The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-07-30

cardinal principle of the Wing crecd-both
brought about by EXECUTIVE UsuRpA-
TIoN. The Wings of Vermont opposed
both Annexation and the War; they re-
monstraied against the extension of terrific.
ny at all, and especially of slave territory
and they fairly and repeatedly warned the
country that they should resist the admission
of n single State to the Union, without an
express prohibition Of slavery.
Your Committee have no hesitation in
saying, then, in the name of the Wings of
Vermont, that for the conseC, uences of these
acts, pe are guiltess the heavy responsible
ty of them rests with those, and only those,
who disregardcd our appeals and deridej our
, timely warnings.
We are now told shat the consequences Of
these acs-of these repeated acts Of violence
to our principles and wishes-are dangerous
perhaps fatal even, to the peace Of our coun-
try and its further existence, one and indi-
visible =; and we are earnestly implored to
aid in averting this danger, in spirit of for
bearance and compromise. We have we'll
considered this appeal; we love the Union,
and we wish to save it,--but De knop of no
'cdy Of sdigdtion but the straight and narroc
pdth-but by adherng firmly 10 the princi.
pies of the founders Of the Union, and using
the power of the Constitution, temporarily,
'liscreetly, justly, as they would use it. 7Aey
compromised this great question by leaving
slavery as it was in the old States, by ac-
cording TO it a quota of representation, BY
providing for the suppression of domestic
instruction. by requiring the rendition of
fugitive slaves, and by empocering Congress
TO PROHIBIT THE SLAVE TRADE in the
MI
from THE NEW STATES AND TERRITORIES.
This was their Compromise it is ours. 1t is
a Compromise of the Constitution, ratified
by the North and the South, and binding
upon every freeman Of the Republic by the
solemnity of an oath. To insist, either that
slavery shall be admitted to the new terrific.
rles-or that Congress shall waive its Consti-
tutional power so far us neither TO admit nor
restrict it's equally violation of the Com
promise and solemn compact of our fathers.
They would not be guilty of bad faith to the
Consttution-of bad faith to each other-ol
bad faith to LIBERTY; We will not. Then
condemned slavery as inconsistent with the
first principles of our government: ,ce con-
denim it. They restricted slavery forever, in
territory then free, by the Ordinance of 81:
IRE will restrict it. They gave power to
Congress to prohibit " the migration or i'm
portation Of slaves into new territories or
States: IRE will use that power.
Are we told still that the Union is in dan
ger ?-then it is ia danger because others
will depart from the principles of their faith
ers and ours because others will insist upon
NEW CONDITIONS OF UNIoN-upon condi-
tions which are not in the Constitution, and
which it is our right, and our indispensable
duty also, firmly 10 refuse. Shall we com.
promise now our principles, and the princi-
| PIES Of our fathers ?-then another stride
from the path OF honor, of safety, and Of
liberty itself, may demand another compro.
mise another day shall demand still anoth-
or new condition Of Union-uDtil at last the
whole fabric of free American Government
shall be changed, and of the fair and comcly
original, there shall not be left one stone up.
on another.
The CONSTITUTION IS 1T IS THE
| UNION, governed upon Constitutional pri,ci
pies we have abided by these,-we will
abide by them still. This is the compromise
the only compromise, 10 which we feel il oul
duty or our right 10 submit.
What is true of the present sad condition
OF the country, because of the violation o.
the principles of the Wings of Vermont or
the subject Of Slavery, is equally true Of 9th
er important matters. Our calami.ies ma,
still further be traced to an abandonment Of
those ancient landmarks which the Repub-
lican fathers fixed, and by which the Wing
party has ever been and still is ruled. We
will advert TO single yet signal instance oil
this truth.
At this moment the business of the coun.
try is seriously depressed-is commerce is
languishIng, and its debt 10 foreign countries
alarmngly augmenting daily, by vastly in
creased lmportations Of foreign manufactures
and vast decrease in the expectation OF
American products, Legitimate and palpa.
bic consequences of abandoning the good old
fashioned Wing doctrine of Protection, and
substituting the principles Of British Free
| Irade.
There are errors of omission also, for
which We are in no way responsible. The
currency is uselessly disturbed, and the gov
eminent itself not upfreqnently embarrassed
by the operation Of the Sub-Treasury Sys-
TEN spoliatons are daily committed on the
public domain; and the interests of com.
merce in the lakes rivers and harbors of the
country, are almost entirely neglected. Nor
is this neglect cbargeable to the late Execu-
tive and his Cabinet. Most faithfully have
their duties been performed in the recon-
mendation Of moderate, discreet and prsc-
ticable measures of Reform: Congress, with
an opposition majority in both branches, and
committees carefully organized with MAORI
ties opposed to the Administraio ion, has most
industrously and successfully neglected the
recommendations Of the Executive, and the
great interests OF the country.
In such review of the state of public af-
fairs we see no ground to distrust the prnci-
pies or policy OF the Wings of Vermont
no ground to sacrifice or essentially modify
single article in the old, the cherished, the
ever gloriously sustained VERMONT WING
CREED.
Resolred therefore, That the Wings Of
Vermont, in Convention assembled, refer 10
the Declaration of Independence, to the
Federal Constitution, as understood and ex-
pounded by its trainers, to the enunciation
of the great principle Of human liberty and
the restriction of domestic slavery promu-
gated / Y the ordinance of 'S7, and to their
own former resolutions in convention, as the
constant and unchaDging standards Of their
political faith.
Resolred, That Slavery is a crime against
humanity, and a sore evil in the body poll
tic, that was excused by the trainers of the
Federal Constitution as a crime entaled up
on the country by their predecessors, and
tolerated solely as thing of memorable ne
cessity.
RESOLVED, That the so-called Compro-
misses Of the Constitution restrained the
Federal Government from interference with