Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-12-28
Montpelier, Dec. q, 1913.
The DOngh AnaIYzed.
Nriends-udie,I

We clip the following from the Eru's account of the
proceedings in the House of Representatives on Mr.,
Pafreys motion for leave to introduce bill to abol-
sh slavery in the District of Columbia Probably the
"uery anti slavery member from Vermont" was the
gerry essentially used-up Jacob COlamer.
While the Senate was engaged IN talking about
slavery, the House acting. Two movements
were made which served to test its disposition and
disclose the policy of the old party managers The
first by Mr. Palfey, who asked leave to introduce
bill for the repeal Of all acts Of Congress or parts of
acts establishing maintaining slavery or the slave
trade in the District of Columbia. Mr.. Holmes of S.
Carolina nhjartoA, and The q"oeton being taken by
yeas and nays, the vote stood for granting leave TO-
against it, 81 1t will be observed that only 1jl mem
bers out of 228 voted The House was not full, and
some in their seats refused to vote. Had all the mem
bers voted it is doubtful what would have been the
result 1t will be observed in report that very
few Democrats of the North and West opposed the
motion for leave. A few Northern and Western
Wings are recorded i'll the negative, among whom we
note Richard w. Thompson, kind of anti-savarv
TAYLOR man from Indiana Many Of the Taylor men
from the Free States ncensed at Mr. Palfcy for
thus compelling them to show their hands upon this
question: 1t inteiered with certain party calculations
| A very aBtisavery member from Vermont minated
that Mr. Palfiey had an eye merely to the advance
ment of his own special interests in the election to be
! held n tew udyS lot congress, III MS DlStrlCt
But another bombshe was Impending. Mr. Root
brought forward a resolution that the committee on
the Territories be instructed to report to this House.
with as little delay as practicable, bill or bills, pro-
yidnr Territorial Government for each of the Terri
tories of New Mexico and California, and excluding
slavery therefrom. This was decidedly irleguar-.lt
had not been agreed upon in caucus. 1t not in
the programme of the Taylor party. How to get rid
of the dangerous missile, without an explosion, u
delicate problem. Root moved the previous question.
| Hail. of Missouri moved to lay the table; Gid.
dinps that there be call of the House. The Clerk
called the roll-lS7 members answered to their Names
and further proceedings in the call were dispensed
with. The motion to lay on the table was ost-yeas
80, nays 10Y. The previous question was seconded,
the members passing through the telers. Just the
operation was commenced, Mr.. Nlnton, a very anti
slavery TAYLOR member fiom Ohio, arose, apparently
much excited and demanded of the Speaker, whether
the resolution required the committee TO report such
bills with the slavery-rcsirction, mereg TO inquire
into the erpediency of doing The Speaker replied
that it required the committee to report them. Then, ex
claimed Mr. Vinon 81 shall vote against the previous
question:" That is, he was willing to have the com
mttee instructed inquire into The er7ediency OF report
ing bills excluding slavery from the Territories, but
nothing more.
We were under the impression that the Taylor ner
at the North considered the Wmut Proviso settled
question among themselves. But it seems that one
of them, who has always been deemed anti-SIlVerY
wishes it to be regarded open question: and was
unwilling to have his party in Congress committed
upon it! Mark that
Mr.. Vintons example was followed, and we observ
q ed many leading Wings voting nay to the previou:
question BY the help of the Northern and Western
4 Democrats however, the previous question was sus
tanned, and every member brought to direct vote OF
" the resouton-a very unpleasant operation. To be
hauld down to this yea nay bull ring, is species
+ political butchey which gentlemen ought not to at
# tempt upon each other.
. Of course when it became necessary to answer ye
IS or man, there was little apprehension as to the result
: But one Taylor man, and here and there stray Cas-
man from the North ventured to record their names il
~ the negative Rhode Island had the honor of furnish
y ing that courageous Whg in the person of Mr. Gran
% ston, in whose mind change seems to have been GO
I'd ing on similar to the change which proved so fatal t.
the political prospects of another ustrious individual
er Richard W. Thompson voted this time in the afiirma
tive, and one of the mischevOus echoes of the Ha
conveyed to us most pathetic reproach uttered there
y upon by some Southern frend;-"Ah, Thompson" h
as cried, "you are backslider-you have not done a
be well as you did this morning." Weread whole vol
ume Of meaning in that.