Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-07-06

existed since the commencement of the government,
and the consequences of which have been sautary
must cease and every act of Congress designed to
carry it into effect be defeated by the Veto of the Ex-
ecutive.
The territories now owned by the United States
and every acquisition of territory that may hereafter
be made to the United States whether obtained by
annexation by cesson for a valuable consideration
by conquest must as long this opinion is held and
as far as the action of the National legislature con-
cemed be subject to the inroads ofsavery. And this
consequence is to be submitted to on the assumption
that the trainers of the constitution, with their atten-
ton directed to the subject, and with well-under-
stood desire to do SO, have failed to cothe Congress
with the necessary powers to prevent it. / cannot
with my vote contribute to this sanction. | cannot do
so because cannot concur in the opinion which we
are called upon to sustain
Entertaining these views of the constitution could
not by my vote contribute to the proposed sanction of
this new principle in the administration of the federal
government without, at the same time, avowing my
self to be in favor of the extension of slavery in the
abstract, and this | can never do Those who agree
with Inc in regard to the existence OF the power and
the expediency Of our exercising it, and can still bring
their minds to dissent from this conclusion must have
more light upon the subject greater power of dis
eliminating than possess; do therefore unhestating-
ly approve Of the course you propose to pursue, in
Withholding your votes from Governor Cass, and shall
do so myself If no other candidate than those now
before the country be presented, shall not vote for
President The manner in which our political breh-
rem in other Non-slavehoding states shall dispose of
their sufrages, is for them to determine, and with it
we have nothing to do But that they accord with us
in the opinion to the existence of the power in ques
ton and the expedience of exercising it whenever the
occasion for SO doing arrives, have the best
| to know
The power, the existence of which is at this late
day denied, is, in my opinion, fully granted to Con-
nv the (Ouc+ IFS oOU11oon tln cirrun,
stances under which has been adopted tire recorded
explanations which accompanied its lomation-the
construction it has received from our highest judicial
tribunals, and the very solemn and repeated conlrma-
tons it has derived from the measures of Government
leave not the shadow of a doubt in my mind in re-
gard to the authority of Congress to exercise the pow
er in question This is not new opinion on my part
nor the first occasion on which it has been ayowed.-
While the candidate of my friends for the Presidency
distinctly announced my opinion in favor ofthe pow
err of Congress to abolish Slavery in the District of
Columbia, although | was, for reasons which were
then, and are still satisfactory to my mind very deci-
dedly opposed to its exercise there. The question Of
power is certainly clear in respect to the Territories
it is in regard to that District and to the Ter
ritories my opinion also made known in a still
more solemn form, by giving the Executive approval
required by the Constitution to the bill for the organ
ization of the Territorial Government Of Iowa, which
prohibited the Introduction OF Slavery into that Ter
ritory.
The opinion from which we dissent was given in
the face of, and directly contrary to the views ex-
pressed in forms the most solemn and explicit by all
or nearly all the non-savehoding States and we are
not at liberty to suspect the sincerity of these express
sons. Honest and wel-meoning men, as we know
the masses of our political friends in those States to
be- are incapable OF trltng with grave a subject
Our ancestors signalized the commencement of this
glorious government Of ours, by rescuing from sub
6 lection to slavery Territory which is now covered
by five great States and peoped by more than four
millions of Froemen, in the full enjoyment of every
! blessing which industry and good Constitutions can
confer. They did this when the opinion and conduct
of the world in regard to the institution of slavery
n were very different from it is now. They did be-
6 fore Great Britain had commenced those gigan~
tic efforts for the suppression of slavery by which she
' has so greatly distinguished herself After seventy
r. four years, enjoyment of that sacred and invaluable
right of seltgoVernmen obtained for us by the vaor
and discretion OF ancestors, We their descendants
called upon TO DOOM if that is too strong word
TO expose to the inroads of slavery territory capable
- Of sustaining equal number of new States to be
, added to our Conederacy-a territory IN great part
which slavery has never existed in actand from the
residue Of which it has been strictly abolished by the
existing Government. We are called upon to do this
at period when the minds of nearly all mankind have
been penetrated by conviction of the evils of Slave
IIy and united in efforts for its suppression-at
moment too, when the spirit of Freedom and Reform
is every where far more prevalent than it ever has
boon and when onr rcnnbc stands nrondlv forth rs
the GREAT eyempar Of the world in tbe science Of free
If Goyee rrT9 ~ Wv 'e''| n.y.
= Who can believe that nonIation like that which
g inhabits the non-sIavcholdmg States. probably a.
: mounting to twelve millions, Who by their own acts
or bv the FORESIGHT of others. have been exempted
from the evils Of slavery, cam at such moment he
+ indncoJ NV anv considerations Of nnv Ioecrinon tc
st make rc}ror3de movement Of charactcr So extro-
e nrinorv and 90 noinf,? Sncb novcmont wouId
/ II nv yow Of tn matter onJ soy with
1t 70 tho onn;ors Of others 5yno
+ ronroocb mon tho namenca Of fna institutions WIFI
,gdnJ jaIbt Lo hearts md evco tbn bonos of tbl
IS advocates 6f arbitrary mower bro,ghont tba yord
/ Ho1dna those on9dns Won bove dnt;o, ~ norforo
ID 40 tonortt 40 tbdv aro doIroto In tho fst nlncl
RS Won sRod odboro }oaov;h ~ vonr onn;on os onC
1t ne Won believe thcm 70 he ight and M lonaer nj.
g Won viii do In tho novt ,5co no Won should rroson
yo,'r Vows in rega.d f. them cloSr and Jsfinct,,
& Int 6nlv to vonr noIitral brotbren Of the Save
h Ioldi, Stotos ,vb FIJI stotonont If tho rnaso, -,
If ;, bo,, ,roro fDnnjo5 ta thoso ro1s,s ,'n
cnmtrarnrtcd if tboy arc not sounI mis- Won 5ovt
IS no IN obnr ;,npo,ton rosnncts vonr no3tons mr.