Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-02-14


frectorv below us. On the week previous to our
assembling here, as report says, he became a.
larn1ed at the idea of being sold South, and at
tempted to make his escape Fhe bloodhounds
we're soon upon his track. He was captured,
and as he looked with certainty upon the fate
that awaited him, he drew knife from his peck
ct md cut his own throat, in the presence OF his
captors. He. sir, appealed directly to the God
of Iustice acainst TINS traffic. which for the last
two wears has been upheld by the Wing party
in the House, These suicides are common
Even mothers have been known to murder their
own children, TO save them from the fortunes OF
4his traffic. The blood of these people stains
our garments. It is dripping from our hands,
Yet we fear to speak forth the language OF truth
We vote against resolutions for preventing these
crimes. unless they are couched in delicate Ian
gunpe. Yea. we arc told that we must choose
between men who carefully arrange the com
ittaas Of this body so as to protect these crimes.
deny that s s9Sn ldhligaEeRlNarhrn when as
me9 g6G, that would boas willing to 60 down
to the corner of Seventh street and Delaware av-
enue, and select the save-dea who presides
over that piratical establishment for a Speaker
of this body, as | would vote for any man who
sustains him in his hated vocation. care not
whether he be called Wing or Democrat
Others, no doubt, view the subject differently.
My reverend friend in front Mr.. FowLERI
doubtless regards the matter IN different light
His deep-rcad casuistry guides his conscience,
and leads his Judgment 10 different conclusion.
| cannot, and will not, call him TO an account
for his vote nor can permit others to stlfe the
voice of my own conscience, bind me in the ira
ces of party. and whip me into an indirect main
tenance Of crimes uhhorrent to any nature.
By reading tie remarks of Mr. Wendall Phillips Of hos
ton my colleague has attempted TO slow that Free Soiers
Gre in favor of dissolution of the Union. He seems Ia
have brought the paper containing those remarks 10 the
House, ready folded and marked for the occasion from
which judge that these attacks were prcconccrt,d. conu-
ed beforehand, and manufactured to order My colleague
could not have been ignorant that Mr. Phillips rs well rs
HIMSELF is opposed entirely to the Free Soil party thO't
1t unCandd therefore, in him to represent that gentleman
Free S0ar Such insincariy detrlcs from the force
of my colleagues argument. He would never have had
Misrepresentation while he could find truth to
sustain mis- purposes. But he ntmacs that there is dan
ger OF dissolution of the Union, from the steady frmnoss
with which Free Sellers pos their principles This has
been the sereoyped argument for thirty years. 1t is
species Of mock thunder 100, well understood to eject any
ham, 1t has ceased to brighten the mi at
board gschools 1t has become the jest of our school
boys Why, sir does my colleague meet us our pruci
pies and say that we are wrong Mt at all. lie even
processes to Guido IN the support of our doctrines: t.
beyond us in The maintenance of our principles then
he turns suddenly round in the same speech aud tells rs
that shall produce dissolution Of the Union. Would
he urge to surrender our rights and the rights If human
ity-pern thu Constitution to be trmped upon its essen
tia elements subvrted, in order prevent southern slave
holders from seeding from the Union lie will not do
that. His PATRIOTISM his Independence will revolt such
proposition Does he not know that dissolution OF the
Union would be the death a slavery Why, sir, every
intelligent must be that when northern iroe-
men to uphold that institution its death viii be i'll
cviiable. Southern men understand this subject they
will be the last to seek dissolution of our Federal Union
When see the condemned culpt standing upon the gal
lows, with the rope about his neck and fastened his
.1ltt H. ara.
re Stands, and thus sever his union with the world in which
he lived with the atmosphere which he has breathld,
may then he made to believe that southern men will dis
solve their connection with the northern States.
My colleague has commented with some freedom the
vote which and some Of my friends for the gentle
man from Indiana Mr. BnowNl heard this lecture,
trust, with becoming meekness "To his own masarD
each of us must stand falLJ Yet am quite willing
that my colleague should show this kind of paterna
pe . SSaF raa sF EsI$
indiana becune promnept Gan%HHeG 10 fr nsrroga
tories This subject The gentleman from Indiana an
swered promptly and distinctly. He did not hesitate 10
place his solemn pledge to freedom on record so that the
whole world might and read it. On the filth Of that
pledge voted for him chccrtuy had no fears that he
would violate it had suspicion that he would prove
to his fait thus soemny plghted. How was il
with my cocagueI Did he vote for candidate thus p,edg
ed No. sir. He had no such assurance on which tn rely.
