Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-05-29
The Compromise--are we bound
Inv it


Until we had suffered ourselves to be blinded
BY an insane frenzy against the fugitive slave
bill, it has been regarded as cardinal point to
be gained to prevent the extension Of slavery in
to California and the new territories. We had
avowed our willingness TO guarantee the exist
ence of the institution in the States where It al
ready existed, but beyond that we were deter
mined il should never be allowed to extend IL
self This point was carried riunphantly by the
North, in the passage of the Compromise bill
The fugitive slave law WAS the price of the great
victory thus achieved. For a double reason. it
is unwise TO disturb the arrangement on which
alone the victory grounded: it endangers the
peace Of the Republic, and it bellies the oft-re-
peaed assertions of all parties at the North, that
sufficient guarantees should be given for the safe
" of the Institution where it was then existing
-Irasbwgh Gazette.
The Gazette forgets that the Compromise,
strictly speaking, was defeated. Congress would
not pass the bills recommended by the committee
of thirteen as parts of bargain--one measure
for another, quid pro quo and hence the argu-
ment Of honorary obligation fails-and with it,
also, the assumption that the fugitive slave law is
the "prlce" for the admission of California as
free State. But we utterly scout the doctrine OF
obligation to the Compromise, in all its parts
Vermont was never party to the bargain in any
shape whatever, and we doubt whether the dele
cations of five States in the Union ,cere parties
10 it-that is, voted for al of the measures com
posing what is called the Compromise Yer.
mont certainly did not. Is she in any sens.
bound by bargain which she never entered in
to, and IN which she was not party Bot thi.
q the Of thr Il. =
to bind any representative, State, or citizen t.
maintain intact any law whatever, except by ere
nting a vested right or contract within the in
tent and meaning Of the Constitution. The ad.
mission Of California is vested right. Con
gress cannot Dust herfrom the Union: neither
can California GUST herself; so il is entirely i'm.
material, as to California, whether the fugitiv,
slave law stands or falls. The Texas Boundary
Law is regular contract, a purchase, and the
money has been pald-athough we think tn,
parties should have been reversed. Texas SHOULD
have paid the money, in lieu of receiving it,
But this does not vary the matter: a contract il
was, ana the act is irfepeaable. Not SO, howev-
er, with the fugitive slave act, the act on the
slave trade IN the District of Columbia and the
acts establishing territorial governments fol
Utah and New Mexico, since neither constituted
vested rights or contracts. They are all subject
to repeal, modification, or amendment Such
was the doctrine of Mr.. Webster, in the Annap-
OILS speech-the best authority on points of con-
sttutional law, in our opinion, however much we
think he lacks in political prudence. Such, too
was the doctrine of President Fillmore as to the
Fugitive Slave Law, declared in his message
We regret, then, to see the Gazette countenan-
eng the mlschievous and utterly unfounded idea
that the North is bound TO refrain from seeking
proper amendments to the fugitive slave law, and
bound to go for the admission of Utah and New
Mexico as slave States, should they so come for
admission. Their admission as free States is as
much "a cardinal point to be gained to prevent
the extension Of slavery" as was the admission
OF California; and there is no power strong
enough to bind the representatives of Vermont to
vote for their admission, except upon such terms
as they, IN the exercise of their privilege and du-
~, as representatives of The people Of yern,ont
see fit to impose.
The other objection to any modification of the
'"sA''e oio't i""--tO VIII, ule danger 10 lhe I'm
ions rather an objection as to time than to the
thing itself 1t may be unwise to attempt any
modification at present. OF that let Congress
be the judge. As said the President, let time
and experience demonstrate" the changes thai
ought to be made. Let the defects of the Law
be brought out TO the view of Congress and the
country; and whoever has single modification
which can better secure either the legitimate
constitutional right Of the master to his fugitive
slave, or the equally sacred constitutional right
of Freemen to their liberty-let him tell it. let
him urge IT, let hun never abandon it. We do
not really think the Union is in any sort of dan.
ger from doing right. Fanatics Northern and
Southern, will buster, do what Congress will
but the American people as a whole are too in.
teihgent too patriotic, and too well stocked with
genuine common sense, not to discern the rigLi
and to sustain 1t in every emergency. If this
be not so, the experiment Of the Federal Union
will indeed be failure; and all the sooner i
the attachment of really good, wise, and patriot.
&c men to the Union is weakened by the preya-
lence of bad principles and the imposition of un-
righteous laws.