The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-23

twenty years female in like manner, after she
their alter they arrive such age. bound
by the law Tor the payment Of debts damages nes costs
This section the honorable senator contended, fully
and clearly susaas the system Of peonage, peon sa-
very in which the debtor could be sold into slavery to
pay his debt to his creditor Such system as that sir
was never introduced into Vermont into any other
State OF the Union. The first constitution OF Vermont
was adopted in l777 While the government was in op.
Grafton under that eonstitutona period q 10 years
as petty gambling, playing at dice, playing cards, &c,
by small penalty Some Of these penalties
y a e of os
dicment for the purpose OF collecting the fine and the
law authorized the magistrate before whom the suit
brought to recover the penalty and il the respondent
was not Of sufficient ability to pay it, and had no means
OF paying 1t, Instead Of putting him in jail there to
main given time, the magistrate was authorized to con-
amount for the shortest perodo Of service Laws Of this
kind were in force when the constitution Of 1898 was
adopted There were some instances in the early period
the government where persons were convicted OF such
minor offences, and damages recovered, where the
respondent had no means OF paying the amount; and
in mitigation Of the punishment-forif imprisoned until
he should pay IL he could be imprisoned forever he
had no means OF ever paying he consigned to the
service Of some friend who paid the amount. These
in service have long ago been repealed. Laws Of that
kind have existed in manyn nearly all the States Of this
Union law OF the same kind once existed in Mich.
gan, when she was under territorial government and
paraded through the newspapers that gentleman
then candidate for high Office, had sold poor men into
slavery 70 pay their debts.
Mr. UPHAM. The section Of the constitution also
declares that person shall be holden by law servant
or slave, or apprentice after he reaches the age OF 81
serve after that period In that section males made
free at the age OF 81 years. and females at the OF IS
years. After reaching that age, they might enter into
contract to serve three MONTHS or SIX MONTHS and they
would be bound by law to for that period But if
they should neglect to serye the only remedy would be an
action for breach Of contract for the Of damages
Children, by the constitution, could be apprentced or
put out to servce-males until reaching the age of 81
and females OF Is years. and would be bound by law for
that time; but at the end Of that time, upon attaining
The word ''slave" is also introduced The census OF
1890 shows that there but ten slaves in the State of
Vermont and this provision in the constitution being
adopted they became emancpated-the males at 81,
and the females at Is.
This sir, is the true Interpretation Of the meaning Of
that clause in the constitution, and of the laws passed
under IT, giving the right to consgn persons to service
under the system have mentioned; and this is the dis
covery which has been made BY the honorable senator
made s another discovery a which VIII doubtless % Be- as new
the people Of vermont The senator thinks he has dis
covered peon slavery existing in Vermont think, sir
that by the same reasoning can prove that slavery OF
State She is free State and astonished that there
should be much anxiety expressed by the senator from
Louisiana to sustain an institution which his own State
In order all the citizens thereof the enjoyment
of the rights Of life, liberty, and properly, do ordan and
tabish the following constitution or form Of government,
and do mutually agree with each other form ourselves
into free and independent State by the Of the State
Of Louisiana.
Neither the word slave nor slavery" mentioned in
this constitution, from beginning to end; but suppose
they have laws there tolerstng slavery,
But will not pursue this further. II was merely my
purpose to explain the constitution OF Vermont and the
laws passed under fer no law passed there, and
no man everconceved the idea. that debtor should be
sold into slavery or consigned 10 service for debt that
he owed his neighbor or to any individual But when
person was convicted OF crime, and could not pay the
penalty, never, perhaps exceeding fve or ten dollars
rather than that he should be imprisoned for life, we
would say 2 the man. You may work this out Tor the in;
OF service you shall give your labor for the amount Of
the fine And very few cases Of that kind ever occurred
to which the senator alluded, | shall say nothing upon
them al this time but when get sufficient strength,
shall deliver my sentiments upon the main question: and
II may take occasion to aude to those resolutions.
Mr. SOULE. Mr. President, am at loss to account
for the extreme senstveness exhibited by the honorable
senator from Vermont in consequence OF what said yes
erday in ausion to the state OF things prevailing In his
State under her constitution hope and trust that he did
not understand meaning TO cast the least reproach
upon that State. Il never entered my mind to say any
thing that either disrespectful unkind to her
What said up accidentally in the OF the
argument which then attempting TO press upon the
consideration Of the Senate was auding TO that sys
TEN OF servitude known in Mexico under the OF
peonage. was commenting upon IT,, and striving to
show the consequence which honorable senators op.
posed to might be driven-from the position which
they had taken with respect TO the authority which the
Mexican law still retained the cedcd Territories-o
admitting that while, according to their doctrine, At
rcan could not be reduced 10 bondage bere Amer-
can citizen might become the peon Of Mexican epero
and strock that the impression which my remarks
seemed to produce in the Senate might awaken
just preudces against Mexico land in order to relieve
her from all opprobrium that account, and with a
view TO exemplify what | was then commenting upon,
did remark that The liberty loving State OF Vermont had
placed the rontspece OF her constitution the article
which quoted. and with respect to which the honorable
OF being unkind TO Vermont On the contrary, my sole
object 10 relieve Mexico from the misconcepton
which might have been occasloned by my remarks
Laughter1 Indeed, sir, unless have strangely in
terpeted what has fallen from the honorable senator he
actually admits what stated to be the fact Sir il were
difficult for him to deny that what announced pro-
vision in the first article OF the constitution Of Vermont
was really so.
The practice which prevails there. and 10 which the
left dormant and imperative that provision Yet, there
i stands in bold relief, creating the power TO establish
servitude Tor debt for hpes &c, which, if not exerted
to. day, may be exerted 70 morrow.
But the honorable senator finds great relief in the
fact that II there be such obnoxious feature in
the constitution OF Vermont there is one that must
be equally repugnant TO southern feelings in the
constitution OF louisiana. Certainly, did not ex-
pect that il might be a matter OF serious concern
ton Of Louisiana established upon principles OF free.
dom. On the contrary, had imagined that in that re.
spect at least that instrument would meet with his entire
appreciation But then, the honorable senator complains
that Notwithstanding and in spite OF the declaration he
has referred to, slavery exists in Louisiana In other