The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-02-05

= who desires it? When and where, in what
e portion of the globe do you find an earnest
= wish expressed for its introduction where it
y has not heretofore existed? What now is
e the sentiment oil the people Of all these Ter
/ rtores What was The sentiment OF Ore
gon, and what is the sentiment Of California?
: She has presented US here constitution, in
which the people have attempted to prohibit
the institution. But, sir. | need not 90 a
broad for material TO vindlcate my express
r sion may appeal to the expressed opinions
: Of the ablest aud best men Of the South
the abest and the best men whom this coun-
try has ever produced. What were the O.
pinions of Washington, Of Madison, and Of
Jefferson
Sir, gentlemen seem to have forgotten
the expressive language of these men,
when they regard the expression of sim
liar sentiments in these resolutions as Of
fensive to the South. Sir, let me advert
to some of the opinions of Thomas JEFF
ferson on this sub ect. aud let me at the
same time advert to the course of Viz
ginia herself in relation TO the introduce
ton of this institution. Mr.. Jefferson
tells US
one time obtained a law which imposed such ii
duty on the importation of slaves as amounted
nearly TO prohibition, when one inconsilefate
Assembly, placed under peculiarly Of cir
cumstanceS, repealed the law. This repeal
met Joyful sanction from the then Sovereign,
and no devices, no expedients which could ev-
er after be attempted by subsequent Assem-.
blieS-and they seldom met without attempt
ing them could succeed in getting the royal
assent to a renewal Of the duty. In the very
first session held under the republican Govern
ment, the Assembly passed a law for the per-
rctual prohibition OF the importation of slaves.
This will in some measure stop the increase Of
this great political and moral evil, while The
minds uf our citizens may be fipcned Er
complete emancipation of human nature. -
Noes on Virginia, PIP. l6l, l62.
Sir, the sentiments here expressed are
the sentiments of tins day of the free
States, and If an apology be necessary
on their part for their expression here, It
is to be found in the fact tina, the LAM
guage is that Of distinguished States
man anu patriot of the South. Mr..
Jefferson says further:
And can the liberties OF a nation be thought
secure when we have removed their only finn
basis, conviction in the minds of The reople
thai these liberties are the gilt 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 his justice cannot live
forever. "--Samc, p 300.
Why tremble ! If slavery be no sin
and no crime, why tremble at the rellcc-
ton that God is just" Sir, this anS
guage, when it was uttered, was the Lam
guage of the patriot and tho statesman.
1t was the language Of a man mcre
prominent as a southern statesman than
any other man who ever existed in ihat
quarter ofihe Union. But this language.
then considered as the language Of the
philosopher, the patriot, and the states
man, has now become 4" fdHaticisw "
Transplan,ed from the soil of Virginia
TO the free soil af the North, these SEN
tmenis, which at one time did honor to
the head and the heart of the author
have now degenefated into 'tanaticism
This probably is an illustration Of what
the Senator from Michigan Mr. CAssl
calls The progress Of the age-of prog
ress in morality and in political ethics.
The sentiments thus uttered in the very
heart of the country where this institu-
lion exisis-utiered by Mr.. Jefferson
with the ap. rotation Of his own coun-
try, his own people, and Of the world
when repeated by my humble consit-
uency, i'll less pointed and less vigorous
terms, become "fdnaticism "
What lave we done here Nhatsort
of brand has Congress put upon this 10
stitulionl Sir, at the very outset Of our
legislation, the subject of the slave trade
was taken up. As early as 1894, ais
| though the Importation into this country
could not then be prohibited under the
Constitution, laws were passed against
carrying on tie foreign slave trade, with
the severest penalties atoched to their
violation. As early as May, 1900, an
other act was passed involving the fnSs
teture Of all vessels built and equipped
for the purpose, and all persons employ
ed in the business on board those ships
were made liable 10 penalty of 81 900
and Imprisonment for two years. In
March, lSO7, an act was passed prohib4
ltlng the Introduction Of slaves into the
country after the first of January, lS0S.
The law also provided that all vessels
built and equipped for thai purpose should
be forfeited, and the penalty on the per.
sons engaged in fitting out such vessels
was fixed at fine OF $40, 900. The
penalty for the importation of the slaves
into the country was imprisonment fnr
not more than ten nor less than FIVE
years, aud fine of not less than SO. .0OO
nor less than 81 600. The act of 1918
was similar one. In May, 1920, the
traffic was pronounced piracy, aud pun-
lshed with death. Now, sir, is this traf-
nc, which you denominale piracy and
punish with death, 10 be denominaled
a crime or not The expression in this
resolution assumes that it is crime. If
1t IS no crime, why pronounce it piracy
and punish IT with death! Sir, | am a.
ware that these penalties are directed
against the slave trade, and that il is the
importation of slaves which has been
made the object Of these stringent and
severe. prohibitions; but is moi the in
stitutlon itself perpetuatIoH of the ol-
fence against humanityl II originated
at The outset in what you deem piracy.
and, however long it may continue, il
partakes still of the character of its oris
gin 1t is Of the blood Of lis own lin-
cage.
Sir, the present generation may not
be responsible for its origin-it may be
an evil which they cannol remedy But.