Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-03-15
Mr.. Webster on the Ordinance OF 'S7.

MIR. Webster on the Ordinance OF 'S7. .
| We have again read, " it'll thorough attention, &c
the speech of Mr. WEBSTER, and arc constrain- ri
ed to say that our impression that it will not, e
and ought not TO, command the assent of the 4
Wing Party of the North, is completely con- a
frmcd. 1t is marked with the usual, though il
not with the great, ability of its distinguished t
author 1t has none of the sentcntious fcrvor
and earnestness that mark the celebrated Reply t
to IIaync, while the "criss" it is intended to $
meet is cmincnty more serious and important
than that which called forth that splendid effort
of genius and patri tlsm. The troubles that
threatened from South Carolina " notification"
were not half so great, intrnsicay or cXtrlns-
cally, as those which now embarrass the set
Element of the Slavery question. The Slavery
division unitcs near y all the South--nullltica-
ton was principally formidable in quatllcbum."
The occasion and the motive, therefore, for the
display of the magnificent powers of Mr. WEB
STEERS mind, arc greater, while the result
is decidedly inferior. We can attribute it to
but ono cause Mr.. WEBSTER, on Thursday
last. must have been entirely conscious that he
on solid ground, and carrying with him the APP
. probation and applause of his constituents
The speech is able, but cold in the HI hest
degree p'ausiJ'e, but insincerc. 1t conveys no
impression that it carried the hca of the speak
cr with it. 1t is logical rather than just;-a
skillful effort to argue away the convictions Of
2 the understanding and the heart. 1t has bright
aud strong points; but upon examination they
= arc found to be rather rhetorical than true =
u our readers will understand what mean by
" the following extract Speaking oithc "Wll-
- mot Proyiso" Mr. Uebsier says:-
" | desire to peur ont all my heart in plain
Z manner possible and say again, that Il prop
10 o-itiun were now here for Government for New
Mexico and twas moved to insert provision Tor the
= prohibition oil slavery, would not vote Tor It,
j. Now our notion Is that when man realty
IS "pours out all his heart" he docs it withom
t saying anything aboih his heaH"-unconscious.
Is ", spontaneously cspecaly when, being
i. Massachusetts man, he is pouring it out IN OPP
III position 10 proposed restrictions upon the erten
to SON Of human Sldray! We distrust all such
~ advertisements of profound emotion. 1t isn't
LL natural 1t isn'tthe true language of FEELING.
" We instinctively dstrlst it. We don't believe
- it, When the heart Speaks it is It's own herald.
~ But again, i'll the same paragraph, Mr.. WEB
~ srER, speaking of the prohibition Of Slavery III
-" ., New Mexico, says:-
"1'he use of such prohibition would be idle, ms it
IS, respects any effect it would have upon the Ierro-
nv nv and would take pains TO rcaiiirm an ordi-
nance of Nature, nor to rc.cnact the will OF God.'
This, also, is incontostibly, and by manifest
o., internal evidence, mere flourish of rhctoric.-
err 1t is nothing more than wcll-roundcd period
ITO of the most obvious sophistry. We should be
llo clad to know what Governments arc instituted
40 for, if is not precisely "to rccnact the will OF
in God:" 1t is the REVEALED will of God that
ncn shall not steal nor murder: and yet Mr.
WEBSTER would hardly be willing to place
'ho himself before the world as opposed TO a law
glu prohibiting theft and murder, OF tho grount
'Ia that he "would not take pains to rc-enact the
her will Of God " We have always understood
al, that the highest sanction that human law 70
the regulation and happiness of human society
can have, is its conformity to- or "recnact
ion mcnt' of, the prcccpts Of the Decaoguc. Law
eme are made for tn government of society (undc
20 all Free constitutions at LAST because they RES
lder TRAIN men from violating " the will of Cod
'a,o If all men, like Mr.. WEBSTER, would main
tain this respect and obedience the will q
m God" there could clearly be no need of huma
,ub law. But all men wont!
ONO But how is it that it is 'thc will ofGod," or til
N. "ordnancc Of nature, THAT Slavery shall not cXi
ych. in New Mexico, and yet exist i'll Texas: An
na ;;- ;;;c~: i; that undefncd and in1ofnablc lin
M, beirceen the hro, which human ingenuity has NJ
.,r, yet found? Will Mr.. WEBSTER be undo
for stood as meaning that there is any portion
mrs this earth where it is the will of God" tn
no. man can rightly hold his fellow man in SLAYER
,ack or where Slavery is Indigenous! We shou
r,h. think not But, nevertheless, while Mr.. WEI
ould sTER will vote to " re-cnlct" the REvEALT
Won "will," in respect of theft and murder, he ca
don, not think of doing so idle" and unnecessary
ther '"'"S Us 10 nh'cr'eic WIN ''''t WILL "i''''
anti is not only mrcreaied, but, by n contermino
30, State, is condemned and dcspised We ha'
no faith in this subtle geographical and gcol
gcal augmentation. The limit to the cxte
t ac. sion of Slavery is not TO be thus measured.
MT IS is to be measured by the sclfishness al
shall cupldlty OF man. 1t has been openly asscrtc
new oil the floor of Congress, that Southern IN
Slave would long since have had Their slaves Workl
in the mines of California, if they could ha
'''e' taken them there in safety!
nun --Bot why has the "ordinancc of nature
,'''S as Mr.. w En- TER asserts, rendered Slavery i
''a'' possible in New Mexico; We ask any of c
wy readers to cast their eye upon any modern m
""'' of North America, and they will perceive ii
sfess New Mexico is precisely Yithin The rery par
es,' Lys nj Lii,,de ,cb;cb on, race ,r,rv Syrs 81
,tors' IN he vu;out SANTA Fe its ea,tal is 6frL
enta- eo,,jb Than Kontuckv MARYLAND and Virpiu
ION What, them has A" nature" or God, done to II
Mr.. der Slave labor less profitable there than il
in as in the States named Is the climate of n