Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-08-24
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN


er before done or said, Not that am infallble l
am a man, with the errors of man. With regard to
the political errors have committed, | will say that
they were not errors of the heart, but errors of
the head, and am very free to say that, now that
new question has come up IN which |, as an humble
American Citizen am required to deliberate and act,
have tried to meet that question: with just sense of
my responsibility to my fellow men, and to him that is
the Judge who steth upon the throneand shall weigh
all the actions of menthe question whether freedom
shall he abolished in four or five hundred thousand
square miles of free territory and the curse of human
slavery planted in these square miles Or not.
How may [-how are the old denocrats-I wish
every Democrat in the Union who has resolved to 90
for Gen. Cass here, not that could alter their de-
termination, but wish they here to answer this
question-how we democrats, who profess to take
Thomas Jefferson for guide--how are we to meet
this question? will tell where sought instruction
to enable me to answer it. went first to the decara-
ton of Independence, for that is the starting point
1t formed by those who pledged their lives their
fortunes, and their sacred honors-and these pledges
meant something in '76-and find it begins with this
great foundation truth-that all men are born with
certain rights among which life liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. And then lock to that other
great charter of human lberyas well Divine Free
dom-to the Bibe-and find that of one blood hath
God created all the nations of the earth. TGreat Ap.
pause.l
How can any reasoning in 4s, from any mind, how
ever powerful or acute-for am not a man to dsre-
pect John G. Calhoun, even for that mad act Of Null
ll6cation for the errors of man of genius are sa-
cred to him who has mind TO appreciate and enjoy
its lightning action-can any reasoning of Mr. Calhoun
or any of his imtators, or repeatCs his northern
what shall call them Can any of them convince
me that the Declaration Independence sets out with
falsehood and the Bible not true ? How absurd How
ridiculous Why, as well might the Southern Slave
holders attempt to repeat the miracle of Joshua and
command the to stand still in the heavens or to
roll back with their Pony arms Niagara's mighty flood,
as to stop the outworking of these principles These
men do great injustice to themselves we'll as to the
great mass Of the people of the South to suppose that
they can make any body believe thai these are not
the first of the truths in the political economy of our
land.
Then passed to the Constitution ofthe United states
am told that there are great many compromises in
that instrumen-and there are, for it was a work
of compromise. But how was it made? Did body
of people attempt to get together at the close of
week of July, and attempt to patch up compromise
and act upon it in such hot haste that had it not been
for the Magnetic Telegraph, which appears to have
been providentally given for the express purpose
Of defeating this compromse-they would have pass
cd it before the people could have heard Of the plot.
Was that the way they made compromises in that day?
No it took about three years. perhaps four of discus
convention of delegates called together for the pur-
pose of asceraing how the articles of confederation
could be amended. After the articles had been thus
discussed, before they were prepared to be submitted
to the convention, the convention itself was in session
from May to September, and there were such men as
Washington, Adams and Franklin in that convention,
and they spent several months in the delberaton and
then settled or instrument containing certain COM
promises, which they submitted to the several States
as an instrument of government And it did not 90
into effect till after had been placed before the peo-
pie and they spent nearly the whole of the next year
IN discussing it. 1t then came before the State Con-
vcntons and some of these conventions were three
or four months in session, and it finally went into eff
feet with only ten States now remind you of this
for understand that our members of Congress are
now Matching new compromise.
The Missouri compromise was before this people
several years. and it went from Congress tt
another, that the final BILL containing what call
ed the Missouri Compromise, was not passed till after
an election had been held and the people thus had
opportunity indirectly, to express their sentiments up
on the question. And therefore, say to our natlOna
Legislators, that before they attempt to pass anothe
compromise, they will wait and let the people express
their opinions next November, and enable every MAJ
to say whether not it is Christanke and becoming
free people to abolish freedom in Mexico and Cali
fornia and plant slavery there, and in the of al
that is right and Just and true if they would not maxi
! our name Kissing and bye word throughout thu
earth, let this Congress withhold their hands from thu
passage of such act and especially, let the Hous
of Representatives adhere to the position they hav
taken and lay the bill on the table, not only by ma
jority of fifteen, but by three times fifteen.
There is another point which wish you to observe
This compromise bill would have shuffled this matte
off upon the supreme court. The constitution says tn
congress of the United States, not the supreme
nor any other Judicial tribunal however learned ma
shall have power to make laws regulating territories
Well, now here are three territories Oregon, Ne'
n Mexico, and California. Well, now, they wont Civ
y the people of Oregon government. Why? BE
y cause no part of it lies below 36 deg. 30 min. M
it lies four or FIVE degrees above, and most of it in
Y deg. What then? Why, because southern men sa
they won't vote for any President of the United State
unless he is in favor of allowing slavery south of
h deg. 30. min. and therefore although Oregon lie
l. north of AZ deg, they will not pass law giving
government to Oregon unless pari paSsu you will pas
'r law authorizing slavery in territory south of 36 de-
1t 30 min. These territories not the footing
the old territories, and when they put the question
l. us,w you help abolish freedom there and plant SLAYER
Is in lis stead, we OF the New York democracy said n
ID We have never beer blamed for not going far enoug
l. with you but we have often been blamed for going tC
of far and fellow citizens if you allow the Federal CO.
y ernment to take step forward to abolish Freedo
It, and establish slavery in the territory acquired by III
N righteous war, you become parties to tine enormit
and the guilt rests upon every soul that takes part
n, it.
III Fellow citizens, the question now before is
question of greater Importance than any other that
lie before the country or the world The oppressed al
e, down todden of the old world look to this country
e. homes and if allow slavery to be introduced in
u the territories of the South and West, these Poop
ut never can find home there. Free labor cam
err live where slavery holds sway and thus you see tn
he this question embraces the interests of myrad tn
are to come after U.S. on both sides of the Atlantic
lie And, fellow citizens of every kind, feeling the impc
IS. lance of this question, with you to the victor
ng Great Applause.
m After song by Jesse Hutchinson and three 9th
C. individuals, the convention adjourned to to-morc
al morning.
al SECOND DAY.
an THURSDAY MORNING, Aug. 10.
I The meeting was called to order by the Preside
,ot and its deliberations opened with prayer by the RI
ed s. ]. May, of Syracuse.
itb Mr. BRIeGs, of Ohio to the stand at the call
ice the meeting What he inquired has caused this gre
too multitude TO come up here from Maine TO the banks
us the Mississppi--om the far north down to the m
it die south? We have not come up here to sing son