Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-01-04

these gentlemen and others who had spoken on
the subject after the most terrific threat to PROSTATE
the Union had all resolved themselves at last in.
To the position that they would stand upon the
Constitution, and by implication seemed to inll.
mate that the abolition petitions or neither of the
gentlemen referred al all to the resolution of the
Legislature Of Massachusetts,, the reference of
which was the question before the House, were
violations Of the Consitution-yes, that petitions
were violations of the Constitution for that was
what it came TO- The gentlemen, in the very
midst of their military fury, all declared that they
were most deeply, most dess,edly, to the very bot
tom ofiheir Utmost souls, ai.ched TO the union of
the States and seemed to intimate that the Legs
la,ure of Massachusetts, Uhough they made no d.
rect reference the resolutions ofthat body and
more especially the abolilonlss who sent their
petitions here, were not attached TO the Union.
Sir, (sad MIR Az | am not here TO answer for the
purposes or views ofany abolition society, or of
any individual bolitionist-though | am, in one
sense, an aboltonist myself in that sense in which
Thomas Jefferson, in the seventyseventh year of
his life, deliberately committed to paper his opin-
ion, which he addressed to all the Shareholders of
the country, namely, that abolition must come;
that the sooner it came the BETTER and if not, that
worse would ensue. Whoever will read his life
and writings, as they have been published by his
grandson, will find in one OF the volumes Of that
publication this sentiment avowed, word for word,
as have stated It "Fate," he adds, "has decreed
the freedom of that people" "Fae has decreed
i will change the word-the God of Nature
has decreed the freedom of that people, and He
will make them free in his own time-no as
expect, in my day, but some day hereafter. In
that sense, then, that Thomas Jefferson was an alb
oilionst, and was so all his life, am one.
hope with all my soul that the day will come when
slavery" shall be word without meaning in
the English language and in all other languages
when there shall not be found slave upon the
earth. This. in my Judgment, will be The con-
summation of Christian religion; that will be the
long hoped for.dav when the lion shall lie down
with the lamb, and when all the glorious promi-
SEES and prophecies of the Old Testament promises
and predictions repeated and confirmed by Jesus
Christ. shall receive their complete fulflment In
that day believe that man will be a noblcr, a
purer, more elevated being by far than we see
him now; when he will approach much nearer to
the angels. In that sense | am an abolitionist: in
the sense advocated and avowcd by an abolition
society that | am now acquainted WITH am not
and never have BEEN believe, however, that in
these societies. and in many of the anti-slavery as
sociations of this day, land many of them have
published most severe sn:madversions and denun
Citations directed against me,) there are men o.
DO IIuSH 40 IluCll EHluC, HlSH iNS
tiude, and as ardent patriotism as is possessed by
any man on the floor STILL as to the measures they
pursue and advocate, think they are often ano
greatly mistaken, The tendency of their cours
IS to retard The coming Of hat blessed dan fol
ph,ch they all SIGH. They no doubt think jus
The same thing of me as think of them. hav,
had little intercourse with these societies general
} ly. and hold communion with very few ofthem
The opinions | hold, hold from God and from
my own Judgment as well as from the languag
of the Declaration Of Independence which STILL
believe, is permitted to hang in this hall howeve
any portion OF ii may, in practice, have been Turn
ed out ofdoors
But while saying this, I wish to make no un
meaning, insignificant professions of attachment l.
the Liberties of this country or the Union of tn
States. wish, indeed, that the Union may las
forever, and, as one important means of securing
that result, | wish for the abe lition of SLAYER
:, throughout the Union. believe this to be indis
pensble to its preservation, and so think it wi
turn out. But, them wish ii to be effected peacs
ably and quietly, by the will of those who nov
: hold the slave in bondage; CONVINCED, as be
/ lieve they will be, that such an issue is as muc
their own interest as it possibly can be of ,hos
n who shall be disenhralled | wish no inlerfeI
e ence whatever with the institutions of the south
IS | wish 10 have nothing 10 do with them Tha
Is the prayer Vi many NHose ptullOHS are now ue
l. fore the committee on Judiciary. These petition
) ask not that Congress should interfere with Slave
ny it exists in the States, but only that they
e be liberated from all connection with it, The
'r ask TO be delivered from the burdens that the
Ct feel 10 be too onerous upon them For mysel
Of wish 1t to be clearly understood that | disclaiI
e. all purpose of desire to interfere with the insttl
re lions of the South claim to entertain as stron
lie and arden desire for the continuance of this VI
a, ion as any man in this House., or in this comm,
IN nifty; and such believe 10 bs the feeling of tn
er great masses whom | represent, and of people
10 the State of Massachusetts Who passed the reso
d. tons have had The honorto present
ST. The time has been whfn, for presenting here
err petition asking Congress TO take measures for
ol peaceable dissolution ofihe Union, | was brougI
p before the House as acrminal, as a cuprit, gui
he ty of constructive Treason and pe1ury,or subord
it naliou ofperjury Was that an assault on the il
no stitutious Of The Soulh2 it was simple request
10 which the petitioners felt themselves reduced by II
to obstinate refusal Of this House to receive their p
Of petitions and lfrhe South do not know it, | wi
er tel them that his is ore Of the very whiC
on 90 10 weaken The attachment Of the whole Nor
II and Northwest TO the Union. II does weaken
sc and should therefore consider the abandonme
ofthese restrictive rules against the reception
MS peltions as one ofthe uos fortunate oceurrenc