Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-02-14

temen forgotten the resolutions of congrat-
ulailon, and sympathy, and appreciation
which were Transmitted from this body TO
France Immediately after her late revou-
ton! And have gentlemen forgotten the
remark which thought proper to make on
that occasion, when we were expressing our
qualification, that among the first acts OF
the Few government wAh whom we were
sympathislng, and to whom we were extend
ing our congratulations, was the absolute
and unqualified execution Of measure a.
bout which my humble constituents were
not even permitted TO talk Yes, sir, the
axe was put 20 the root of the institution -
1t was done boldly, promptly, decisively f;
and vet, at the moment when we were thus
expressing our sympathies aud extending
our congratulations, the subject when pre-
scented here from Il constituency represented
on this floor, was laid upon the table upon
the question OF reception. Now, sir, find
no fault with that disposition of the subject,
so long as it is brought here by the oilicIous
fanaticism of people who had better let
1t alone. SO long as it is the mere topic OF
demagogueism and popular excitement, |
care not, If II IS presented here IN that spir-
1t, if II is put ander your table. But the
subject presents itself now in different
sprit-it comes 10 us, as | have already re-
marked, unin tied and unwclcome 1t is
al intruder upou Us but, even though it l.
an intruder, it must be received, for we can
not get rid Of it. The issue is made in re-
spect to these territories, in reference this
institution, and it cannot lie eyaded. Ii
must be met and it must be decided, for il
is impossible To avoid IT, Under these cir
cumsiances il Is the right Of every State
AID Of any State in this Union to express
lis sentiments upon this engrossiny subject
1t IS the right and duty, in this aspect Of the
question, for every Stale to express not only
lis opinion as to the propr.eiy Of extending
this institution 10 our territories, but lis
opinion Of The institution Itself
But if was net night in the remark !
dropped the other day with reference to the
views and opinions Of the civilized world
with the exception perhaps Of 4 small por-
ton Of II in which the institution exlsts-if
! an IN error, 1t gentlemen point 10 me
some spot IN the civilized world where the
institutions does not now exist. and where
that civilized people demand lis introduc-
lion. Sf, who desires it! Whea and
WHERE in what portion of the globe do YOU
fad an earnest wIsh expressed for It's intro
duction where II has not heretofore existed
What now is the sentiment of the people of
all these Territories What was tie senti-
ment Of Oregon, aud what IS tie sentiment
of California She has presented rs here
constitution, in which the people nave al
tempted to prohibit the institution. But,
sir, need not 90 abroad for material to VIM
dIcate my expression; may appeal to the
oppressed upinie,r,s of thu abie7. o..L A..
pest men OF tEc cuutu-tHu d'ir7t a"d tiir
best men whom this country has ever pre-
duced. What were the opinions of W ash
ngton, Of Madison, and of jefferson
Sir, gentlemen seem TO have forgotten the
expressive language Of these men, when
they regard the expression of similar senti-
ments in these resolutions as offensive to the
South Sir, let me advert to some of the
opinions Of Thomas Jefferson on this sub
lsct, and let me at the same time advert to
the course Of Virginia herself in relation
to the introduction of this institution. Mr..
jefferson tells US:
Daring the regal Government we had
at one time obtained law which imposed
such a duty on the Importation of slaves, as
amounted nearly To prohibition, when one
nconsiderate Assembly, placed under pc
culiaIly Of circumstances, repealed the
law This repeal met joyful sanction
from the then Sovereign, and no devices, 10
'expedients which could after be attempted
by subsequent Assemblics-and they seldom
'aet without attempting them-could sue
coed IN getting the royal assent to a renew
al OF tie duty. Ia the very first session held
under the republican Government, the As
senbly passed llw for the perpetual pro-
tib,tioI Of the importation Of sllyes. This
ulli in some measure stop the increase of
this gre political and moral evil, while the
minds Of our citizens may be ripened for
complete emancipation Of human nature. -
Notes on Virginia, p. I6l, i6e.
Sir, the sentiments here expressed are the
sentiments this day of the free States, and
if an apology be necessary on their part for
their expression here, ii is to be found in
the fact that the language is that of a dis
iinguished statesman and patriot of the
South. Mr. Jefferson says further =
And can the liberties Of a nation be
thought secure when we have removed their
only irm basis, conviction in the minds of
the people that these liberties are the Gift of
God ! That they are not to be violated but
with his WRATH Indeed, tremble for my
country when reflect that God is Just; that
LIS lusuce cannot sleep forever. "-Ibp. 800.
Why lrembe! II slavery be no crime
and no sin, Why tremble at the reflection
"tbat God is just" Sir, this language
when ii was uttered, was the language Of
the patriot aud the statesman. Ii was the
language of man more prominent as
Southern statesman than any other man
DO ever existed in that quarter Of the I'm
ion. Ba, lhis language, then considered as
the language of the philosopher, the patri-
OF, and the statesman, has now become tG-
aaiicjsm Transplanied from the soil of
Virginia to the free soil of the North, these
sentiments, which at one time did honor to
the head and the heart Of the author, have
now degenerated into tGRatioisn. This
probably is an illustration of what the Sen
ator from Michigan (Alr. Cass) calls the
progress of the age-of progress IN morality