Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-01-14


No free State in the Union has ever held or as
serted the right or authority Of the Federal Gov
eminent to abolish or interfere with slavery in a
ny State. But while every free State has always
maintained, and stands ready to maintain, the
constitution and all its compromises, it cannot be
supposed the people of the free States will APP
prove the exerlion of the power OF the Federal
Government to extend indefinitely the institution
Of slavery over territory which is now Free
With the abolition of slavery the Congress of
the Union can have nothing TO do; but it would
be an equally wide departure from the consttu-
tion and from every sound principle upon which
our republican institutions are founded, that the
Government Of the United States should be in
strunental in extending slavery in any direction,
or in converting free territory into slave terrific
ry. To avoid this result it is necessary that Con-
gress shall provide by law against the existence
of slavery in any territory which hereafter may
become the territory Of the United States, and
which shall not be included within the limits OF
q State. Whenever any territory shall have OBJ
tanned q population sufficient for the formation OF
a State Government, and shall have formed a
State constitution, and been admitted into the
Union as a State, then the responsibility OF the
Federal Government on the question OF slavery
for that territory and people, thus admitted as
State, ceases.
Then, say trey who oppose the enactment Of
the Wilmot proviso, Why moi let the question a
lone, and leave it 10 the States and TIE people
themselves to determine whether the State shall
be a slave State or free State? This inquiry
and reasoning is specious and plausible; but the
simplest examination on the principles OF com.
mon sense will show that it is unsound and false
If left alone, slaves more or less will be carried
to the new territory, and If the country Wine IL
remains n territory should be settled by a popu-
lation holding slaves, the new and additional
question of abolition is presented, and IN order
to get free State slavery must first be abolish
ed. This embarrassment in new community,
without means TO indemnify the owners, woulu
be an obstacle almost insurmouna6le, and the
new State would be very far from being free TO
choose between becoming tree State or a Save
State. On the contrary, if the country, while ii
remains Territory, shall be settled by free
population, from which slavery is excluded
then, when State government is formed, the
State and the people wouldbc unem6arrassed Dy
any pecuniary interests on questions OF vested
right, and be free TO decide whether the state
should be a free State or slave State. lr order,
then, to secure this freedom of choice to the state
and 10 the people, slavery must be excluded from
the country while it shall be territory, and I'M
til it shall become State.
But will not pursue the subject now. ltlnust
be obvious to all, as think it will be acknowl-
in the territory will determine the character OF
the state, when that territory shall be erected IN
to state. If the territory has slave poPula-
ton of only ne-fourth or one filth OF The whole
number, it will be slave state. II tree popu-
laton while a territory it will be free State
Exclude slavery from all territory not within the
limits of state, and | am willing the territory
shall determine for itself when it becomes state,
what shall be its character. Many OF the states
IN which slavery existed when the Union was for
med have abolished the institution No instance
of any one of the states from which slavery has
been excluded, can he found where the state or
the people have determined to introduce slaves.
II Congress shall refuse, at this session, 10 make
This free principle iaU, The arms Of The Repubtc
,riH conquer free Territory upon irhtch SLAVERY ciH
be planted | desire the adoption OF the tree prln-
ciple, because believe it to be just to the free
States, just to the white men who fight our bat
ties, and to constitute the strength OF the country
in peace or war; because believe it to be con-
sistent with the principles Of our Government,
and because believe it will tend 10 improve the
condition and character of labor in the whole
country. And who will deny that in a Repub-
lie, it should be one of the chief objects of Gov
crnment TO elevate and dignity the condition and
character of labor? Unless this measure shall
be brought before the House by committee, oil
in some other way, shall continue TO urge the
bill proposed yesterday upon the attention Of
the House.
Thus ends the Wilmot proviso for The present
The Locos have voted it down, and Mr.. King
has protested let us see whether the contest
will end in mere words.
In the Senate Mr. Calhoun has appealed to the
southern Wings to sustain the Slavocracy, but j
is said that they stand firmly against extending
territory.