Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-05-26
We find in Saturdays Sentinel the follow

We find in Saturdays Sentinel the follow
ing -
Particularly for the cdificn,ion and Amusement, of
those friends OF Mr. CLAY in this region Of the
nv whose feelings have anti slavery tendency and
who believe the right to abolish slavery in the terri
tories OF the United states lies III Congress, and who
declare they will support candidate for TIE office
OF chict ma gstrac oi the United States such
one as will favor such abolition III the territorieswc
publish a resolution which the great author of the
Compromise, introduced into the Senate OF the
United states III the winter OF 1873.
After this solemn and imposing introduction
what follows, does the reader suppose OF
course. he imagnes, resolution presented by
Mr. CLAY, t. in the Writer of 1875 affirming
the unconsitutionali,y ofnbolisne Slavery in
TIE rEKR TORIES Of the United States" No
other conclusion can follow the premises. But,
aside from the triiling fact that there is no
Slavery to abolish in any of the TERRITORIES
of the United States, that we know of, the reso-
luton quoted has 10 reference whatever to
Slavery in such Territories, and does not affirm
that it would be unconstitutional to abolish it. if
it existed there! The resolution, as will be
seen below, simply declares that, in the opinion
Of Mr. Clay, any act constitutional or not con-
siitutonaD abolshing Slavery in the District Of
Coiun,Jia, would he IA rioiqtion NJ The iaM i'm
piled in the ccssion by the States Of Virginia
and Mar, land II does not assert the doctrine
that Congress has not, as it haS, supreme and
exclusive jurisdiction in that District, but merely
expresses the opinion that, if Congress ShouH
pass such an act, it would be very unfair towards
the states named, who never meant that it should
be done.
ReS0'rcd, That the interference by the citizens
oiany OF the States, with the riew OF the abolition Ct
slavery in the District, s cndangcriug the rights and
security of the people of the District and that any
or measure Of Congress, designed to abolish sa-
very in the District, would be violation OF the faith
implied in the ccsson, by the States OF Virginia and
Maryland, lns, cause OF alarm to the people Of the
bic tendency To disturb and endanger the Union.'
Now the notion that this resolution has res
rect to the abolition of Slavery " in the Terrific
ries OF the United States" is one worthy the
days Of the old Sentinel Mr. CLAY was OPP
posed to any act Of Congress abolshing Slavery
in the District Of Columbia, because he held
that such an act would be in bad faith towards
the States Of Virginia and Maryland, who ceded
that District tu the Union ;--iheretore. SAYS the
Sentinel, lie is opposed to abolishng Slavery
mhere no Sorery artists Dogberry's logic did
nit come quite up to this -
- There is n large amount of humbun
prevailing among the democracy 10th of the
North and the South, respecting the views OF the
Wings on the subject Of aboshing, slavery
IN this Union. whether through intentional
misrepresentation (Which we should be sorry to
char..) through ineNcusible ignorance, the
Sentinel Joins the great army of Iocoinco nom
interference papers that make no sort of di,,iuc
ton whatever between efforts to abolish slavery
where it now exists, and to proven, its crlsDxi,j,
where it does not exist. The distinction is a.
broad As the praires Old bunker I.ocotnco.
Ism (Which numbers the Sentinel among its adj
vocatcs and apuugists) announces Itself TO be
in favor of having nothing to do or say about
either the Wings, while they claim the rirht
to oppose It's EXTENSION, have Repeatedly and
always disclaimed any right or intention to in.
lertcrc in any way with Slavery as il CRISIS il,
The States. they do not prfiend that the Con-
stitution gives them any right to such intcrter-
encc. Slavery is exclusively Il Siaie affair OF
msht"tion,' as it is pompously called. and. AZ
SUCH the question of abulisling or contiu,ljno
II. pertains exclusively 10 the individual States
Far, Otherwise is it, however, in regard TO the
ertenSion of Slavery into Territory where i,
does not now exist. Such Territory j, under
The control Of ongrcSs-Congrcss has rci e IT.
edly exercised its law-naking authority over
the National Territories, and with the very pur-
pose of excluding slavery tlereirom. jI,aL
bmy, Cass. aud other bright lights of Iocof5co-
ism, III bidding for prn-savcry votes, have
uttered deal OF dcmagogue twatlle about the
nights u the South To take their urolprjy" with
them into the Territories of this Tn iii Bat
human beings are not = propcriy' in those Ter
r'ior'es, unless Congress thinks proper to make
them so--Therc can he no nainrui : prorcr,v >
III them, under any circumstances. Slaves are
property only in the States where the State
law makes them so Elsewhere they are MEN
though the Laws OF Congress may compel the
free States To return them, as iugit,e>," in
case they ahscond
Over slavery IN the District of Columbia and
To prohibit and prevent lis crcH>ioH, the Whip
doctrine, we understand it, is that Conores,
has supreme power. But the Wing view of the
matter is so we'll laid down by Mr. GlppyGs. in
a speech in Congress. made on the 10Th ult
that we quote it Tor the information of the Sen.
hHet and Locoioco papers generally. It is "a
follows -
Il will now repeat, perhaps for the hunlrcdh time
th"t II" people OF ne slave states IN Iny opinion, hold
the institution OF slavery the disposal OF their own
VIII, with supreme and unlimited powers to continue
or abolish al their pleasure that il is strictly
Sntc institution over which tins body, nor the Fcde
8
the power To egslae Ion the retum OF fugitive slaves
And when say this Government has no power to in.
teriere with slavery, mean Just what say. Intend
10 Ice understood as saying that the people Of the free
States have the same ndlsputahie Ii be- free and
exempt nom the support Of slavery which the slav,
States have To sustain II TINT this Government has
no constitutional power to involve OF the free Stat.
in the iurptudc ui slavery. We possess the positive
unqualified and ndspulable right 10 remain .Ncmp
from its continuation, unstaincd with its guilt ant
disconnected with lis crimes. We will not eycnc
that institution nor create slave markets upon sol
that is now free, nor will we associate with ncw slave.
holding States We deny the constitutional power o.
this Government to compel the people Of the fire.,
States TO associate with Mexican Shareholders upol
such terms will give the owner Of one hund rec
Mexican slaves an influence IN this Government an,
over Northern interests equal TO sixty OF our ed
ucated and intelligent trccmen. We therefore hold /
cardlna principle never 10 Increase the slave powe
in the Senate by admission OF new slave States no
shall we consent to any extension of the slave powe
whatever. Our motto IS" Keep your Sldpery ,chcr
a. as; manage in your OicH ray, and according d
your o,rn discretion: WHh ii zoe shall hare nofhin!
10 do" now speak as a legislator. My duties
member of Congress are so plain that waylarin
man, though a fool, could not mistake them. Til
body, sir, never had the constitutional power to eslab
lish in this District 1t exists here in direct viola
When, therefore, Congress enacted the lirw OF egh
hundred and one, by which slavery in this Disnc
wusestablished and continued, they not only violate
their duty God and to their fellows men, but the
dsIegarded their constitutional powers and violate