Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-02-27
THE PRESIDENTS PROCLA-
NATION.

1t has thus far been matter Of just pride and
graduation with the American people, that,
whatever may have been the acts of demagog
ism and folly which have marked the political
career of asprants, while candidates for the
Presidency. no one has heretofore ever reached
that high station, who has not been too much
impressed with the dignity and responsibility OF
the Office, to degrade it by issuing foolish or I'M
warranted executive documents. And we have
been so much accustomed to q respectful con-
sideration of our Presidential proclamations,
that we have felt utterly at loss what to say, or
think, Of the one that purports to be called forth
by the late rescue, by few blacks in Boston,
bondage on an efpaptp sxSihrtfahSh.. "'. one" t"
1t is well known to the public, that the most
bold and palpable violations of the Post Office
law have taken place, during the present Ad
mlnstration, in the S uthern States, as often as
its operation was thought to endanger any part
Of the slave policy. 1t is veil that our tree COL
ored seamen are, under the slave laws OF the
South, and III open violation OF the guarantees OF
the Constitution. every month OF the year, torn
from their vessels andsod mo bondage; and 1t
is equally well known hat even our solemn
treaties with foreign nations have been broken
by these States, by seiz ng and selling Their
seamen also, in the same manner, and yet the
| President does not seem 10 consider any OF these
cases worthy ofexecutve interference, and thus,
10 violation of his oath Of Office, allows the laws
and treaties alike to be trampled on with impu'
nifty, and that too without uttering single word
against the dlsgraceful outrages. But when
few poor, despised negroes, come into court
roon and without blow or threat, hustle one
of their brethren out of the hands ofthe poltroon
officers having charge of him, down comes Pres
ident Fillmore with Proclamation, which, in
arbitrary ierceness, is only equalled by the Pa
pa fulm,nat Ms OF the middle ages
We are no adviser Of factions RESISTANCE to
the law, at least, not till, by common consent,
obedience ceases to be virtue, but we must
be permitted 10 say that an Executive who Pur-
sues cuurse so obviously sectional-who 80
clearly negects his pIanes' duty to the effect
Of strengthening and screening in wrong, the
institutions of one part OF the country, and steps
out OF it, 10 make war on those of ancther part
and those too, confessedIy founded on the 6rst
and best principles Of our general government
such all Executive has no right to expect that
his prcclumatiors will command respect, or thai
even his high station will screen him from the
mer,ted contempt OF the people, And the oaly
effects which this extraordinary document VIII
produce probably, will be to increase the d'sFe
spect TO the vile enactment which it was intend
ed 10 make respected, and to prove to the world
what before only rested in allegation, that Mil
lard Fillmore, instead of being the President o.
the nation, has irretrlevabiy bound himself as
tile tool of one of the most dangerous factions
which has arisen since the establishment of Ou
Republic.