Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-02-21

principal trading towns were a, the North, We, the
actual convertible wealth of the South including
slaves, was supposed to be greater than that Of the
North TINS, then, is the COMPROMISE, and the only
compromise, between the North and the South. In
consideration that the Southern States would treat
the s. avcs as persons for The purpose Of nxniion the
Northern States agreed that they should be treated
rs persons io The purpose Of representation 1t is
ahsson OF the principle OF property representation,
South.
Candor obiges 10 admit that there is great force
IN the argument used by the savehodinc Stnes tina.
numbers n nc were 10 be the basis or ftpresenta-
lnn the slaves ought TO be counted. You at the
Norlh, sad they, exercise the right OF determining
VINO sha'i ENJOY the franchises Of freenen. You re.
qnre various qualifications, such MS term of iesi,
dence, anu, IN some cases, stipulated amount o!
properly; and you insist that white persons, excluded
from all political rights shall he enumerated. WHY
not with equal propriety, our slaves to whom,
by the same sovereign authority which You exercise,
we deny political lights! repeat sir, there is, or
rather before the general adoption Of the principle Uf
unitc, sal suffrage by the northern States there was
great force in tbs Argument. But Tough forcble
It is not unnnswcrabc, and among the counter.arpu.
nrnts, by winch II may be met. are these: The leg.
slaDn Of the South deprives the slaves not onlv Of
poiica rights but of all the per,ona rights of hu.
mainly ! on deny them Inc attribute of personality
altogether. on make them moi persons but hinge
It docs not then lie in your mouths to say that for
the purpose OF government. and that. not merely Of
the States where they reside but o. those where ,hey
do not the slaves Should he treated as entitled 10 DO
'ra rights On the other hand onr ex cn.on of Ger.
tam persons from the enjoyment of political franchi.
ses rests on different foundation The slave with
YOU is essentially destitute of the character of a ci-
zen and can, neither hy his act BY that of any
other nor by the favor of fortune acquire that char.
ac,er. You may enact laws to restran the muster
rom manning hun, or Ia king his ie but these laws
give han no right. for he enforce them and
they are analogous TO laws for the prevention of cruz
city 10 brues The slave, then, cannot be recognis.
ed by your governments, ms any thing but chai,e
because he has, by laws absolutely no relations
| 10 trnnlcnt lie n member n he odv
lite. The persons excluded by us are excluded for
the want OF certain acqirable accidents The excu.
son OF the slave IS absolute and pei peiual-iha, OF the
non-q 'allied white is limited and temporary. The
slave Is forever DISTINGUISHED by inherent and irrcmo.
veabe di quallfcaons-,he right of the non qualified
white merely suspended. The force of this rea son.
! ing is virtually admitted by many of the southern
states, winch apporuon the nem ers of their own
legislatures, upon the bass of representation Of
whites only.
Alaln, then. sir, the only COMPROMISE of The Con.
stliuGn. etwecn the North and South is tina, where.
ny disproo oronae representation is granted TO the
SInVe2'ding States, and dsproportlonate taxation az.
/ sumcd by them
It is asserted by the Sonil that this compromise is
IN us ma ure perpetual and sacred; and moreover. it
lshss'ed lhat rs pefpetnlty is secured by the Con-
slllntlon; and thu brings me to the remaining point,
winch is what are the guarantees of that instrument
/ shall first consider whether this constitutional
compromise Is IN It's nature perpetual. and then exam
me the ConsiItuioni TO whether can find there
any guaranty Of lis perpetutiy.
II IS a rule, both of positive law and Of ethics TINT
IN all contracts there must be cDnsiea ion and If
boh he contract and the consideration be in their ma
'ure cont nung and there be mel hef words of rerpe-
tniy nor ol limitation IN time, The unforeseen failure
OF consideration, which both parties expecled to be
rs durable as the contract Itself will in general ab.
live the party from he obligation Of the conlrnct-
Now the trne nature Of this contract The admis
SION OF the principle OF property representation
When II WAS entered into, the South was SUPERIOR IN
wealth, estimating the slaves property; and of
course, 81 long as slavery continued it thought
thai he South would always bear a heavier propor-
'innnl snare oil taxaiIon. Circumstances, however.
are now changed. The industry and enterprise of the
Norm have drawn 10 her inr@er share of wealth -
The vine OF our prosperity has ihrven while you have
sIept and were the principle of the taxation and re.
presentation o! wealth, which you commended for and
we conceded 10 you, now fairly carried out we should
have greatly increased proportion of constant rep.
resenta'on, as well as occasional taxa'ion The
sons upon winch you were allowed advantage in
apporunment no longer exist, and cessante rafione
ceSSGt ct ipsa LEI. The comprom ST, then Is not in
lis nature perpetual aud therefore the eSpedlency Of
revnk1g IL lawful matter OF inquiry, and of cour
of petition though for reasons which shall give
hereafter, lis actual revocation, with The free as.
sent of the South, AT present, within any renson-
, able period OF computation, impossible. Whether YOU
will give thai assent is question for yourselves; but
confess my expectations of SO desirable are
not very sangulne.
