The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-04-30


The extension OF slavery, my consent was
given under an entire mistake a mistake
in which the public very generally particle
pate, and of which it ought to be disabused
No consideration could induce me, even by
implication, to take pledge or assume an
obligation, &c, at variance with my long
settled opinions. WILLIS HALL.
ca We assure the Editor Of the Middle.
bury Register, that ever his very discour-
teous attack on us will not move us to re-
elimination. That Editor was ono of the
Officers Of the House, last Fall, and knows
that the Habeas Corpus act was not " hurried
through tho Legislature, as Judge PHELPS.
in his obsequious Virginia letter, asserts and
knors that the act most cmphatically Gems
bodies the deliberate sense Of the people of
Vermont" whether it shall be pronounced
unconstitutional or not {; and knors that il
has not been disapproyed BY the almost
entire press of this State. as Judge Phelps
further asserts land knows that il has not
" received the most pointed Reproduction Of
The press Of this State. with one or two
exceptions" as Judge Phelps further asserts;
and knous that il will moi be repealed
"when another Legislature shall meet" nor
until better authority than the opinion Of
Judge Phelps, and few newspapers, shall
pronounce II unconstitutional. These things
the Editor of the Register knows, and they
embrace a. complete refntatton Of every ma
teriai statement in the penitential letter adj.
dressed by a Vermont Senator TO State that
has t,cice offered the gsossest .indignity in
her power TO his constituents ''t
Burlington Free Press, 23d inst.
The very confident and dogmatic tone Of
the above assertions is certainly remarkable,
considering how easily they can be shown to
be incorrect. The Free Press makes sew
eral distinct puin;s-all Of which the Editor
deems so indsputsLle, that he has no hesita-
ton in saying we knOiO his statements to
DO true. Now. "mark how plain tale shall
put you down."
"1he HaJeas Corpus act ras NOT hur-
ried through the legislature" says the Free
Press.-Tfe House adjourned Nov. 18th.
This bill was first introduced Nov. Ilth-a
joint resolution being then in force for I'D
journing nert day, Nov. 18th. which was sub
scquentIy rescinded. blouse journal, PIP.
265,2S4.) The bill was referred to the Ju-
dietary Committee. and not again heard OF
in the House until Nov. lSth-the last day
Of the session. 1t was then reported back,
withou: amendment, by the gentleman first
introducing IL. blouse Journal, p. sO2.)
How far it had been considered in committee
may be judged from the fact (Which the
Journal shows) that The Chairman Of the
Committee at once moved an amendment,
on bearing the bill read, and the second men,
Der Of that Committee asked for further tine
to consider (which ,cas refused. blouse
Journal, as before.) The bill was pressed 10
vote on the spot, and passed, with scarcely
a word Of debate. and no division Of the vote
-p'ry Jep responding when the question was
put. !, went into the Senate in che after.
noon of Nov. isths and, eoer suspending The
i3th joint rule. il was received sHd referred
to the Judiciary Committee. (Senate Jout-
nal, PIP. gas. GAG. } One. at least, OF the three
members OF that committee was not present
1t was reported back thc. evening. and pass
ell about midnight, ,sAoa a ,cordef debate.
as we have been infoi lned by the honorable
Senator who occupied the Chair at the time.
Many Of the Senators had then gone home.
The bill was never dreamed of by half =
dozen members Of either House, we firmly
believe, Hntil two days before the close Of
the session, aud then il was kept out Of sight
until The last day before being reported back.
The resolutions Introduced early in the ses-
sion must not be COMPOUNDED with this bill
being entirely distinct from il. They declar.
ed the habeas corpus ana tIiai by jury to be
denied by tho law Of Congress, TO the man
claimed as a slave in direct contradiction
10 this act, unless intended as nulifca alton.
"TAat act most emphaticaiiy' embotiies the
deliberate isnse of The people of permoni!' -
This is mere assertion. We only know I"
that nine,,enths Of those with whom we have
conversed on the subject disapprovs the law.
IN has NOT been 'disapprOved by The al
most entire prs" Of Vermont" Sc. Toe
Wing papers in this State which have " dis
approved that act are.-The Braitleboro'
Phsnik. BraitlstoIo' Eagle, Bellows Falls
Gszsite. Bennington Banner. Windsor Jour.
nal. Woodstock Mercury. Rnilsnd Uuion
Wing. vefgennes Yermonier. 81. Albans
Messenger, Irasburgh Gazette, Bradford
Gazette, and this paper-tDeios. The only
Wing papers that have fully sustained ii are
the Montpeiier Waichman and the Burling-