Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-08-25


ton to the Supreme Court TO be removed is
that court fit tribunal for the determination OF
great political question like this am far
from desiring to dsparage the mpartiality or the
ability of tribunal distinguished for the possess
sion of every judicial excellence, and which
hold in the highest reverence as the great bul.
wark ofour constitutional liberties. It's pre.em-
nent ability is recognised by the universal voice
of the legal profession, and its stern imparaiiy
has been signalIy attested by its decisions in the
great cases of the Amstad negroes, and Prigg
VS.. Pennsylvania. But it is precisely because
of my reverence for that court, and my exalted
estimate of its value as conservative element
I in our system, that would not impose upon it
the painful and dangerous gaton-the plenum
opus alen-of determining so weighty and so del
icate a question as this. We should hazard not
its impartiality and its high moral influence on
! ly. but its constitution. and even its existence.
During the long period e the tendency of this
question, it would be necessarily exposed to ev-
cry adverse influence. Local synpathes, long
cherished preiudices, the predictions of party,
the known wishes of the administration, and of
the national Legislature, would all conspire to
bias the decision, intervening vacancies would
be fi|leI with reference TO the supposed, perhaps
even pledged opinion of the candidate upon this
one question, and when finally the decision
become, with the defeated party, the object of
a hostility as deep.rooted,as persevering.as wide
ly diffused, as rancorous, as are at this moment
the feelings and the prejudices of the parties now
arrayed against each other upon this great is
sue. Could a tribunal which relies for its sup.
port upon moral force and public opinion alone,
awes not by lictnr and f,sccs, enforccs its de-
crees by no armed satellites, dispcnscs no pat
ronage and is sustained BY no executive power
long Withstand the malignant influence, which
would thus be brought to bear upon it
And what would be the condition of things
in the territories meanw lille The issue can
not be made and determined in California or
New Mexico, removed to the Supreme Court
and there heard and adjudged in less than three
or four years. In that space Of time, the terri
tories would be filled up with slaves and slave
holders, and they would probably be ready for
admission into the Union. as states with consti-
tutlons toIerating slavery, before the Supreme
Court would be prepared to pronounce decree,
which il happily favorable to the cause of free
dom, would come, forever, TOO late. Bat it has
been ntimated by gentleman from Alabama
(Mr. llIIiard), that the present introduction of
slavery into the territories is practically impos-
siblc, because there is no law in being there to
enforce the obedience OF the slave. Sir, there is
upon this earth but one law. by which man. in
spite of the law of nature and of God, holds his
fellow man in bond,ae-,bal law of f,rco moral
or phvsical. Doe, slavery in the southern state,
appea for its sunnort IN the mnrol sense of the
unIe,tered and DEGRADED Ar,iran9 Il it rover.
ence for the majesty of the law, considered as
the expression Of a nations will, that binds the
arm OF the slave. in those communities where
the same st tute-b )ok makes il Il crime for the
master to enlighien, by teaching, the immortal
mind Of the servant by the sweat Of whose brow he
lives, and Furnishes with DEATH the SIaya who 10.
hgalns, 4 wine; IN even me Jus. ue'tnc. VI 'n'
person. MS W'Ie' or MS e",'. 49, =" b., ,ho
thor''y o' the u"as'e' 's '..N -.
fear OF brute violence OF tie awe VI s"Pc','' nv
teIligence. 10 these the slaVeholuer ro"'u ap
pea AS successfully III Na'''orha a. II, o'IoI,'a
. and IN case we are a5''" T"'seu "''' Il "o' Nv
ern executive WIN sont''e'n WI"''p wv
, troops that Mr.. io'h, "!'io"t w''''"S 'c' ~
gress to make appropriations ior carrying ''''
late treaty into effect, ana pf"oao'y WIN an ef'
, new ,err''"'y' WIN o' ~ p"' 'n'I',
servilc insurrecton, or mth'ies,a''"h "' puma
dispeasure, that may threaten me peace am sc
,rr,,v ,I the pmiurn nj stakeholder But II ther
= Lao, e.. ,,ti,iuiu,, sl,vprv in New Meyic
DC ~, 'aw ", 49,, ~, ,s,;',n j. nenIing h.
ana Cai'iorh'a WINE u'e i'es"'" 10 " n' ''1s ~
= fore the Judiciary tue COMPROMISE p'' mas Z
I", ho to mas. any Ia,
5 o'iu's Wv ,,,,,io,, nc slavery They car
:, Whatever on lhe su"leo' v, 80 ~,
= not emancipate the siavc.they can enact no 81"
- uta far his nrutectiun against the cruelty OF h
l. -. ,i.,,, o,, l.nJ him M aid in estabIishin
# owner .ne! o"' wv ~" ,i,o.e circpms,a,
. MS rl1hl 10 irteuoh' o"'c' - , T.
IS ces, how could the slave employ or reward Il
Is counsel how could he collect lis witnesses, al
:, what youlI n, hi prnteclinn iinst the resen
n "''', " H. fi.ri,,,od nv his imDn,ent e
% the"t VI '''' i;r,h. ri,,h lin ,rt,
e forts TO assert his rights to his o'r'h-rs
10 II WAS found an easy matter to import saves =
l. IN Tcy,s in sni,e of prohbtory law; will It
IN mora ii,I;cnl, !, in,rnJuce them into New Men
is "".e u'''o "'' W ''' uIo
co III '',c ao'chce o' an a" os oxi.,inr in d
spoke Just now OF SLAYER! "a 'N'7'''i "
6,ncr of the law of God LIT me not be mi
sc ,,Jars,ood iii no, i, Indictment to condeu
rs ,,ho ,yere horn and rear
my ieiiow c1fi't'ahs' ",o w. v;,,ad r,r gon,
atoms before their own age andis 'ncorpoF. At,
on s.p ,r,d;,;ons their historical recollection
vi oo'"es''' '"N''''"'' ''N
ue - e.. .,
eh than in punishment OF crimes wherro WV p"y o.
be have been duly convicted" shall be and remain
III force within the Territory OF oregon ,...-
as, The omsndment was lost ny 'ne .inI fo, n,
uTt YgAs-Messgs Allen, Anterior, bl'd"'h' penn
re- Bradbury. Clarke, Corwin, DAVIS oil MnssachnNt
ant Dyton. Dix, Dodge, FeIch, FlAgeTad Greene y
III Hainlin, Miller, Miles, Spruance, upham ana Wi
to er-al.
DO. NAYs-Messrs Atchlson' Badgeri Dell pr, PIT
nm Boriani b,erse bnap,; i,n,,er' nns O H.,
tore Johnson OF Louisiana, Johnson of Georgia, n
line Lewis, Mangum, Mason, Metcair' Rusk' Sebas
Sturgeon, lnrhe!' Chue'"oou' "e'''' anu
able % u,-; s..,., FROM, N,r,,,