Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-03-13

OF Fl
MASS MEETINGA AT BETHEL.
OF THE

-
Pursuant to previous notice, the friends Of free
principles, Principally from the Counties of
Windsor, Orange, Washington and Caledonia,
assembled at Bethel, about noon, on the 9th inst;
when the meeting was called TO order BY Doct.
NJ. M. Davis, of Norwich, who stated the object
of the meeting whereupon A. 2, Hunton, Esq,
was appointed President, and D. P. Thompson
Secretary, pro tenn.
On motion, Doct. P. D. Bradford, Hon. Jacob
Scott and O. Hincher, ESD, were appointed a
Committee to nominate officers for the perma-
neDt organization of the Convention, which
Committee soon reported the following gentle
men, who were unanimously appointed, VIZ;
A, P. HUNTON, ESQ, of Bethel, President.
Col. A. STINsoN, of Norwich, ! IT,. p,
GEN. M. FLINT, of Randolph,
p n. F Fn,sS, of R of %S9'P'lier' Secretaries.
On motion of Doct. M. M. Davis, a Commit
tee on Resolutions was appointed, consisting of
Doct. NJ. M. Davis, Hon. Jacob Scott, A.. J.
Rowelj, Esq, of Troy, ]. NJ. Flint, Hon. Milton
Brown. of Worcester, and D. P. Thompson =;
when the Convention adjourned to 2 o'clock,
P. M.
On assembling in the afternoon, the Colven-
ton was addressed by A. J. Rowell, Esq, in a
spirited speech Of son length, after which, and
remarks from several other speakers, the com
mittce appointed for the purpose reported the
following Resolutions
l. Rssolyed, That we do not find anything in
that part of the Constitution relating to the
rendition of "perSons held to %serUice," which. in
our opinion, confers on Congress the power to
pass laws for the seizure aud transportation,
without the intervention of state process, Of
such persons from the States to which they
may have escaped and holding, with Madi-
son, Jay, and others, that all powers not
expressly delegated, are reserved, we believe
tito be among the reserved rights of the States
to prescribe by enactments Of their own, in
what manner any duty which may be i'm
posed on them by that instrument in relation
to that subject, shall be discharged.
2, ReSolDed, That the Fugitive Slave Law pass
ed by Congress in Sept. 1850, involves an IN
authorized assumption Of power-that it is 9TH
erwise unconstitutional in some of its promi.
nent features, and wholly at war with the spir-
it Gf our government in its details, and ought
to be Immediately repealed.
3, Resolved, That the laws of Nature and Of
Nations fully justify the slave in escaping from
bondage-that even our own government, in
protecting fugitives from foreign despotisn,
and in naturalizing foreigners, and thus ena-
bling them TO protect themselves against the
sovereigntles to which they have been SUBJ oct,
directly admits this right Of the slave, and
sanctions and warrants him in exercising 1t.
A. RESOLVED, That the laws of God, as revealed
in His word and instamped upon the soul of
man, and the rights inherent and inalenable
in man, Of life, liberty and the pursuit of hap
plness, are OF higher authority and greater sa.
credness than any law that directly conflicts
with the one or overthrows the other-and
that, in consequence, we are,by every consid-
Grafton of obedience to God, and duty to man,
10 refuse to do any act which violates the
"higher law" of God, or tramples on the in
alienablc rights of man, although the act be
required by a law of the Government which
rules over us.
ReSoived, That we have the express sanction
Tor the principles which we thus proclaim, in
reason and in Revelation in the examples
Of Patriots and Martyrs of all ages, and in the
very language Of the great commentator who
says-"The laW Of Nations c0eUaL ipih man
kind, and dictated 6y God himself, is, of course,
superior in obligation to any other. 1t is bind
ing all oUer the globe, IN all countries ana at alt
TINES. No human jo,oS are of any validiiy If
contrary TO this and such Of them as are UaIid,
derire all their force, and all their authority, me.
diatey or Immediately, from The original"
8. ReSoloed, That our recent State law, in refer
ence to Fugitive Slaves, was not only warran-
ted, but in consequence of the passage Of the
law of Congress, imperiously demanded to
protect our own citizens in the exercise of
their natural rights and moral duties and we
pledge ourselves to sustain it, SO long as that
odlous enactment of Congress is made to dis.
grace our National Statute books.
Z. Resolved, That the present administration has
rendered itself an object of odium and CON
tempt in the eyes of every lover Of freedom.
by its base subservienciency TO the slave hold
ing interests-by its unblushing interference
IN State elections-by its reckless disregard
of alEits professions in favor Of Justice and
Rumanity-by its shameless attempts to muz-
ze and subsidize the press,-and especially
by making tealty to the slave power the chief
qualification requisite to receive favor at its
hands.
8. RESOLVED, That we believe Liberty to be an
Indispensable element of Democracy, and De-
mocracy to be an essential agent OF human
progress, and that we are, therefore, justified
in looking to the free democracy of the coun.
try, to bring back our government TO those
great first principles Of liberty and true de-
mocracy, which were set forth in the Declar-
alton of Independence, and constantly taught
and enioined upon us by the illustrous author
OF that sacred instrument, and the founder of
the democratic party.
9. RESOLVED, That the proceedings Of this meet
ing be signed by the President and Secreta-
RES, and published in all the papers in this
State disposed to publish them, and also in
the National Era.
The report of the Committee was accepted,
when the resolutions were taken up separately,
and ably discussed by Hon. T. Hutchinson, A
]. Rowell, Rev. Mr.. Axtell, M. M. Davis, N.
N. Gleason, Col, A. Simpson, and 9TH
ers, through the afternoon and evening,-the as.
in the meanwhile, beng favored by sew
eral free soil songs composed and sung by Mr..
J. M. Dana, of Montpelier. The following letter
from the Hon. CHARLES Sumner, of Boston,
written in reply to one soliciting his attendance
on the meeting, was then read, as follows:
BosToN, Feb. 18th, 1851.
DEAR SIR Il wish | could be present at
your gathering for Freedom; but | Cannot
Other engagements will prevent.
The times require of our friends perseverance,
consistency, courage, devotion. Let no man
hesitate. By vindlcatlng freedom we most tru-
y honor the Fathers, most truly support the
Constitution, and most truly devote ourselves to
the Union.
Faithfully, Yours,
CHARLES SUMNER,
D. P. THOMPSON.
The Convection then adjourned till Tomorrow.
SECOND DAY.