Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-10-31
LETTER from Senator PHELPS.

H.
Mr. WALToN-Dear Sri was rot aware
when left Montpelier, of any misrepresentation
or misunderstanding of my remarks upon the flu.
gilive slave till, made before the Wing Conven.
ton on the evening Of Tuesday the 18th inst.
except what appeared in the Burlington Free
Press, of which of course ] should take no no.
tice.
have since learnt that was, previous to the
Senatorial election, and have been since report
ed, as defending and approving that bill. This
is aliooe ther untrue. l well remember what
ga I'd on that occasion. And although The imrne-
diate object of the Misrepresentation may have
been answered, yet am tot disposed TO permit
any erroneous Impressions on that subject to re-
main.
NV remarks on that bill were commenced
with the declaration, tina, ii " tOds not my purpose
10 defend u,-ihat il was not my business, as
lcas not responsible for H." But remarked, thar
there were some things, not generally under
stood, worthy of consideration. | then proceed
ed to state that by the laws OF the slave States,
as was Informed and believed, provision was
made, by which person claimed u slave
might try the question OF his freedom, and that,
by these laws, provision was also maue that he
snonid have counsel, time and means u procure
evidence and prepare his case. l added IN this
connexlon a remark, that the people OF the
South were no more inclined 10 favor kldnap-
ping than we were, and concluded hat was said
on the subject with this sentence: "5f this be
the case, the bill icas less Objectionable, (prrhaps
used the expression Jar Tess oljecti,nabLe' than
it ,ro,id Otherwise BE-" | recolect the last ex-
preston distinctly, because l Was aware that u
ny general expression was susceptible Of misap-
prehension, and was therefore guarded. This is
every thing said by me in vindcaton OF the bill,
Of
1t is surprising 10 me that any person, not dis
posed TO pervert my language, should be able to
torture these remarks into a defense of the bill
The mere mention of fact certainly is not
such, ana the concluding renark, That this fact
rendered The bill less objectionable, will be &C.
quiesced in by ALL. For ii the supposed slave
would have fair trial, or jury trial, at home,
the question as TO trial by jury is narrowed down
TO the advantage Of having that trial In one
place in preference to another.
repeat, not word escaped me in approba-
ton OF tine measure, or in paliaton OF il, except
what is stated above.
make this correction as due 10 myself AZ
ter a service of eleven years in the Senate, ]
am not aware that any vote or official act Of mine
hitherto has met the ultimate disapprobation of
my constituency. | am certainly not willing, at
tins late day, to have opinions attributed to me
offensive 10 their settled and deep rooted senti-
ments upon a subject IN which their political,
moral, and to great extent, their religious feel
ing, is involved. Indeed have TOO recently
stood forth, upon an occasion which trust they
have not yet forgotten, in defence Of their sem
timen,s, and their rights to express them, to be
charged with throwing in the faces Of their rep
rescntstives at Montpelier opinions, which !
know to be nnpalatable,- which are SO IN
consistent with the sentiments of the same Leg
isIature which have SO recently indicated
elsewhere.
SAM'L s. PHELPS.