Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-07-22
Antt- Glop&rp.
Speech Of Hon. J. R. GidAings,

GpCGCl vi Hon. D. H. UlddlllgS,
Of Ohio, dc1ipcred in the House Of Rcprescnt-
atioes Concord, " H., on tie c0ming of
June %, l847.
REPORTED FOR THE DEMOCRAT AND FREEMAN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
The topic upon which shall address you is
the relation Of the Free States to the institution
Of slavery. In the comments which may make,
although may say that which may be consider
ed as relating to political parties, appear before
you not as a wing, democrat, an Independent,
or a Liberty man. | come to you, fellow cit-
zens, in the character of an American citizen,
and shall address you as such. / shall consider
you as lovers of our country, admirers of the in
stitutions under which we live, and in that char
acter shall address you.
1t is our practice in the Western country,
whenever speaker addresses an audience, for
any member of that audience who shall be dissa-
tlsled with his statements and wish for further
evidence, to call for that evidence As | shall
hurry through the subject as rapidly as can,
shall not stop to give you all the facts in proof of
my statements and it is my anxious desire that if
am wrong, those who hear me may set me right,
through the public press, or in any other mode
derstood, and the remarks which | shall make, it
will be my highest aim to communicate my few
ideas in manner so as to be fully understood
Almost all prominent men are more or less mis-
apprehended, and if shall be more fortunate, my
end will be attained. If my ideas are not correct
desire that they shall be set right. III am
wrong, it is my prayer to God and request to
man, that may be set right | will now pro-
coed to my subject; the relation which the free
states hold to the institution of slavery
1t is one of great and vast Importance; and as
its importance is becoming daily more and more
apparent and public attention more and more
turned to this subject, trust that my audience
will all of them feel disposition this evening
thoroughly to investigate what shall be placed
before them for their consideration want the
particular attention Of each partisan now present
For my own part, believe there is very little
difference ofsentiment when we understand each
other.
lay down as fundamental proposition, that
the right of the free states in relation to the in
stitution of slavery, is to be entirely exempt from
all participation in its support, in its expense or
in its guilt. wish to be understood on this
point. maintain that there is no power vested
/
any portion of its expense any portion of It's
quit, or any portion its disgrace. address my
self to the wings of this House, | address myself
to the Liberty men, to the Independent demo-
crafts and to the democrats themselves. Do
speak your sentiments when lay down this
broad basis, that there is no power under the
constitution to involve you in the support Of that
institution to any extent or for any purpose!
1t would be proper perhaps, before proceed
ing further, to illustrate this portion of my sub
ect, as it is the basis upon which my future re-
marks will be founded. In doing this | wish to
say to the people that at the formation of the fed
eral constitution, the delegation, from the North
or what is termed the free states of this Union
went up to that convention deeply impressed with
the high and exalting principles of universal lib
ery They carried with them the doctrines
promulgated on the 4th of July, I776, to which
they adhered, and to which they were ardently
attached. In the convention which formed the
constitution they advocated these sentiments
they sustained these principles andwere DESTROYS
of placing the government of the nation upon
that basis. Not 50 with southern members
They came with different views; they brought
with them, particularly from South Carolina ant
nation to continue the slave-trade. And the
f first difficulty was upon that vexed question
which from that day to this has never ceased t
agitate the nation and upon which the South ant
the North have stood pited against each other
The North were the advocates of freedom, as
their Pilgrim fathers had taught them; the Soutl
were descended from a different race with view,
in favor of slavery.
j Now comes the compromises of the consttu
tion; and what were they! We hear of them a
every turn They meet us from every STUMP
and from every deliberative body. What I'M
derstand by the compromises are the terms upoT
5 which they agreed to adjust that question anC
upon which they did adjust it; and these prnc
pies were that they would have nothing to dc
: with it, that they would leave the institution o
slavery where it was, with the state governments
S and that the federal government should have NJ
!, power over it; that the state government Whicl
r held slaves should have the sole, exclusive, par
e amount power and right to dispose OF IT as the
, saw fit; and that there was no power vested IL
the federal government to interfere with 1t 10
# any purpose whatever Am right! / want tn
i attention of those gentlemen who arc disposed t
d doubt this; want any one, be he who he may
n that denies my position, to rise and say so an
+ will respectfully give him further Illustration
c my ideas. If ] am in error, beg of you as yo
s. love your country, as you respect your fellow c
l. tizens to set me right, to correct and expose m
error.
20 say then, the federal constitution left tn
Il matter with the several states The trainers
n that instrument stipulated with Virginia, for e.
ample tbas the,a ~H>nld !" mower IN the tex