Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-03-15
MIR. Wcbs,cr,s Spccch

| ,
regard to the great and overshadowiny topic Of
Slavery, that were briefly given in the telc-
graphic dispatches of it.
We think Mr.. WEBSTER has neglected one
OF the noblcst opportunities" that ever Provl-
lence offered to a man, and that he has lost
it forever! We mean the opportunity TO SETTLE
rAE SLAVERY QuEsrios in this G. luntry. In.
stead of doing this, he has left it worse, far
worse, than it was beforc-a more fruitful and
dangerous aud exciting question than ever, and
further from adjustment There is not the
slightest possible probability that his views will
command the assent Of the Wing Party Of the |
North. That il may receive favor from the
C,>s an l. Bu t II dtm Icrat> Nho brought Texas
lnto our Union, and all or W,eS' we think
NOT mprobiblc. But the WING He RI of the
n nth will utterly and promptly aud cmphati
cally repuda;c aud reject the propositions he
has laid down, 50 f.r as respects Slavery
We should be sorry to doubt it, aud we do not
doubt it, We reject aud repudatc them, at any
rate.
We say that Mr. WEBSTER has lost
golden opportunity. lie might have made his
name as JoPular as it has hitherto been respect
cd lie kno,rs the sentiment OF the North on the
subject of Slaycrv-hc knows 1t is Just sent-
mcn, not aggressive upon the rights OF the
South" not leading TO the slightest Interference
with tie true " compromises Of the Consttn-
ton" but utterly and uncomprumisngIy hostile
10 any further " concessions" TO Slavery lie
knorS that the North will NEVER consent that
Territorial Government shall b, adopted for
New Mexico without section affirming the
doctrine Of the ordinance Of ST that they will
NEVER consent to the admission OF another Slave
State into this Union, thereby "incrcasng Slave
Representation in Congress and that they
will NEVER, NEVER, pass laws to facilitate the
capture Of fugitive slaves who may escape
from detcsabe bondage.
Th, Mr.. WLB4TLR knows, aud this sent
$ mont he was bound to represent, and has MT
. repro scented lie m.h have said IND, with
his commanling intellect, great reputation,
his acknowledged authority, to all OF which is
f added the imposing sanction OF venerable age
, such a declaration would have Gained the
,,mpcst, and stilicd the ragirg*, Of disunioi -
he mjgM have said, what il is vain to deny
, that the VAST MAJORITY Of the People OF this
Union have resolved and determined that Slave
/ ~ shat, hereafter, take Gre N H@f, within III
, own Constitutional limits they will cor
. seut t. no further extension of il, wherever an(
whenever they have Constitutional power It
:, prevent i',-thai they will vote for the admission
, Of no more Slave States and that they WILL
NOT assist, no matter chdt may be the penalty
in capturing and re enSiaring human being
i, = created in the image of G,D y Tie K,o"
" that this is the seutncnt Of the North, irrespec
:. tive of legal quibJlcs,o or Constitutional Specia
: pleading and if he bad SAID 50, he woul
have been true to himself, to his conslitnen,
to humanity ! lie tells US, himself, in the yer
, Speech before MS md We wonder his chez
~, did not bnrn when he told Us
y The Constitution docs not require that ugitIy
:" slaves shall be delivered up. 1t requires that " PEE
o( sons bound to service in State, and escaping INT
" another shall be dcivcrcdu up" Mr.. Madison oppt
~ srd the Introduction OF the term slave or slavery I'M
m the Constitution tor he said, that he did not wish
W. see i, recognized by the Constitution OF the Unite
q States Of America that there could be property
Il, men,"
IN AID YET he says, in the same Speech
9 No man fu'fis his duty in any Legislature wl
sets himself to find excuses, cvasius, escapes fro
81 this constitutional obligation. have always thong
that tho Constitution addressed itself to the Legs
lures 81 the States themselves, or 20 the States heI
Is selves It says that those persons escaping to 9th
70 States sh1ll be delivered up, and confess have
ways been "t the opinion that II was an ihJuhcti
IN upon the States themselves"
ore
In. "That is my Judgment. have always enerai
>" ed lhat opinion, and entertain 1t now. But VIII
cct the suhct, years ago was before the Supei
air Court Of the United States the majority OF the luda
~ held that the power to cause iugves from service
IT. be delivered up was power to he exercised unC
in the authority Of this Government do not kno
II" on the whole, that it may not have been fortune
F decision,
the $ range language for Northern Statesman
IN Strange language for a FREEMAS to dot
Tx the correctness of Il decision of the Supper
M Court which alsJhes the Free States from
Gas C,n,titut 81 Il ALLEGATION 10 Jeeoms Siare'cah
on ers, and y,li to it Only the cold comment Il
,e'r he don't know, son the WHOLE that it may
lad have been f,,tui,ate AciSion ~ Oh, 'DANI
WEB.rtR, Ave "a fortunate decision =
non he knew, in his heart, that OLD MAssACHUsET
- would rbierate all trace of PLYM JUTY Rock
lore she WOUlu Il neT HVIe UIlReT 10 sellu Dd
hy to bondage persons bound 10 srrice" in Sou
,b, c rous or anywhere else that she wo
,ou, forget her Obligations to DAsIEL WEBsTERev
" sooner than forget he obligations to Freed
, If and humanity We may well doubt whit
sire abe Ship of State is drifting, when such SCI
l. mcnts fall from the lips OF DANE. WEBsTEu
,o,, Mr., WEBSTER says further -
YER :. may have vote to give on the occasion,
:, ! wish to be distinctly understood this day, that
man cordng my OF the matter ,1his government
Ter. toemny pledged by law to create new States GU
Texas, with her consent, when her population 81
- nsiy such proceeding, and so far those
The States formed out OF Texan TERRITORY lying 50
NJ 30 degrees 80 minutes, TO let theR in as 81
ives Slaet"
This We have before said that the North are i
10Y vocably committed Gas is Mr. WEBSTER h
at is self against admitting any more Slave st;
rally to this Union, thereby increasing the 81
rear Representation in Congress- Congress is