The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1848-07-26
TACILIS DESCENSUS AvERNI!

20 With such opprobrious and false epithets heading
n every aluson to that act of consummate statesman
ship which is destined to save the nation with hon
or and justice from the certain ruin towards which
!, it was rushing but now with terrible speed, does the
it NEw-YoRK TRIBUNE stigmatize and misrepresent
j., the Bill of the Territorial Committee; sending
d through its mighty channel of influence into the
y minds of our Northern people, the poison of preju-
dice and bitter, obstinate and unconciliatng fac
tiousness.
It We have long been accustomed to look to the
Tribune for lessons of wisdom, patriotism and lofty
f integrity. We owe much personally to its hitherto
: enrolling influence, and have fondy delighted to
class the remarkable man who speaks through it as
5 among the first of our nation and age
But "what fall was there" when the anger of a
disappointed pdrtizan prevailed over the magnanim-
ity and candor of the patriot, and prosttuted the
power of that Press to strengthen the violence of
sectiona strife! Still we hoped that the seeming fall
was but stumble, false step soon to bcrccovered,
and waited anxiously and with astonished disap-
pointment every day to see position retracted
which gave the lie to the whole tenor of consistent
and useful life. Weary with 'hope Deferred we
ceased to look for better things, and anticipated the
position which that sadly altered paper has taken
on the proposed CONSTITUTIONAL DECISION of this
great question of Constitutional Law. But we were
far from anticipating either the impotence, the Bit
terness Or the uncandd specal-pleading which char
acerzc the 7I5anes first article OH the subject I'll
this is specimen Of the argument in opposition to
the Bill the remainder will hardly prove worth ex-
aiming
Its main position i'll port of relevancy, is the al
legged inaiI7r1Tiotcness ard cO'7UftNAy of the tr-
buna to which the question is proposed to be refer
red As to the viruent and extravagant calumny
upon that hitherto ustrious, unstancd and unshak-
en- pillar of our Constitution the Supreme Court of
the United States, implied in the T,ibune's de-
scrption of it as this utterly Irresponsible noto-
riously one-sided and very limited body-fiye of the
nne Shareholders and eight of the nine partizans of
the Boss Dough(nce for Prcsident'-we should but
waste words in exposing for men of sense the ma
lignant sophistry to which every page of our coun
trys history gives the lie, and only characterize
it as unutterably dsgraceful to its author, as an
American and as man.
The untarness and appropriateness of "substi-
tuting this tribunal for Congress-" the Tribune will
lind it hard to make evident. TO be sure, every
sane man not running for Office knows that Con-
5ess possesses the power to legsae on this subject
Out now much more appropriate, in the eye of
urst, how much more rational and honorable in the
I'VE OF common sense, and above all, how much
more safe and paccatory, to the anxious eye of the
'atriot, to leave the subject untouched by danger
JUS and perhaps mpracticablc le0ientior '''-'-
~oI aver 70 be intrinsicay needless, and 20
lto the Supreme Court with the issue to which the
southern Utraists have in the noble imprudence of
onest fanaticism consented and submit this simple
uestion-ls Slarery or is it not, just and uniyer-
al institution in its own rght-a principle of Con- IL
titutiOnal or Common Law? p
Our leading remarks on this subject were in type If
eorc we had seen either the Trbune's invective al
+ the remarks or 1ohn NJ Clo,.fo, ,,no, Ii. ;+ re
action of the bill and we are gratied to find our n,
rst Impressions confirmed by both.-cepeciallv by in
lie precise coincidence between the intention and th
ndency of the measure, stated by Mr. Clayton, tn
nd the view which it presented to us at first sight
Che Tribune regrets to see the namo of S. s. VI
ur1ps. Of vorr,or+ on t,,i. co,o,,i,,oo W. til
.otrlotc orr Sonoto, opd o,,r sto+o o, .,o a. Ii
va" 'Di "'"'o "loi' 'io us ca
CHARACTERIZATION shared by them in the prcsena- ia
m of this rlorious oos,,ro of sdo,, ond ,n;e ia
tion,) G.
The following ara amono tbo ro,,orl. IF ,ru ole
layton: NJ.
,rl:u I'm ,.,., DO
'r and the South into onJ ve vic
ii question. 1t only asks of men of nil sections or
tIc the daop o GI h t ana suer that to he
the Constitution settles the question either way "a"
those who rail at the decision vent their indigna- Pu
er no bill to introduce Slavery by CONGRESSIONAL Gil
actment into any free territory. IT, as the South Ru
Intends, the Constitution gives the rclt TO carry ;et