The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-10
Vermont.

Wing state of the North--the North star
the star that never sets. We are getting good
many illustrations of the assertion that the Abo-
contemplate in influence.
This movement of a Stale has thrown the
small resduum Of compromisers that remain
since the late elections into great trouble The
pretensions they put forth of their own numeri-
cal force and of the great popularity of their
scheme in the country are undergoing rapid
and fatal collapse:
Vermont Notification.
The Legislature of Vermont has disgraced it.
self by the passage Of a law which we publish
with great reluctance We had understood that
the members of this body had become measure
bly, sane upon the slavery question; and had ar
rived at the CONCLUSION that the Southern States
might as well be suffered to take care OF their
own domestic interests without molestation or
interference. We had understood that it was
their intention to dispense with the "annual
frebrand" which they had been in tile habit Of
throwing into the halls of Congress; and that
the session would pass off without any negro
demonstration. But in this we have been mis-
taken. Instead Of the usual offensive resolu-
tons of the session, Vermont has passed an OBJ
viously unconstitutional law. She has commit
ted an act of notification.
What makes this movement of Vermont in
expressibly offensive, is the fact that there is not
the most remote probability that the law Will
ever be acted upon. We presume that there
are no fugitive slaves in the State. She has
manifested rebeous and revolutionary spirit
merely for the sake of manifesting it. The
law seems to have been passed solely for pur-
poses Of mischief, to the end of doing some
thing that might furnish just cause Of offence,
without the chance Of answering any useful
object.
We do not know that the legislature of Yer
mont were aware that they were engaged IN an
attempt ut notification.
1t is charitable to suppose that they were
merely ignorant of their rights and duties But
the Governor, who signed the bill, had no such
excuse. Governor WILLIAMS has been the
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court OF the State.
1t is to be presumed that he has some acquaint-
ance with the Constitution of the United States;
and he has degraded himself and his position by
asserting to the passage of law which he
knows to be in direct violation OF that sacred
instrument Governor WILLIAMS has heen the
candidate Of the abolition party for the post he
now occupies and it is evident enough that he
never ought to have been the candidate of any
other party From men of this character, both
Wings and Democrats at the North should cut
themselves loose.
We may as well use p ain language An I'M
prncipled and proAgate eoquetry with political
abolition has disgraced both the great parties in
the Northern States. 1t has been with them
cool and calculating game for power, reckless
of all the social and civil ties which unite this
great fraternity of Commonwealths. The time
has come when this infamous system must be
arrested, and when the good and patriotic men
of all parties must cooperate to put down the
miserable agitation which has so long harrassed
and vexed the country.
We understand that this act of the legisa-
ture of Vermont came with surprise upon her
entire congressional delegation, and it would be
gross injustice to them to imagine that they
could lend any countenance to law which seeks
directly to nuliity the Constitution and laws Of
the United States
Even the frgd apathy of the Laelligencer is
disturbed-and the ears which sometime ago
could hear no discordant voice in the country,
now recognize blasts from the North, and blasts
from the South.
1t is amusing to look ut the explanations
given by these national organs. The Republic
ascribes the conduct of Vermont first to insan-
ity, and then, growing more charitable, to igno-
rance. The Intelligencer thinks it must be in
adrertence.
The Republic finally admits that "an unprin-
cipled and profgate coquetry with political abo-
ltion, has disgraced both the great parties in the
Northern States" Well, we suppose that al
solves the Southern utras from any further
obligation to cooperate with either.
But what is to be done! Shall the South
content herself with the sympathy and protests
of the National organs or shall she look for
counsel any longer to pair of advisers who
now acknowledge that she has been betrayed
into compromise, and swinded out of the
ptiful share of the benefits assigned her! Are
not these the oracles that proclaimed the Will
mot Provso to be dead, and abolition put down :
BLASTS FROM THE North AND BLASTS FROM
THE SoUTH-We were indebted to the Spring
field jMass) Republican for the first knowledge
of the passage of any such act by any State le-
gislature as that which it describes:
| "FUGIrIvE SLAVE Law IN VERMoNr.-The le-
gisature of Vermont, at it's late session, passed
law with special reference TO giving those inhabi
tants of that State, arrested fugitive slaves the
benefit of the habeas corpus, and of every possible
legal defence. 1t devolves upon the circuit judges
this writ, heretofore vested in the judges Of the
supreme court Of the State, and make it the duty
Of the State attorneys in the several counties ap
ply to either class of judges or courts, in the
arrest of any inhabi:ant fugitive slave occurs,
when the judge or court applied to shall issue the
writ of habeas corpus, returable to the supreme
county court when in session, or to any judge Of
either court during vacation. If, under this writ,
issued during the vacation by any judge, the per-
son arrested and imprisoned as fugitive, be not
4. hai al Ia IN he
term of the county courtby furnishing proper bail.
The court to which appeal is made, or to which
the writ was originally made returnabe, as d-
rected, upon the application Of either party in
terested, to allow trial by jury of all the facts at
issue between the parties. The law makes it the
special duty of the States attorneys in the several
counties to use every lawful means to procure the
acquittal Of every person arrested and claimed
within their districts a fugitive slave, and in
structed all Judicial and executive officers, who
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