But ntimaons are banded through the public press, that
the gentleman from indiana would not have redeemed his
pledge Gentlemen have no right to assume that such vi
oation would have followed ms election. We were told
that he served Nngt Secretary Of the state which
he in part represents He served here in the tweny-eghth
Congress lie was an Assistant Postmaster General dur
Ing the Administration of MIR. Polk, and has been again
returned to Congress by constituency and from state
devoted TO the Wimot provsO And were we t. disrHst
the solemn word OIL such man sr when those soGln,
ern gentlemen abandoned him, they did 50 because they
feared that he would prove true to freedom They who
had the slave interest in their keeping, believed that he
would not their purpose and they changed their
defeat his election. win my colleague say that
their fears unioundcd that they, well as the Free
SOers, were mistaken?
nut, Ham Iud
ed against the provsO in the twenty eighth Congress
This is true and did others who nuw vote lor Men
tysx northern Wings changed entirely round in the short
space of one year and six days. They changed from the
support of human rights to the opposite side of that qucs
ton; whereas the gentleman from Indiana, in the space
Of four years, changed the other way. lie opposed
the proviso: he is now pledged to sustain it.
Bat my colleague says man must be Judged by his
past life have shown that The candidate for whom he
voted lent his official influence to sustain the slave trade.
my colleague judges that gentleman bY his past lite he
must nmsr be in favor of that measure Sir, You may
search the Journals OF this body but yea never find
vote OF the gentleman from Indiana eXCepu0uAbe,
hostile TO freedom, opposed to humanity, that given
BY those twentysix Wings to whom have REFERRED Sir
let me know that man is right NOW, and will forgive
ana overlook his past life Had the gentleman from Mas
sachustlts at this session publicly ayowcd his adherence
70 the provlso, should have voted for him with great
pleasure could at once have forgiven and forgotten The
past ihnt cannot he recalled; its only be
avoided in future All history and all experience show
the absolute necessity Of taking they ARE,
stead OF what they have been Paul converted sud.
denly. Nor he afraid or ashamed to ayoW his change
from evil tn that which WIS right and lust And sir on
this subject of slavery have all been silent and supnc
while slavery was subyeFng interests and const
nonal rights. IT, therefore, The Lovers of freedom were
to adopt my colleagues rule of judging men by their past
conduct on these questions, should condemn all for
all have snned in this respect. My colleague and his rs
socates ana Their candidate well myself would all
De found wanting If weighed in such balance.
But my colleague obecs any man who gives evidence
oil change OF mind in regard TO slavery. object to any
one VINO refuses such evidence 1t said that the gentle
NIL T,t..
tel IL III such were the fact, ii entirely unknown
to Free Sollefs tits certain that he REFUSED any written
pledge to them They wrote him. requesting pledge in
writing. lie refused to give j. So dd the candidate of
my colleague, when addressed in that way. If the ohjec
ton applies to one, Is equally applicable to the other,
Sir, was wrong in both They should have spoken free
y when called on. But Free Sellers knew nothing of
such refusal by the gentleman from Indiana
Again IL IS said by southern members that the gentle
man tiom Indiana Mr.. Bro pointed them TO his pa
votes and acts for evidence to his future This
was precisely what obj eCed to the part of the WING
candidate. lie pointed northern men TO his past acts for
proof OF ms future course, refusing to express his present
views In that way both were wrong. The deceiv-
ca the Morrill, the other deceived the SOUTH The very
object of candidates. Withholding his views, is to de
eelve some of those whom he expects to for him.
Ihere SITS the gentleman from Alabama, Mr. ASTON i
ne Is sincerely ct the opinion that is unconstitutional
oI cohgrtS To exclude slavery from our newly acquired
territory He would not dare vote for man who is known
TO be III favor Of such measure Here is my colleague
VINO mas Just addressed us: he holds that il unconstt
onal to permit slavery exist in those territories nor
would he support who enertans the opposite 0pin
ION fet SIT, we saw these gentlemen sit here day after
day, voting for the candidate Each Of them doubt
less thought he was overrcachng the other Each be-
eved the other to be the dupe. Each had been referred
TO tie past acts and votes Of their candidates. Those acts
and votes satisfied both they read to suit each and each
entered upon the baloting with the positive knowledge
that either himself the other must eventually be de-
ceived if they elected their candidate. II was mutual
attempt at raud-a political lottery-a gambling tansac.
ton. Free Sellers enter into such game Of chance
They will not unite in that political play Of " blind mans
buff"
But, sir, from the commencement of the contest fol
Speaker Freesoers a. all times stood ready to aid in
electng the candidate of either paY if such candidate
publicly adhered TO the WimOt prOvi3o This intention
was made known, probably to verymCmber of this body
The gentleman from Indiana already stated boldly and
unreservedy avowed his adherence to that measure.
mad not any doubt MS TO his sincerity With these views
felt constrained honest man, independent
member of this body, to for him. With that belief
could not have cOnscientiously done otherwise.
But my colleague appears to regard avowal of sent
ments as dishonorabe On this point he will permit me
70 differ from him. regard the Withholding of a cand
oates views as positively dishonest and therefore dshon
cradle such know TO be the prevailing sentiment OF
northern Ohio.
FOR years it has been the practice in this Hall for the
speaker Sd to arrange the committees having charge of
psutons relating to slavery to suppress them in tho
Seveal committees to which they are referred Members
hcIe from the North present these petitions they are res
pScIuy referred they there remain forever unbeard OF
AeiWarus lhe Representatives If called ON for infora
non, replies That he presented he npiop 81,