Bit Is couten1ed that the perpciu;,y of The com.
promise is secured by the terms Of the Constitutions
upon fair construction, and | am now 10 inquire
whether that compact docs guaranty that perpetulty
Most uneqIvoca 1t does moi, and this is n point Of
cardinal Importance III the argument nm consider
!, ing. What are called the Vaccinations Of the abuli.
tonsis, are aimed at three ohIecis-he abolition of
slavery IN the DsIrlct of Columbia the suppression
: q. the savc-rade between the States and an amend.
ment of the Constitution, which shall appor,ion South.
: ern reHrescniaron IN This House upon free basis
: IT, them It can he shown, that The privileges perma.
nenry guaranteed 10 the South hv the Consii,u, n
e are m no danger from these m1rhinauns then the
r argument from necessity falls the ground. gain
n then proceeding with my argument. is the neoua Ii
of Southern representation permanently secured bv
N me guarantees OF the Constitution Far IN.
the attempt 10 amend the Constitution in rhls par
J. trular, sno infringement of Southern rights The
ern privilege, and the action Of States or parles with
c that view, 10 no sufficient for asking us ia
strengthen the south, so that be able to resist
= such an amendment. The only EXPRESS puoran,is,
: bea'lng upon the question of slavery are
O Art l. Sec. g. That the slave.irade should M, h.
y prohibited by Congress before IsO3 'N wv ~
= Art ~. Sec. 2. Securing the right of reception Of
il Art " That the restriction upon the power of Con
grcss 10 prohibit the save-rade lfrst clause nj Az,
: sec J; am the provision for the imposition of tax.
es according 10 The basis Of representation (for,h
clause OF art ], sec. 81 should not be affected bv
( any amendments TO be made before 1905
" In all ms me most Jealous champion OF Sourthern
privileges will not contend that he finds an
: OF the perpeiuty of the Inequality conceded bv ihs
Constitution. In fact the only stipulation in thai
|. compact expressly made unaerabe is that whereby
the equal representation of the smaller S,,es in the
II Senateis secured But when, the other hand We
e find provision for amending The Con sn,ion by ,he
assent oil three tpurts OF the States unlimited in s
TERMS except as to the equality in the Senate and
= controlled only by the restriction which expired In
u lSOS there can be Doubt that this whole suhiect
" OF the compromise IS as open 10 amendment as an =
! other constitutional provision.
But, Mr.. Chnirman ] 90 further than this Won
are aware SIR that al the time of the adopl ION Of ire
Consiluion the wise and good of The South rs well
as the North regarded slavery both an evil and !
wrong and looked forward TO its entl extncii ION a,
no very distant day. Couple this notorious f,rt wi,
the limitations expiring IN lS0S, and particularly The
peculiarly character of the guaranty respecting 40
r i'on ana what are we authorized TO conclude WAS The
tact understanding of he trainers of the Cons
= on this subject Let us look little more narrowIv
at this last restriction. For whose benefit was il IN
serted? unquestonably Tor the ben III OF the Norm
Its object was 10 secure the people of those Stale, in
the enjoyment OF lower ratio Of ton until Tho
South should be prepared 10 begin the work OF emsn
cipaton. II the South was TO enoy perpetual adj.
vantage IN the way of representation why did m.
North To itself The CORES pondinr adyantaas in
respect 10 taxation, for The short period of on ven
" yelrsl Sir the conclusion Is Irresistible ms, ho,h
the North and the South locked forward 10 The year
lS0S as the commencement, of new era when th,se
gorons words of our Declaration of Intcpepdence
were To be indeed something more than hollos,
abstraction" and when were TO show bv IN,
works our faith in the great doctrine thai ali men
are created equal and endowed with certain up,I;.n
able rights, among which life liberty and The pur
suit of happiness -
do not, indeed expect that this Argument will .
admitted by Southern gentlemen as CON lusive I'm,
think all c,ndld men viii allow that il is nor wi,hou,
force-pansihlity nj east-and TINT a Nor,,ern man
NAV honestly hold it TO 20 satisfactory For nv own
p NtanH do