Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-02-15

| left in the category uf upprobium not bestowed
upon them, it may well be regarded as surplus
age.
Let me revert to the resolutions themselves
! ! have said that they have been mi-cOu-trucd
/ Sir, if they have not been most cgregiously mis-
corstrucd have not the capacity to judge. -
! They are drawn not, perhap., as skilfully a.
they ought to be. The language is perhaps no
| precisely what others would have employed t,
express the same sentiments. will read them
The first resolution asserts
:" That slavery ls a crime against humanity and
sore evil in the holy pptc that WIS excused hy IN,
aners OF the Federal Constitution a. a crime entail
ed upon the country by their predecessors, and tole
rated as thing OF ineSplablc necessity"
The other day took the liberty OF fremarknG
that the sentiment here expressed was the gen
eraI sentiment Of the civiilz ID world. III max
ing th, remark | really regarded it as rahe
common place. 1t seems, however, to have
been received as offensive. and Was 80 considers
ed, probably because the resolutions themse.yp.
were considered to convey an offensive unpu
tation. Sir, when made the remark, coasi.
dered that these resolutions cast no mpuia'Ion
on any portion Of this Union. regarded the
resolutions as merely expressing an abstract
opinion, directly duplicating nobody and hay-
ing this view Of their purport. ! felt at lib
ery to endorse them. although If had regarded
the resolution as containing an offensive impu-
taton on any portion OF the Union should pry-
badly have avoided the expression. Bat these
resolutions merely express an abstract opinion.
What is it That slavery is a crime, or. if you
please, an offence against humanity. Wnom
does this mplicate Upon whom is cer,ure
cast? Upon those, and those only, who par,i-
cipate in the offence and are responsible for the
crime, if there be crime. II crminality is
imputed TO any one in particular, it is by ill.,
ference only. What, sir, have you, and what
| heard, from our Childhood on this subject ?
We have all heard aud felt the force # the vim
dication Of the South on tnis subject. Ori4i.
mating as it may. the continuance # this insti-
tuition has been v,ndicated by gentlemen of the
South first. on the ground that they are not
responsible for its origin and, second, Oh lAc
ground that its existence being matter O!
incXorabe necessity, they are not responsible
for that continuance. Sir. tl.is language has
oepu used every wherc. | have not only heard
it, but ! have used this language myself among
M own constituents, in excuse If you please
or in vindicatlon Of you please to use the term)
Of the people of the South fox their particjpa-
ton in this institution.
| repeat, We all felt the force of the argu-
ment.-let it be an offence if you please those
who brought it into the country are responsible
those who participate in it are responsible ior
| its continuance when its abolition can be made
consistent with their safety.-I have ever i-l,
the force OF this argument. And what say the
resolutions They express the opinion that
the Institution is an offence against humanity
They proceed further to furnish the vndca
ton which the South have always urged toi
themselves, the fact that the institution was on
entaied upon them by those who lad gone be.
ore them, and that its continuance with them
rests upon ineXorabe necessity. Now, sir
| having this view OF the resolutions, finding the v
presented at the same moment in which they
branded the institution as "a crime, the excuse
n eXculpaiun of the South, could not regard
the sentiment as an imputaton upon them. |,
was with this view that | hazirdeI the remark
which then considered and now consider rath-
er as a common place one, without the slghles,
dea it could give offence to any one.
But, sir, does the assertion need proof Does
the opinion that the institution is Inconsistent
with the dictates OF humanity need proof
Sir, what has been the Up mon, AMI what is
now the opinion otthc civilized world Wnat
mas been the language Of the ab,est and the
best men of the SoGtn ? What language have
| They held, and what has the civilized world al
large said and done on this subject! WAY, sir
|
civilized nations of Europe expressed by theii
acts. Great Britain has put an end to the in
,titutlon: France demolished it at a sinelt
! blow. One Of the first acts Of the French Rt,
JuOc-l speak Oi ii AZ it is existing nOW--wa
| the abolition of this institution totally, unver
sally, absolutely, without reservation and with.
ou qualification, throughout h r i mnluns. Sir
| now, did we feel, ana now did TINS Senate ac
III regard to that matter ! Have gentlemen for
gotten the resolutions OF congratu!aton, aHt
| sympathy, and appreciation which We're tran,
United from th, body to France Immediately
after her late revolution And have gcutle
men forgotten the remark which thought pro
per to make on that occasion, when We wer.
expressing our qualification that, among til,
first acts of the new Government with WHOM
We were sympathIzlng, aud 10 whom we were
| extending oar cOu.ratua uatluHs, was the absolute
and unqualified execution o. measure a6ou
which my humble constituents were not ever
permitted to talk Yes, sir, the axe WAS pu
10 the root of the institution. Il was done bold
.y, promptly, decsNely; and yet, at the mo
nent when we were thus expressing oar sym
palhie- and extending oar congratulations, til,
subject when presented here irom Il con,tilU
ency represented ON this floor, was laid upo.
the table upon the question OF reception. Nos
sir, | tiud no fault with that d position OF The
subject 50 long as it is brought here by the OF
hcious landtlclSm of people who had better la
it alone. s. long as il is the mere topic o
demagogueiSm and popular excitement, | care
not, If 1t Is presented here in that spirit, if it il
put under your table. Bat the subject present.
itself now IN different spirt--lt comes to us
as have already remarked, uninvited aud un
welcome. 1t is an intruder upon us bat evcl
though it is an intruder, it must be received io
we cannot get rid of it. The issue is made il
respect to these territories in reference TO tin,
institution, and it cannot be eyaded. II mus
be me, and it must be decided, for it is impossi
ble to avoid it.-Under these crcum stances il
is the right of every State and OF any State il
this Unlon to express It's sentiments upon lhii
engrossng subject. 1t is the right and duty
IN this aspect OF the question, for every State lC
express not only It's opinion as to the proprietl
OF extending this institution to our territories
bat It's opinion OF the Institution itself.
b If was not night in the remark dropped
the other day with reference 10 the views ant
opinions of the civilized world-wltn the eN-
crpton perhaps Of small portion of It ii
which the institution CX>tS--ll | AIN IN error
let gentlemen point to me some spot in The cl