Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-07-31

We solicit your particular attention, fellow
citizens, to this statement 1t has been the
practice of many to represent the American gov
eminent as the patron and guardian Of slave
ry Some have even dared to say that it was
the settled purpose of the founders of the
government that it should fulfil this office. We
Join issue with all such persons We denouAcs
all such representations as libels upon the great
men who won and bequeathed to US the precious
heritage of free Institutions We insist that from
the assembling of the first Congress in l774,
until its final organization under the existing
constitution in 1889, the American government
was anti-slaVery in its character and policy.
The importance of tits position, and the
probability that this address will be read by some
who have not examined il, justify the appropria~
ton OF some space to the proof Of it.
We, therefore, invite your attention to q me-
morable act Of the first Congress, which assem-,
bIed in IVA. The non-importation, non-con-
sumption, and non-exportaton agreement ofthat
lllusrlous body, signed in their individual and
representative capacities, by the delegates of all
the represented colonies and promulgated to the
world as the solemn act Of United America COLI
tanned this remarkable clause owe will Meth
er import nor purchase any slave imported after
the first day of December next; after which time
we will wholly discontinue the slave trade, and
neither be concerned in it ourselves, nor will VIC
hire our vessels or sell our commodities or man
ulactures to those who may be concerned in it"
The entire agreement of which this clause was
part, was not indeed, intended to be Of perpetu-
al obligation; yet the sngularly emphatic phrase
ology of this part Of it manilests clearly enough
the understanding of the delegates as to the OBJ
legation they assumed for themselves and for tho
country. 1t was, in fact, deliberate national
vow and covenant against all traffic in human
beings and was so understood by the people at
large. Virginia proceeded, soon after, to abol-
ish the slave trade by solemn act Of legislation
and her example was followed by all or nearly all
the States.
Two years afterwards the Declaration of indie
pendence was promulgated to the world. In a
single sentence of this great act, our fathers EN-
bodied the fundamental principles on which they
proposed to established the free government Of
the United States. owe hold these truths to be
selEeyident that all men are created equal
that they are endowed by their Creator with Ger
tain inalienable rights; that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit CT happiness" In
these words, for the first time in the history of
the world, was the doctrine Of the inalienabe
right Of every man to life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness, soIemnly proclaimed as tho
basis Of nationa! political .fai& This dec
a.,
made it its own by adoption to eternal hostility to
every form of despotism and oppression, With
this declaration inscribed upon their banners,
they went into the war ofthe revolution, invok-
ing the attestaton of 'the supreme Judge CT the
world to the recttude of their purposes,
After protracted and dubious struggle, tho
Independence of the American republic was ct
length achieved, and the attention Of Congress
was turned to the establishment and extension of
free institutions. Beyond the Allegheny noun
tains, then the western limits Of civilization
stretched vast territory, unhodden except by
the savage, but destined in the hopo and faith Of
the patriots of the revolution to DO the seat Of
mighty States To this territory, during the
{ war just terminated, various States had set up
+ conflicting claims ; while the Congress had urg.
ed upon all the cession of their several pretcn-
I sions for the common good. The recommends
G tons OF Congress prevailed Among the States
S which sgnalized their patriotism by the cession
of claims to western territory, Virginia was pre-
! eminently distinguished, both by the magnitude
of her grant and the spirit in which it was made
The claim of Virginia comprehended almost all
! that is now Ohio Indiana, and Illinois. She
4 yielded it ALL almost with no other condition
. than that the territory should be disposed of for
r the common benefit and finally erected into re-
4 publican States The absence of all stipulations
in behalf ofsavcry in these cessions, and espec-
ally in that of Virginia, furnishes strong evidence
: the prevalence ofantl-slavery sentiment at that
: day. But the action of Congress in relation to
d the territory thus acquired, supplies decisive
i proof
: 1t was in 1887, that Congress promulgated
the celebrated ordinance for the government of
J. the territory northwest of the river Ohio. In this
a ordinance for the purpose of Extending the
n fundamental principles of civil and religious lib
y erty; to fix and establish those
: principles as the basis of all laws constitutions
and governments, which forever thereafter should
be formed in said territory" established "certain
r articles of compact between the original States
and the people and States in the territory, to re-
e main forever unaIterablc, unless by common con-
/, sent" One Of these articles of compact de-
clared that there should be "neither slavery nor
1t involuntary servtude in the territory, otherwise
1t than in the punishment of crimes" providing,
however, that the right of retakng iugitives from
service should be preserved to the citizens of the
IF original States This ordinance was adopted by
d the unannousv,te ofal the States, there being
y but single individual negative, which was Civ
d en- by member from New York. Upon the
n question of excluding slavery, we may fairly as
5, sumo there was entire unanmty
d L seems to US impossible to conceive Of a