Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-03-22
For the Waterman Il Journal
SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF CO
IIflpIA

LUMBIA.
:" II may seem a little surprising that this gen.
tleman land the same is tue Of all who particpa-
ted Ia the dlscusson) did not, even incidentally. |
ullude TO slavery in the district Of Columbia, and
in the territories Of the United States Ii it be |
true that Congress may rghtiuy legislate upon |
slavery in those places, it would materially i'm !
pair The force Of the gentienuns togic."-E. IN |
The G. .M freeman, March 9, 1874
shall offer few remarks only by way of re-
ply, as in my humble opinion, few remarks only
are ne cessary.
The writer in the Freeman, after giving an
count of the lew remarks ! made at the meeting
in Randolph, on the 22d ult. oil the subject of
slavery, advances the above observations. My
remarks were that slavery was opposed TO the
genius OF our government, and to our rel gion
that 1t was entrenchcd behind state sovereignty,
over which we had no control; that il Congress
had power over slavery in the States, then might
we with propreiy, act with reference to it, at the
polls, but as Congress had 10 such power, the
views OF candidates Upon this topic were of no
consequence We might, with the same propii-
ETY., demand from our shoemaker an ant.slavery
peig> us the condition on which he should do
our WORK
noto remnrk that it is mol at all surprising that
when myself and others arc engaged in Discus
sing the subject of slavery in the HdteS that we
should not happen to say one word about slavery
in The District Of Columbia and the Territories.
On this subject, there il, probably great d WIS.,
ion OF opinion, in Vermont. We all believe that
Congress possesses The Constitutional power to
abolish slavery in the district and probably all, or
nearly n believe the domestic slave trade there
should be Immediately abolished. We all advo-
cate the right of petition, the right OF opinion, and
the freedom Of discussion, on this topic, as well as
on every other In fact, there exists no more me-
cessiy for the formation of distinct political par
", in New England, regards slavery in the
District AMI in the Territories, than there does as
it regards slavery in the several States The
Wings, to say the least, are unanimously opposed
to slavery, aud ready to do all that consti-
tutionnlly lie done for its abolition.
have no wish to Disguise my opinions on this
subject. That the Wings are not all agreed ia
relation to every point OF the discussion, is UNI
queslonahly true; nor is it any the less true that
the uboitionists or the Liberty parly are far from
being unanimous in every particular For one,
would not vote for the admission OF any neio state
into the Union with Constitution toleraiing
slavery; nor would l. if il were in my power 10
prevent it, tolerate the domestic slave trade in the
District Of Columbia for single instant. Con
gress with tie power OF "exclusve legislation
over the subject, in my opinion, can exert the
same authority over this subject there, that the
Legislatures On Virginia and Mary land can in
their respective territories. The idea OF an imme
diaie, unconditional emanc palion however, Is an
Utapan scheme, aud only To be dreamed about
by those who are speculative, nslend Of being
er one than modern rcforniers seem to inia-
| CINE. II is interviewer with every fibre of the
institutions OF the South, aud cannot be Gradica-
ted in an instant. Il is undoubtedly wrong both
| in theory aud III practice, 10 hold II human beng
goods mud chules, hut the government has
sanctioned this enure of property, nor has it The
power to destroy it, without offering compcnsa-
uon t9 the owner. The government has pron.is-
ell to project the owner III The enjoyment OF this
property, and so long ms the government ex.
isis, rights thus secured aud vested must he
protected by it. 1t may legally prohibit all future
acquisition of this kind Of properly, and, it The
public good requires ii, it may compensate the
| present owners for their loss aud lake their
property away. 70 talk about any other mode
OF emancipation, either in the district Of Columbia
or elsewhere is 10 talk aboutrevOiuiiOn and blood
shed, for under the government. slavery con-
slulionally he abolished III no other mode.
once heard n respectable and intelligent "lenl-
ocral" from New Hampshire argue that slavery
cannot be abolished, even by any state in the
Union, within their own limits without viola
ZION OF the Constitution. No Wing and but ie,C
"democrats," in Vermont, we fancy, can he found
to advocate snclI n theory. II slavery be an evil
and inconsistent with The genius Of our govern
ment, IL is certainly most singular proposition
that the government canIot abolish II. house
divided against itself cannot stand and The sooner
il falls, the better.
The correspondent OF the Freeman states that
asserted that "the question OF slavery had nOthin.
to do with politics" Without l,rpuiing an,
thing like intentional misrepresentation to N,
opponent, can only say that the statement is uu'
true. My Argument simply was that us Congress
had no power over slavery in the States, il wa
folly to make opinions, Oh this subject, test il
the selection of our rulers. To this proposition
must still udhere. Neither 40 perceive that iii,
admission that Congress may rightiully legisal,
upon slavery in The DIS rict Of Columbia or ever
III the Territories renders the formation of al
Slavery political party necessary, in the fire,
states, unless you cau point out some error Il
which we, as Wings, are welded, or bound I,
support. With Mr.. Rives, OF Virginia, 5eIlev
slavery to be "boh moral and political evil,
and with tue Wing State Committee, advocat
"tbe abolition of the odious ms i.uliOn OF domes
{ tic slavery, by any and every constitutions
. means" But am not prepared to forget thu
Q there other political evils, besides slavery, II
the United Suites, nor 10 denounce every man
who is q stakeholder, rs unworthy of public con
hdence. | cannot forget Tint Washington, Jef
ierson, Madison and Clay were and are savehod
ers, and however reluctant | may be to supper
=, such men for the Presidency, SHALL nevertheless.
continue 10 do so, until, by doing otherwise, ca
), perceive some possibility of aiding 10 nccOmpis
some substantial good for the country. Th
T. opinions Of Mr.. Clay, on this subject, may not
o such as could wish, but | have yet 10 learn tia
q his opinions less Objectionable than those
" Birney or Van Buren,.
+; Ani-Savcry political parties not needle
& in New England. Let them be formed in Ket
l. lucky, Virginia, aud other States where SLAYER
exists. Cassius NJ Clay. stakeholder though II
II is, is doing more good IHan Hundred OF sue
- iuen as James q. Brney.
J Brainlree March IL, 1914.