The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-10-20


under a federal constitution that, Nv rnmpr0m
p lzaa, guamnned 81 the States, IA which Save
~ then existed, thr continuance NJ uurit fiff'
ipiainu pyrT thrir black p0puIat0n as, &" ihr
/ fhawe 81 humanity, was mltnl4nrd o. not pei
rod saving continued iu The oonirdrfa-
7 ~ 90 the same terms, until nnw-hhe can not
perhaps, justly asset she Institution, o. u b. ~
those htales, by apy other lban the moral o.
pcucirH which are eAtculltrd,a prTHunsigCs,t 60
d work out drsinLlc ChHng1s in The opinions Of
men but, ~ The utmost possible extent, in
/ tbc employment Of such Hgenclga, We arc, !
I thihk, lusli6cdi and, a. my view, u ~ wofur
thlu political bluudfr 10 our follow nitlenf
Of The slave htairs, 90 attempt ~ shnt out
from themselves by statutes, resolutions aud
paper bumhEs, the light Of Tint truth which
Will, ~ doe time, penetrate all minds, aud AMI
male all Wcn with the love ~ pure Freedom
The auN-raycfy spint Of tnr people ~ his
great nation Will not slumhrr nor filter A.
gaiusl alI opposilon on tIu PlH ~ Hllyotdid
rfH, the Pfrgt work ~ ruighirniHF The grnrT-
al mind ~ slayr,baldiUg spyes GOES steadily
forwards and " lhoy that labor therein do not
forget that great physical changes in the con
dllon of mank md lTe The results OF AGENCIES
directed by On wihri than they, and shall not
impiously attempt 10 fofesthll Ills dcaigns---
the freedom nllhc Slaves ~ these STATES viii
br HttHTHrd, HHh M ihui iii- " hen aHd " bat
manner 4 ~ best II should be-.
The continued existence Of slavery, aud uf
~ Traffic, 10 the District Of Columbia, h. an
anomaly, That email national domain having
been made up BY oeHsi0ns from slave States, "
BE- objected ~ The abolition # slavery therein
ilnt, whatever rights oi legislation, govern.
mcnt audpulicr ihc Federal Government uc.
qufrd by the acis a. scsslun, indiN ldual rights
Of property were uot thereby changed, or rem,
d"Trd ChauF'ahiof but that the citizens of the
territory conveyed continued 90 have the rHht
Ia purchase aud hold slaves, under the federal
lufisdichun, uH under their former respective
state governments The conclusion drawn b.
those who maintain the objection b., that Con.
goes has 40 constitutional power 20 abolish
slavery IA the District, without the consent
-oLlhe- aMHffs of the slaves While tht cues,
ton has been much considered aud many able
minds have taken uuEpurttr view Of thc case,
and while, tu relation Ca this, some difficulties
exist, not insupcrnhlc, yet embarrassing
enough for ~ 10 cay, thst the people Of this
staT cannot conccde 90 slavery on 'auy 1cdrf-
al territory power superior 60 that Of the
Federal Government, tor be- made 90 believe
that there ~ not q way hy winch this foul blot
upon the nBii0ual cscutchcon may lte removed
1hoyf therefore, insist that It should br
They have no doubt that II ConFtess Will de-
~ this behalf what It may, the llng of the
Uuion--emhlcm of liberty would not longer
throw It's graceful folds from The capitol over
slaIc pcn- mud IL cnIIEun pt uuuIiii-.airfl
misery,
! he imminent question of this limo ,touch4,
ing the peace ofilr Iuion, IL that OF the srien-
SION of slavery. Under circumstances 80 PEI
culinr M Ca have impressed the event very
deeply IA The public mind, Congress failed To
establish territorial governments Tor New
Mexico and California. The inhabitants oi
these territories have, therefore. been con.
strained to regulate their civil affairs, ns they
best could under tie laws of the country cN-
istlug when IL was acquired, 80 ihr az those
laws have not been affected by lhe exercise
of military jurisdiction, niainlnined"by the
Executive OF the United States. Il is not en-
~ To define the nature of The government
under wiirli the people of those lands have
lived: buI II n apparent TINT they were hhnu.
dopcd ly the poncr that owed them praicc-
lion, Being thus rcmiucd to thcir natural
ndrlrnslblr righls--riglts recognized hy our
Declaration of mdepcndencc-rights which
the founders of the organic law Of our own
Smte cmphn;lcnlly ussertcd-thc inhabitants
of these territories huye instituted proceed.
tUp- towards the lurunluh Ola Slate eoNcru- Z
mcUt for rurh, Hud therein made such pro-
grcss that. III murh rrul,rl'ility, oHe nfihcu.
Il not both, viii Ice iuuutl, with "a Stntu Con .
siit,niou IA hnud, knocking at the door. dur.
ing the neNt session ot Congress, Tor admis-
sion INTO the uuon. These constitutions
may contain provisions excluding slavery
from the soil they coYcr,or they may hc Silent
upuu tie subject MHh respect to. that
which the people of California shall present
there IL litlle room for doubt thal twill bear
express terms OF exclusion. New Mexico
being ~ greater proximity To the slave Siuys
aud having, MS 1t IS represented, portion of
its land suited tn slave lubor--it may be mp
pretended that her ofeapic law viii leave
tie subject untouched. In such case, 1t will
4. 4 H.. I.I
less 10y many others who, preirrring tie non
extension OF slavery, nevertheless regard the
question more rs political than moral, That It
writ TIE the ttttr ef tlt,, present Staias-ia adj
init her into the coniederacy, on the ground
thai slavery being u State institution IL mny
ho allowed or reputIutCd mt the pleasure at (
tile particular State. But whenever n con-
stituiion for new State shall ne presented,
without guaranty against involuntary servi-
Jude except for crime, NerInoni. if i do moi
~ rHly misapprehend the sentiment OF her
people, will lie found opposed to the uduis-
sion sought for aud enforcing her opposition
in all the ways in which she rnay consltu-
tionnlly act She holds thnI Slavery is
moral evil--nut merely physical and pulit-
icnl one: and hence she deduccs the conclu-
sion thai, upon frs, principles no commuui-
~ Of men, IN either separate ar confederate
relations, ought To ho permitted to establish
institutions for ensavng men,. As a'mem-
Der Ci rho Union, she Inns nm unHuubled right
to consent or object to The coming in of
new member. That sIe with feel it to be
her duty 10 object on the occurrence. ofthe
supposed case, do not entertain the slightest
doubt And she will not stand alone in max
ing such demonstration. So rapidly has
been enveloped the sensiblily of the people
of the eastern, middle and western sections
of the country, in relation 10 this cmi-
mcnllN crLicnl Notwithstanding but nlln