Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-08-01

gradual extinction OF slavery in this State shoul
have been the twin Clipping Of that mind which
gave birth to the bill Of rights and to the act 70
religious freedom. A iact 90 honorable to the
public spirit and humanity Of that age, 90 wor
thy Of the genius and expanded philanthropy o
those with whom il originated, cannot be tao of
ten REQUIRED to, nor too proudly cherished. STA
very, II Is admitted, Is in evil 1t is an institu
ton which presses heavily against the best inter
ests Of the State. Being thus injurious, have
We NOT right to demand its externination?"
Mr. Mcdowell, of Rockbridge:
We know that the blessings Of our position
and soil and climate are counlervailed by thu
apathy Of our public connsels, and By our exclu
sive reliance up1n involuntary labor. Our inter
ests and senses proclaim the progress Of gener
al decline; conscience and experience sttes
that slavery 10 Its principal cause. We do moi
contemplate Virginia Justly when we regard heI
as mesger, haSgard, and enfcebled, with decTep.
itude stealing upon her limbs, as given over "a
leanness AMI impotency, end ~ wasting away
uader the improvidence, and the inactivity which
eternally accompany the fatal institution which
she chershes. and cherishes too, as mothel
who will huz 'rd her own lite, rather than par
even with the monstr0us offspring that aff1lctl
her? Ii am u judge from the tone Of our de-
pressed, there is not a man in this body, not one
perhaps that 10 even represented here, who would
not have thanked the generations that have goue
before US, if, acting As public men, they had
brought this bondage to a close who would moi
have thanked them, If acting as private men, on
private motives, they had reIinquished the prop
erty which ibeir mistaken kindness has dcvolved
| upon us. Ia this investigation there is no diff
Guilty n0tniing hes been left to speculation OF
inquiry 4; for, however widely gentlemen have
differed upon the power and The Justice of touch
ing this property, they have yet united in com
mon testimony to its character. khas been frank.
iy and unequlrocaLls declared, from the pery con-
mencement Of thus debate, BY TIE most decided enc
mics Of abolition htmyeipes as ,oei as by others.
Mtthis property ID an evii; : that Il Is Danger
Gus property
have shown, Mr.. President, at the haz.
ard Of making myself tedious to the Senate,
that the agitation Of the subject of slavery,
with view to effect its abolition, common
ced in the South three quarters Of a ceniu-
ry ago, and that Southern statesmen were
the agitators. And have also shown that
no further back than 1882, the ablest men
10 Virginia did not hesitate to declare that
properly in slaves was an evil; that it was
a dangerous property; and that il was a
blighung, whitening curse upon the land
Now, Mr.. President, If these views in re-
gard to slavery, expressed in the Legislature
|of Virginia be correct-and allow me to
say that they are 80 regarded by the almost
entire North-how eau Southern Senators
rise in their places and seriously urge US 10
aid them in introducing into California and
New Mexico this evil, this dangerous spe-
cies of property, this blighting, whitening
curse upon the land These Territories,
sir, are soon to become States of this I'm
ion. and is it not our bounden duty, while
they are under our exclusive jurisdiction,
to see to it that no element Of weakness or
Of danger is introduced into them? Most
certainly it is. Entertaining, then, the O.
piaions have expressed, we of the North
have but one course to pursue, and that is
to protect the Territories, if we can, from
the intrusion Of slavery
Ipass. MIR. President, to the second branch
Of my first proposition, namely, that the az
itation of the slave question was forced up
on the people of the North by the agrees
ions of the slave power upon their rights
South Carolina has been in the habit, since
1922, under State law, of taking from
Northern vessels colosed seamen, citizens
of Northern States, and imprisoning them
while the vessel remains in port, and selling
them into slavery to pay the jail fees. unless
they are paid BY the owner or consignee of
the vessel. have the law under which
these enormities have been committed be-
fore me, and the opinion OF the Attorney
General, Mr.. Writ, declaring il unconstitu-
tional. The law reads as follows:
Sec. 2 If any vessel shall come into any
port or hasbor Of this State, from any other State
or foreign OFT, having On board any fres ne
groes, or persons Of color, As cooks, stewards
mariners, or 10 any other employment on board
OF said vessel, such free negroes or pefsuns Of
color shall be liable 10 be seized and confined ia
jail until said vessel shall clear out and depart
froui this State; aud that when said vessel is
ready to sail, the captain Of said vessel shall be
bound 10 carry away the said free negro or free
person OF color, and to pay the expenses Of his
detention; and in case Of his neglect or refusal
to do 20, he shall be liable to be indicted, aud ON
convict IN thereof, shall be fined not less than
81 QUO, and Imprisoned not less than two months
and such free negroes or persons Of color shall
be deemed and taken - absolute slaves, and
sold in conformity to the provis ions of the oct
passed December z0th, 1890"
Yes, sir, our free citizens, if found ON
board of any vessel, in any port or harbor
Of South Carolina, guil.less of crime savs
the color Of their skin, shall" says the
law, "be deemed and taken as absolute
slaves, and sold in conformity to the provis-
ions Of the act passed December 20, 1920"
Shortly after the passage Of this law, Mr..
Justice Johnson, a native Of South Caroli- |
ma, and then distinguished Judge of the |
Supreme Court Of the United States, in the |
case of British colored seaman who had
been seized and imprisoned under the law,
said, Gin regard to its uncons itutionality,
i is not too much to say il will not bear an
argument; and feel myself justified in Us
ing this strong language from considering !
The course Of reasoning BY which it has
5eea defended" ~ r
The proceedings Of South Carolina are
rot only irritating, but exceedingly incon-
Ienient to the N.Fth. The services Of col
red seamen are needed on board the YES
el. and being citizens of the Northern
states, and entitled to all privileges and