Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-12-20
sournERN lNsoLENcE AND OUTRAGE

Slave States, by which colored seamen although
citizens of other states, on their arrival at southern
ports, have been imprisoned until the vessels in
which they came were ready to depart, and then
have been liberated only upon payment Of Jail fees
and expenses. IL these were not paid they have
been sold into slavery, and this too without any al
legation that u crime had been committed or was
intended.
Several complaints having been made to the nu-
thorities of Massachusetts of such outruges having
been committed upon some Of her own citizens, the
Legislature of that commonwealth AT its session in
lS43, authorized the Governor TO appoint an Agent
TO visit each of the cities Of Charleston and New
Orleans for the purpose of ascertaining the facts in
relation TO the imprisonment of any OF the citizens
of Massachusetts, and for testing the constitutional
ity of the laws by virtue of which they were i'm
prisoned, by the proper processes in the U. States
Courts.
Under this resolution Gov. Briggs appointed the
Hon. Samuel Hoar of Concord, as Agent 10 visit
Charleston. Mr. Hoar is peculiarly fitted for the
mission. He is a gentleman Of fine talents, of pure
and elevated character-a distinguished lawyer
of moderate views, and mild and conciliatory de-
pertinent. He is too a man of ripe years, and be-
longs almost to the patriots of a by-gone genera.
ton.
He arrived at Charleston the last Of November,
and Immediately, by a courteous letter, announced
his arrival aud the purposes of his mission TO Gov.
Hammond at Columbia. Gov. Hammond transmit
ted the letter to the Legislature then in session,
with a message in which he tells that body il is for
them TO determine whether any, and what meas
ures should be taken to maintain the police regula-
tons Of this State within her limits
A set Of infiammatory resolutions were introduce
ed into the Senate, and passed that body, of which
the two following are a specimen;
Resolued, That the State of South Carolina
ought not to submit to any dictation, either
from a sister State OF from the Supreme Court
of the United States, on a subject OF such vital
Importance TO herself as the government of her
colored population and should the aforesaid
Act be declared unconstitutional and invalid by
the Federal Courts, the principal Of self preser-
walton will nevertheless compel her citizens, at
every expense OF life and property, TO uphold
and maintain the due and rigid enforcement of
the said law, according 10 its very letter and
spirit.
Resolred, That the conduct of the States of
Massachusetts, in attempting TO procure, by
Federal Legislation, the repeal of a law which
was intended 10 be and is a barrier between
the slave and the emissaries of the AboliIionists
is an unwarrantabe and gross insult to the peo-
pie of this State.
The following resolutions passed both houses:
Resolved, That the right to exclude from
their territories sediiious persons or others,
whose presence may be dangerous to their
peace, is essential to every independent State.
ResotUed, That free Negroes and persons Of
color are not citizens Of The United States
within The meaning Of the Constitution hich
%confers npon the citizens Of one State the priv
lleges and immunitles OF citizens in the several
States.
Resolced, That the emissary sent by the
State of Massachusetts to the State of South
Carolina, with the avowed purpose Of interior
ing with her institutions and disturbing her
peace, is to be regarded in the character he has
assumed and to be treated accordingly.
ResoiUed, That his Excellency the Govern
or be requested to expel from our territory The
said Agent, after due notice to depart, and that
the Legislature will sustain the Executive au-
thority in any measures it may adopt for the
purpose aforesaid.
In addition to these Legislative proceedings, the
papers both at Columbia and Charleston have
been filed with the most bitter and insulting
invective against Mr. Hoar, and be-a peaceful and
unofiending man, and the representative of the
time-honored commonwealth of Massachusetts,
has been rudely and insolently driven from the
State by the 'Chivairy' Of South Carolina.
We know not how long the citizens of the north
will meekly and tamely submit 10 the bullying gas.
conade, taunting insults, and lordly domination of
southern shareholders. Our blood is fet from ia
theirs of war-proof,' and il il has a single particle
Of its original purity and warmth remaining, it
must course with hot and indignant haste through
nur vaina nj thia laef acf IF IN n az hIa ;nsoIanca
at this black treason TO our rights, and the Consti.
tuition that secures them.
Citizens of Massachusetts,, are without crime, or
charge of crime, imprisoned and sold into perpetu-
al bondage, by the laws of South Carolina, and
when she seeks to protect those citizens, by send
ing a distinguished citizen to contest the constitu-
tonality Of those laws, in the way, and through the
tribunal, pointed out by our common Constitution,
he is meanly, basely, and cowardly driven from her
borders, and Massachusetts is told that her laws
whether Constitutional or not, shall Be enforced,-
that South Carolina sets al defiance alike the Con-
%stitution and the federal courts,-that the rights of
the citizens of the several Suites guaranteed BY the
Constitution, are a farce,-a bauble-a rhetorical
flourish land shall not be protected by South Car
ollna.
II she is allowed to do this with impunity, if the
powers of the general government are not invoked,
to enforce obedience to the Consttution-if the
north does not gather itself up in its might, to re-
sist these high handed aggressiOns, we may as well
ourselves become slaves, and submit at once to
these insolent task-masters We trust and believe
that this and other like events, will arouse a spirit
in the land that will, never rest, until the sceptre
shall have fallen from the hand of the slave power,
and slavery itself shall be no more. Indeed il is
the certain foreshadowing Of these results that a