Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-10-18
THE GREEN MOUNTAIN

to this, some difficulties exist, not nsuperable,
yet embarrassing it is enough for us to saw,
that the people of this state cannot concede TO
slavery on any federal territory power superior
to that of the Federal Government, nor be made
to believe that there is not way by which this
iou blot upon the national escutcheon NAV be
removed. They, therefore, insist that it should
be. They have no doubt that if Congress will
do in this behalf what it may, the flag of the
Union--emblem of liberty-would not longer
throw its graceful iots from the capitol over the
slave pen and its contents of unmtigated mise.
Try.
The imminent question Of this time, touching
the peace Of the Union, is that Of the ertensioa
Of slavery. Under circumstances so peculiar as
to have impr ssed the event very deeply in The
public mind Congress failed to establish terrific
rial governments for New Mexico and Califor.
MIA. The inhabitants of these territories have
therefore, been constrained to regulate their civ
il affairs, as they best could under the laws Of
the country existing when it was acquired, so
far as those laws have not been affected by the
exercise Of military jurisdiction, maintained
by the Executive of the United States Il is
not easy to define the nature of the government
under which the people of those lands have liy.
ed but ii is apparent that they were abandoned
by the power that owed them protection Being
thus RENTED to their natural indefeasbe rirhtS
rights recognized by our Declaration of indie.
pendence-rights which the founders Of the or
ganc law of orr own State emphatically assert.
ed-the inhabitants of these territories have in
stltuted proceedings towards the formation of a
State government for each, and therein made
such progress that, in much probability, one of
them, If not both, will be found, with u State
Constitution IN hand. knocking at the door, dur
ing the next session Of Congress, for admission
INTO the Union. These constitutions may con-
tain provisions excluding slavery from the soil
they cover or they may be silent npon the sub
Iject With respect to that which the people of
California shall present, there is little room for
doubt that it will bear express terms of excu-
sion. New Mexico being in greater proximity
to the slave Statcs aud having, as it is repre-
scented, a portion of its land suited to slave la.
bort may be apprehendcd that her or,ranjc
law will leave the subject untouched. In such
case, it will be insisted by all slave owners, and
doubtless by many others who, preferring the
non extension of slavery, nevertheless regard
the question more as political than moral, that it
will be tine duty Of the present States to admit
her into the confe0erlcy, on the ground that sla-
very being State institution it may be allowed
or repudl ted at the pleasure of the particular
State. But whenever a constitution for new
State shall be presented, without guaranty a.
galnst involuntary scrvltudc except for inc
Vermont, if do not greatly misapprehend the
sentiment of her people, will be found opposed
to the admission sought for and enforcing her
opposition in all die ways in which she may con,
tinualIy act. She holds that Slavery is moral
evll-not merely physical and political one
and hence she deduces the conclusion that, up-
on first principles, no community of men, in Ell
Their separate or confederate relations ought TO
be permitted TO establish institutions for ensIay-
ing men. As a member of The Union, she has
an undoubled right TO consent or object to the
coming IN OF a new member. That she will feel
it to be her duty to object on the occurrence of
the supposed case, do not entertain the slight
est doubt And she will not stand alone in max
ing such demonstration. So rapidly has been e.
vowed the senslblity of the people of the east
ern, middle and western sections of the country
in relation to this eminently critical question
utterlng but one sentiment and one determine.
ton that We may confidently trust, that it Is
too late for slavery to succeed in placing her
looI VII AulcIiCdn SOIL not now Wlllln her con
troll.
| need hardly add, in conclusion that any &C
ton that the General Assembly may in its wis
dom think proper to take, to embody the long
entertained and deeply seated sentiment of the
great mass Of our common constituency in re.
lation to the manifold evils of domestic slavery
will assurcdy command my ready assent and
co operation. -
Executive CHAMBER,
Montpelier, October Is, IS49.