe, of Virginia, undertook to pla
in the usual game, by attempting to brow-beat an
o. school Mr. Giddings, but.he met for once with
n signal discontinue. We cannot deny our reader
o. the pleasure of the spicy conversation which too
place between the two gentlemen.
r. 'Mr. Dromgoole, of Virginia, said that he woul
is suggest to the gentleman from Ohio to wait unit
ey he got into the other end of the Capitol and whe
ey treaty was submitted for approval, his argumel
lat would then be relevant.
&C. Mr.. Gddings said he was in the habit of actin
H. at such times as his own judgment dictated. il
lat came here for that purpose, and should not p
ice himself under the surveillance of any man. Wht
ey he desired the gentleman'S advice, he won
~ inform him.
act Mr.. Dromgooe said he had not advised the sc
lie teman