Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-02-17

Whit would prevent it? The law Of force, or the
fear of force. The standing outrage and lndgnlty
standing the deded pages OF the statute BOOK are
still the same.
What next? Look at your Cherokee troubles, and
your Seminole war. One Of those msortunes OF the
Cherokee5 which led to your driving them oil at the
cost Of the national honor in the violation OF sixteen
treaties was that they were charged with haroorng
fugitive slaves The same was the great SIN OF ulp
Seninoles in Florida eXpluted in stubborn conflict
Of seven years duration, at the price know not how
many lives and of at Ie1st twenty millions OF dollars
(lnd nobody knows how much more) OF which we
of the North had to pay oar share, sooner than South
evn slaves should get away from their owners
But time Is wasting, aud must pass entirely over
many things and Lightly over many others As to this
political aspect Of the slave question, how has it dealt
with our right of petition, and our freedom OF speech
anil Of the pressh two last belonging to the inner
itance of our Ang,OSaXon mluiOod, the "rner com
monty recognized in the poorest yassa that croncheN
before daspOt's throne, For s3vera years ue Pet''
lions Of our constituents for the redress oil what 'Aey
felt to be offensive grievances were conemptuousy
thrown back BY standing regulation oil tins llousei-
and now the most have gained is, that they may 60
Into the hand Of the Committee on the District, winch
Committee is Just as well understood as It 1t was
formally set down ana ordained in your rules and orders
is to do its Office by simply burying them out of sight
and taking care that they be no more heard OF for
ever
Liberty of speech and liberty Of the press, what are
they worth in nearly half Of the states Of this Unou
if one would exercise them in relation to the great
moral, social, and political question OF the time YIN
that subject within those borders who does not know
that m IN is not to speak print his mind except at
pcril of life and limb Nor does personal liberty, IN
certain circumstances fare better By tic Constitution
of, Massachusetts established in 1880, people OF color
arc ofthat commemorative much as the whites
Aud by the Federal Constitution, which went into op
Grafton in l7SJ all "citt-Gns Of each state are entitled
TO all privileges and imnunities Of citizens in the sew,
erai states" By the Constitution Of Massachusetts, |
saw freedom isunvfrsa within her limits, aud citizen
shin has nJhiug to do with color. There was never
an act of emancipation in that Commonwealth Eman'
cipation took place by force OF organic law lhree
wears after its adoption, coored man prosecuted u
white for assault and battery. The TACT was auHltted,
but justified on the ground that the black was slave,
and that the assault the lawful chnslisemen OF the
mister The court held, that under the clause OF the
bill Of rights declaring hat"oll men are born free and
equal aud have certain NATURAL essential, and lmirn1-
bic rgats among which may be reckoucd the right OF
enjoying and defending their lives ana liberties an-
prlre almost copied from that written by NrglnIan
ben IN the Declaration OF Independence no such re-
atlans as those Of master and slave could exist IN
Massachusetts The Muster convicted and hned
AMI slavery took its last leave Of her jurisdiction
the coIorel citizen of Massachusetts goes on his
lawful occasions to Southern state, with just as good
constitutional RIGHT to tread its soil in security anc
at will. as the heir of its own longest aud proudes
Nnelga But not only is he forbidden by pseudo
nglslat0n Of the place to land there in freedom, he iS
not permitted to remain IN freedom on board the
ship That has conveyed him He is forced on shore tt
prison: and when be is discharged and departs, 1t Il
on the payment of ransom called the expense Of hN
detention Il he comes second time, he Is scoufged
If third, he is sold into perpetual slavery. So de
crees the 50 called law Massachusetts was uneasy tC
have her unofonding citizens treated thus. She re
m0nsttatcd, but to no purpose except to ORA" d0"l
fresh insult. She could not, nor did she DESIRE to cS
cape the responsibility of adopting all means IN he
power for their protection She sent one OF her mos
respected cll4eus, man Of admirable wisdom, dis
cction dignity and purity of character simply to try
the question of the validity of those provisions whlcl
South Carolina persisted IN affirming to be law, though
that one Of her own eminent sons, who had had coz
nzlncG Of it on the supreme tribunal OF the nation
had said" On the uuconsjuonaIIly Of the law, 1t L
not too much to say, that it will not bear argu
ment*
A new political aspect Of the slave question wat
nov disclosed The slave question had closed The
doors of the Federal Courts, to which it belonged t.
ex nd the security the Federal Constitution had as
su u. The Massachusetts lawyer could not reach th
blnch before which he would have pleaded for the lib
city and rights Of Massachusetts frecmen. Not on
80. Tue slave question had yet further aspects 70
himself lie was expelled, and sent home with indg
L.. :..l;..u;., g., ,o,,,L anal,
MY II were Po'''o'o 10, 'nHS",! ~ ~" a"o'
nun AnG avs % GI"cu' "elo W. 'i"'s' I y"l'
lnIN"s ~ ne'y Pe"i' 1','~. "'.u ~ se,n e. ~,
uFeSS III t''' region uueI S"on ~ el
eAueIAeSl ou"dSe' oH7'eu u +''" '"o'1"0 ''V'
Wai' w
MIR. NnIIfmdh' we nave no present 'et"ouy' y"
cannot raise a regiment, fit out ship, for the NAN
tenance oil tne rights OIL tnoSe 10 WHOM tle s''' o|y
protection, Us nuch rs tley owe a's ~ ~
STATE. we arc u'9ar1eu ny ''''sn y, ~
CONSTITUTION "hcA massachusetts 'eSPCC'' 1 a'c
deF WINE REFER 10 su'n e"peuien'o' ooI III oi' n'..
uieF "o1o nave oIen Ie'oI'5u W. II ''o! w. "
snail see herea',ef lI' 'Iesc ois".'
not merely 10 De aeP'oeu' ~ IS euoh '"uuE"s% ; il
tAat attract attention, arouse WIoen't "',u nl''G
feeling 1t Is method OF ffo'IIgnce 10 pov.ue 1t
the ultimate oVetno" OIL gred' e' , ny '"e PRAGUE
development OF tne'r enofmly nc EXCESS Vi
abuse conducts TO It's luIc. Sa1 70 mr. tl'HI' Wne
welcomed MN pack tua' cPucu 'l4l ""oll! Fe3F,
the annoyanccS ne hal enn4fed' Tor tney seemed
belong 10 tnaL QUICKEST uathhe'S tlaI Jus PIeceut
tne Day oeIleVe II was so ana u'ar VINE .Le pc
oil history was recording tnat o"ln'e'u' c"'Wet' III