The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-07-04
For the Woodstock Age.
CRIMES AND PUNISHME NTS.

NeTnoht, tne tn SeCllon IeduS as lol-
lows:
every person, who shall engage in du-
Ell with any deadly weapon, although no
homicide ensue, or shall challenge anoth-
er to fight such duel, or shall send or de-
liver any written or verbal message, pur-
porting or intending to be such challenge,
although no such duel ensue, shall be pun
ished by imp isonment in the State Pris-
on, not more than ten years, or by fine not
exceeding one thousand dollars, and shall
also be torerer incapable Of holding, or@
being elected or being appointed 10 any
place of honor, profit or trust, n"der me
Constitution or laws Of this STATE or %
enjoying the privileges eta freeman '0'th'n
this State"
1t is also an historical fact undisputed,
and incapable of refutation, that in 1925
Henry Clay, then Secretary of State, and
now a candidate for President Of the Uni
ted tates,-did send challenge to, and
engage in duel with John Randolph,
Senator in Congress, for words spoken in
debate.
1t is true also, that had Mr. Clay been
citizen of Vermont and committed the
above mentioned crime within our borders,
he must have suffered the above mentioned
penalty and had he been convicted, jimmie
diately, would have completed his term of
service at the Peni,enliary about the year
1886.
The sth Section of said chapter reads
as follows:
Every person who shall accept any
such challenge, or who shall knowingly,
carry or deliver any such challenge or mes,
sage, whether Il duel ensue or not, and ev-
cry person who shall be present at the fight
ing of duel, with deadly weapons, as an
aid or second, or surgeon, or who shdH
adviSe, encourage or promote such duef,
shall be punished by imprisonment in the
State Prison, not more than five years, or
by fine not exceeding one thousand dol
lars, and shall also be incapacitated, as
mentioned IN the proceeding section, for
term often years after such conviction"
LISA fact admitted by Mr. Clay in his
letter to Mr. Wise of Feb %, '43, that he
(Clpy) did advise Graves, throughout the
whole controversy with Mr. Cilley, that he
did advise to the fatal step, which result
ed in the awful death of one of New Eng
lands brightest sons, that he did in fact
write with his own hand the challenge, a
copy of which Mr. Graves sent to MIR Cilley,
in Feb. 1888,
Now had Mr. Clay continued a resident
orVermont,he would CATER recess of only
two years. have been again sent to the
State Prison, and would probably have be-
come the companion and lelow-laborer Of
Newell Ordway in the Shoe shop of the
Penitentiary,--lrom which he would have
but just taken his second degree, when he
was put in nomination for the Presidency
by the Baltimore Wing Convention.
BY the 2Ist section of the Cd part Of the
Constitution of Vermont every man in or
der to become FREEMAN is required to
take the following oath,
"You solemnly swear that whenever you
give your vote or suffrage touching any mat
ter that concerns the State of VI, you will do
it as in yonr conscience you shall think will
most conduce to the best good OF the same
as established by the constitution, without
fear or favor Of any man"
Now let me ask, is there any freeman
ofVermont who would be willing to be
found so utterly regardless of the law, and
of morality. 10 say nothing of the interests
of religion) as to give his vote. for a chief
magistrate, who had been twice sen,en-
ced, to and had served fifteen gears in the
State Prison? And is Henry Clay any
less obnoxious, because he happened not
to reside in Vermont, and has therefore es-
capped the penalty due his crimes!
Let me ask agaip,-(and put the ques-
ton to all conscientious men, us the
election of President Of the United States a
"maller that concerns the State of Yer
month IL so, can you with the oath of the
Constitution upon you, give your vote for
man to fill that important office, who by
the laws of our State is disqualified in con-
sequence Of crime, TO hold even the Office
of highway surveyor, or that of corporal in
the militia? Doyou IN your conscience be-
here, that it would "conduce to the best
good of the State" to cleo convicted
ielon, a graduate of the penitenliary,t to pre-
side over these United States! And is Mr.
Clay any less lellon. any less disqualified
or any more acceptable 10 the sober peo'
pie of Vermont because he lives in Ken
lucky, or because he committed the same
crime in a State whose laws do not lnfllc'
tho eamo nepoliv7 Or is murder any less