The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-07-01

fend slavery, am sometimes assed--ii an ehemy
should invade slave StOte, 10 got "~ay e'"19,
'woud II not be the dnty OF tne reuo'u - -
to protect us in the enjoyment o, our s,"'o P'op
tyr answer-your son IS he'u s"''Su '""s' ~
constitutional compact, and Il an enemy ss's ms ioo'
upon II, our arms, tho arms OF a' 'he P'"P.o W .o
nation,are against hlm' we u'p oou'u p''I a
your SOL ana territory we Gun "P""' INV VIC
objact OF the mvasOn Wheher We COMES 10 ge,
slaves or masters, blacks or wh'eS' rch o' p'or
or free, we protect the whole poPGlhloh' ny u'Nlns
the invader from American SOU nu! VIC w 50 ""n-
ont regard to slavery. ANA theh u'e s'a'oS ''uNe
and go to another government we cHl Nv "'o'o ue
manh them under our Ion'ttu''o''' ''" VIZ 'I'i
n'anu the masters WYNN ",ey - s..,,,, 2
III ieNnS were u"o'S"eu W ~ Wv" ~ $3.50, ~,
every s'hVe IN i'ouls"'a "e'1 W 'e"'o ' :, -, =
morrow, ana cross me ne ana peop''o 80 ~ "cu,u
be matter IN which Congress, OF tue Feue'a' uoV
eminent, wonld nave no conS'tut"''' ''s"' W "'o'
iere' 'r, on the DINER mana, II "v 'u''o' WIZ '" :"
cross me line INTO lexas' ma ne SAVES "e'o w ga"
on us TO demand their mas'erS vi t"o eNa' H"t'"
tnent, and bring them back we shou'u say 10 '"en
''tce can ! tateJere, you must '""e c"'ey W" "W"
masters
Again, am sometimes asNe'i suppose our s.aNes
rise and murder our Peopie,ls mol the Feoeral noV-
eminent bound to aid us IN holding them IN suoJec-
ton? ansWer-we arc bound TO prolec' inc people
oil every state against foreign INVASION ana "e'hd'
rioteHce' Inc c'ass oil persons VINO co'hnlt .he
vloence.s tact INTO when we cannot STOP TO INQUIRE
u me violence rise from masters, we suppress It.
II 1t rise from slaves, we do the same IL noth mas
tiers and slaves are engaged, side by SIDE, IN an IN
surrection, we shoot them down without knowing or
ENDURING which Is master or winch IS slave Our
business Is TO suppress the clOtence Dut we nave no
concern with slavery.
make this explanation, that may be understood
when make the declarton that, under oui Constitu-
ton, the Federal Government cannot interfere Uih
Sdrery in The States for dRy purpose, either 10 sustain
or 10 abolish H. This was the doctrine avowed and
understood by the trainers of the Constitution. II
has been the avowed doctrine Of southern men, and
Of northern men, from the adoption Of the Constitution
to this day. It true that the Federal Government
has often inteposed its power in aid slavery, by the
common consent of all the States when no objections
were made by any person but up to the present
year, no man Of any party, from any portion Of the
portion of the Union ever dared 10 stand forth before
the nation & uvov the doctrine that this Government
possessed the constitutional power or right Of exert
the influence of the natioa degrade its character,
and exhaust its revenues in support Of slavery, of
the slave.trade. On various OCCASIONS have myself,
in this hall, called gentlemen TO such senti-
ments if they entertained them. But never, until
long since the commencement of the present session,
was any member of this body found sufficiently cal
lous to his reputation to such principles
We passed more than half a century under pres
ent Constitution, and now the President assumes to
himself the power of making slavery national, in
stead of State Institution, and of extending the pow
er, and influence, aud funds, of the Federal Govern
It's support and the support of piratical
commerce in mankind. In order to effect this unho-
ly aud nelarous PLAN he attempts TO bring into this
Union n foreign Ilave holding government the effect
Of which place the balance of political power in
the hands offoregn shareholders, who have feel
ings principles either moral, religious, POLITICAL
in common with the great body Of our people of the
free States and to transfer the descendants of our
New England Pilgrims TO the political control and do
minon OF Texans and foreigners. Nor do his viola
tons of the Constitution end here-he has gone fur
lher and brought our army into the held in hostile at
h'ude to friendly power, with whom we are on
terms of perfect amty, and has sent fleet to Insult
and provoke that government to hostIes. In short,
sir he has of his own acts by his secret ORDERS with
out the consent OF the people OF the nation, or their
representatives, and without degning even to consult
his constitutional advisers, suddenly plunged us into
war for the openly avowed object and purpose OF
extending and perPetuung slavery. These profit
gate acts these usurpatona of these voat ions
OF the constitution, can be characterized by no term
OF miIder Specification than TREAsoN---treason
against the rights OF the people oil this Eationheasoa
against the Constitution and treason against human
ny Itself. feel II my duty TO declare 1t such in
the presence OF the House and OF the country.
AR Chairman, we at this moment appear before
the civilized world in the disgraoelu attitude of ma
king war upon Mexico, an unotending nation, in OBJ
vlous violation OF our treaty stpuations and our
uonal faith soleunly pledged, for the purpose of
tending slavery, and peTpeuating the slave trade.-