The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1850-02-23
VERMONT INDICATED.
SPEECH OF MR. PHELPS
~ DEFENCE or THE PEHAiO.NT
RESOLUTIONS
IN SENATE, JlEulHr, %, 1850.


s0ma time since presented by Mr. UrnAh-
Nc PnKLra, Alief the few remarks which
made the other day, entertained the hope
lhnl I should not ind myself under tho ne'
cesaly at pfefenI oi participating any further
IN the dehAie on tbs question, hut, cir, ai-
tor what lIAs fallen from The other side Of this
chamber, feel IL due 20 the STATE ! IN part
represent, 90 oiluT some further remarks in
yindiealion Of NY course aud their course.
Sir, have boen called upon 10 "hee the
music have no disposition, Mr President
10 avoid lha "iaeine" ofany "muHie'' hut J
must be allowed 10 aAy, sir, HAT | think Me
have some very had "niusic" on This noor,--
have been called upon, Dir, 10 meet the H.
sue. make no issue here wlliel, Hm not
prepared 60 meel,hud trust my constituents
will make no Issue heru which am not pre-
pared 90 meet Nay, sir, am prepared TO
meet tho approaching ISSUE, pregnant NJ u 10
with consequences 10 tliA county
Sir, IL has been said by gentlemen on ae
other side of this chamber that this great ia-
sne was forced upon them. Il las not, how
ever been forced upon them by lle oihcious-
ness of any portion Of this counlry,ii is nn iH-
SUE which has forced itself upon u.s. au issue
which has rome here uuiuyited and unwel-
come. II presents itsoif ~ ono oi TINT train
lIllcl- -nlanl- luE-lalcHaAY
aud rearied. II comes here as Iho conso'
quence--lhe necessary cpnsoqucnce-of n
train uf measures which !, for one, have ro'
ssIed nom lho outset. II 10 ohe ofihg fruits
Of that nggrandzemnni, and conquest, mud
military acquisition, which seems TO have In
iccled aud Infatuated every republican gov
crnmeul. Sir, II IL ono Of the fruits OF our
Mexican war-lho fruits of that policy which
originated Ia the disposition to extend the
nren Of our power bat which carries IN ils
ttssl. la Al
solve this Republic Sic, am not surprised
at this issue. II is what have long anIiel'
pAied, IL ~ an issue which No cannot nyoidi
and here, sir, lies IN difficulty and It's danger
lit Is n question to bo soltlod,buI hOr settled
no man on this floor can now anticipate,
Sir, one object ] have In addressing the
Senate on the present occasion, IL Ia yindi-
cato The resolutions presented here from slic
Stnto which In pnri represent. Those res
blutions have been thu object Of nn very con-
cilialofy comment. Almost every opilhot
IN the whole category of opprohtum has
been bestowed on them Sir, ! huliovo ]
can yindcale those revolutions before the
Senate, aud before the world. They have
been, sis, miscouceiVed herc,and most gross
" nilsroprcsentod elsewhere. They have
been pronounced on lhis floor Offensive, vio-
lOpt, opprohTpons .itupoTattre, unj jusi. .iusull-
ing, reasonable, aud untrue. Sir, ifihgro Is
anything IN the category OF opproprium not
bestowed upon tlutn,it mny well bc regarded
n Hurplusngc.
Let mo advert to the resolutions them.
selves ! have said they have been miscon-
strued. Sir, II they have not been most q
grogiously misconccived, have not the ca
pncity to Judge. They are drawn, not per-
hhps, 4s Gkilliully as they ought obe- The
language IL perhaps not precisely what 9TH
ers would have employed to express the
same sentiments. ! will read them. The
first resolution aEaerts---
THAT slavery is n crime against humanity
aud sore evil IN the body polite, tha, wnr'
excused hy the trainers Of the Federal Con-
sttulion MS crime eulniled upon tho coun'
try 10y thoir predecessors, mud tolerated os
thing of ineXornblo necessity"
The other day took the liberty ofromark'
ing that the sentiment here expressed wns
tho general sentiment OF the civilized world.
ln making this remark | really regarded u ~
rather common. place. IL seems, however,
To have been received ns offensive, aud was
no considered hrobnhly because tine resola.
tinns LlheniaclXea- ncIe- -consldcrel- ID con- :
yey an offensive imputnuon Sir, when
made ihe remurk, considered tina, these
resolutions cast no impntHtion on any por-
ton of this Union. ! regarded the resolu-
tious as merely expressing hn abstract onln-
ion, directly duplicating nobody and haTing
this view of their purporl, felt AT liberty to
endorse them, ulthougIIif ! had regarded tho &
resolution us containing an offensive impu-
Inlion ON any portion of tho Union should
probably have avoided tho expression. But
these resolutions merely express an abstract
opinion. What Ia ii That Hlnpery Is
crime or, fyou please, an Offence ngninst
humanity. Whom does tliis implica;o p
Upon whom is ceusure cast ? Upon those,
al xsh IN Inr tai IN al-
fence and are reapanAihle for tho crime. If
tbers bo crimo. CcriHiuRlty is imputed
to any one in particular, il is by inference,
aud 10y Inference only. Whnt,slr, hive you,
aud what have heard from our childhood
on this suhjectp Whnt ever may be tho ORR
gin of this institution, it's continuance has
been Yindichted by gentlanen of the Soulh;
FIRST on the ground that they are not respon-
sibe for its origin; and, secondly en the
ground that its existence being n matter of
nexornbe necessity, they nre not responsi-
bio for tiiat continuance. Sir, this langungc
has been used everywhere. ] have not on.
" heard il, hut have used this language
myself among my own constituents IN eN-
cuse, &c you please, or Intimidation (it you
please TO use tho.termb Of tho people OF the
South for their participation Ia the insti'u-
lion.
repeat, we all felt the farce OF this nrgu-
ment. Lot the institution be an offence "a
gainst humanity, ic you plensoi those who !
brought it into Ihe country are Responsible;
uiore ho participate in il are Responsible I
for its continuance, only when its abolition
can be made consistent with their snlcty j
have ever ful the force Of this argtlment.-
Aud what sny theresolutons? They express
the opinion that the institution is an offence
against humanity. They hroceeh further 10
presen, ,ho vindicFtion kiGcb The South
4. u II. a