Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-07-31
7s.nes---our Duty

| SuSSu III upI"'A'5 '
in the TeTtories.
1t is from the pen of the Hon. TIMOTHY P.
REDFIELD sud having once been published by
his consent, it is now the common property of
bis constituents and may be regarded as an ex-
pose of hi present, as we'll as past position on
the great Ssues Of the day.-ED.
1t is apa6ferit, that there is somewhat stormy
agitation Of the political elements. Mr. Web
sters figure, shat the imprisoned winds were
let loose" Is, doubtless, not all fiction. In such
times it ever the duty fthe patriot to enlarge
the circumference of his vision, as well as ne
nav to risexbove localdies, and survey the whole,
and comprehend, as fully as he cam all the parts,
and act for the ,udiwe Of The Republic. From
that emineice, he may look back along his own
path, and ifthere be deviation from the line of
duty, he is prepared to avoid the error in the fu-
ture and If he sees others following mistaken
lights, and exposed to peril he is in a position
to hold up the signal which may be seen from
afar, that t6Ose, who will, may return, and be
safe, and aid in the preservation of others, and
the State.
The moving cause of this 0gstation-the God
Of the :" Imprisoned elements" now loosed, is
NEGRO SLAVERY. Shall that become the con-
trolling element of this GREE REPUBLIC pr
Shall IT be permitted, without hinderance, to
emerge from lis olOr domain. and SubdHe, and ap-
propriate to itself that Of Freedom Has the
government no power to hedge about its free ter
ritories, and protect ieemen fromth Impressions
of slavery? These are important questions In
regard to them, it behooves to act wise " YET
firmly.
This government is CONSTITUTIONAL In its
form It's sovereignty is that of LAW. 10 that
sovereignty. we concede, our entire allegiance
is duet has right to claim that OF us, as Its
own. When that law is expounded by the Ie-
climate organs of govenment-whether WE
think wisely or unwisely-it is authoritative
and binding upon u.s. until, in way known to
the law, it shall be righted. The constitution,
in some of its details, is very different from what
we could have wished; but we take it as it 49,
1t is the sheet-anchor of hopes-t is the pal
ladium of our LIBERTY. If it demands right
hand" or "right eye" the oblation is ready.
If, memorable, it claims the "pound of lesh," let
it be taken, but not " one drop Of blood"
Having rendered to the constitution our ale
giance-having offered upon it our sacrifice"
we demand in turn, that it shall fulfil to us, and
the people, its legitimate Office. 1t was COR
DAMNED AND ESTABLISHED" says the sacred i'll
strument, to "PRoMOTE THE GENERAL VEL
FARE, AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY
TO OURSELVES AND our PosTERITY." 1t was
first consecraled in the hearts Of the American
people, in securing the blessings ofliberty" for
all time, to the Northwest territory, which now
comprises within its limits, more than five MIL
lions Of .freemsn, and has become the very heart
of the nation, propeling, at every pulsation, its
youthful, FREE and renovating blood throughout
every vein and artery Of the body polite. 10
that people nIn5 tl-~ l~v0ro-0f fse0dO"s iovk with
the greatest hope. They will never shackle their
free limbs, nor sell their birth-right for aught
not truly republican; and if the mildew of Afri-
can slavery shall ever rot away the ligaments
that bind this Union together, the last drop of
warm blood, circulating in the veins of Ameri-
can freemen, will be found upon that STREE
SOIL" That such were the purposes for which
,bo constitution 1voc y orJoinad hos haon moi,
coded by every Northern aud Southern States
men, for the term Of sixty years. That exposi-
ton has been sanctioned by the Supreme Court
with entire unanimity, under the lead of Mar
shall our most eminent jurist That application
has been directed by every President save the
present incumbent
The " Ordinance Of Freedom" looks to Thomas
Jefferson, as its parent and author by his efforts,
and that of his compatriots, did it pass the ma
tional Legislature, almost contemporaneously
with the establishment of the constitution, as if
that instrument should first discharge its hottest
functions. 1t received the warm support of
Washington, and felt "hs great arm" from the
Nations Executive, carrying its provisions into
execution, throughout our hen, entire domain.
Jefferson nurtured that "ordinance" into being
in his youth, gave it his Executive sanction in
his maturer manhood, cherished it in his age and
bequeathed it to his country. His followers, the
National Democracy, received it, sanctioned it,
honored and embraced it, as an invaluable lega-
cy from their parent and founder. Such was
the universal sentiment of the National democ-
racy, in regard to the constitution, and their
since, Lewis Casa man who had done the
State some service, but pressed, as he conceiv.
ed by strong political necessity, broke loose
from the democratic foId-rpudiated Jefferson and
his teaching turned his back upon The democratic
church-become scismatic-a postate, and hereto,
and attempted to ioist into the democratic creed,
the, until that time unheard of novelty that the
government have no POWER TO shield their free
territories from The Impression Of slavery"
This "nelU lest" had its natural effect. The de-
mocracy protested, and repudiated the new in
terpoilatlon in their creed, and were, for the time
being, disorganized and broken. Cass went,
where every renegade necessarily must go, TO
THE ENEMY; and thus, within one year from the
incubation of his heresy, WE FIND HIM AND HIS
BANTLING, IN THE EMBRACE OF WIG ExECU'
TIVE. We have noticed, to be sure, that some
of the violent partisan presses, in this State I'M
willing to give in their adhesion in form, to
doctrine which they have so recently, and so Vi
olently assailed, undertook to make difference
between TayOrism and Cdssism. They say
that the ONE admits the POWER of the govern
ment to protect the territories, by suitable laws,
but that it is inexpedent to exert it, and that
the OTHER denies the POWER under the constiu-
ton, But the President has not made even this