Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-03-20
VERMONT POLITICS.

Inc ffcc .unsS .hettHg ~ Dftntt on the btn
was composed Of "the friends of free principles,
principally from the counties of Windsor, Or
unge. Washington and Caledonia" and was as
well attended according 10 the Freeman as the
weather would admit A. p. lIunton presided,
and the record shows, as chief actors persons
we'd known as leaders Of the coalition or free
soil party. We give the resolutions as part of
the history of these somewhat extraordinary
times, and as probably containing the ground on
which the free soil party will attempt TO sustain
itself
l. Rssolved, That we do not find anything in
that part of the Constitution relating to the rem
diton Of persons bound TO seruioe," which. in
our opinion, confers on Congress the power to
pass laws for the seizure and transportation with
cut the intervention of State process of such
persons from the States 70 which they may have
escaped and holding, with Madison jaw, and
others, that all powers not expressly delegated.
arc reserved, we believe 1t to be among the re-
served rights of the States to prescribe by en-
uctinent Of their own in what manner any duty
which may be imposed on them hy that instru.
ment in relation to that seblect shall be dlschar-
ged.
Stick pin there. There have been two views
of this matter, and the legislature Of Vermont has
acted upon both how strange, that Uhg legis-
latures should actually have had their eyes Open
and venture TO ae', too, long before the present
free soil party was born The first view was
that embraced ia thus resolution; there was to be
the intervention of State process: and then
Vermont did intervene by the act of lsl0 " to
extend the ri ht of trial by jury" Then came
the other view. The U S Supreme Court deci-
ded, in the case of Prigg that the officers Of the
State government were not bound to act under
the law Of Congress Of 1893 respecting persons
escaping from the service of their masters This
decision by the highest judicial tribunal, was
hailed with JOY in Vermont Ms reiering the State
and IT'S peop'e from all responsibility in the rendi
Ion Of figiire sldres and casting that response
biiity entirely upon the Federal Government anl
It's own officers. Upon that understanding the
Legislature of Vermont acted, promptly aud ef.
tectuilly,-to the full extent of It's power, as
supposed to be settled by the L. 5. Supreme
Court,-by passing the act Of 1913 for the pro
lection Of personal liberty" This act prohibit
ed an state officers, and all citizens Of the State
from taking any part in the arrest or rendition
Of fugtea slaves, except the judges Of the Fed
eral Courts, the L. S. Marshal aHd his deputies
AMI persons acting under the command or an
th3ri,y of sad courts or marshal" That law il
still in force, we believe, and is a far os Yer
mont can consuu,lonay GO. II the coalition
proposes to repeal the saving clause, and prohibi
L. S. officers from acting, they propose direc; col
lison with the Federal Government But let Il.
60 on with the history of this matter: Last cam,
the act Of Congress Of 1850, by which Congress
his assumed the sole responsibility in this INST
ter, and relieved the States from the positive
work of differing mp fugitiycs. The States STAN
simply, under the literal meaning Of the Consti
tuition, prohibited from discla,giag fugitive slaves
or grerenliRg them from being delivered up b.
state laws or regulations. Bad as the fugtiy
slsvo act Of 1850 is, certainly this feature in
ought to be regarded great relief to tn
states, and to the consciences Of all who hay
scrples about offending against either the di
vine law Of love or the supreme law of the land
And VIVA, has Vermont done about that; Sh
has not ndiifed Jas some enormously say,) III
AUA1ututlOu VI INC hAl Dl Congress. one ma
not interviewed to prerem the delivery up of fug
tive slaves But she has as correctly represer
ted by the resolution below attempted to intel
vene "to protect our own zens"-freemel
not slaves" in the exercise of their natur
rights and moral duties" ne think Vernon
has kept quite fully up to the emergencies OF tn
case in every particular. The above resoluto
looks TO US like going back to the position
$40, and that too in defiance Of the u. S. ST
preme Court. Time was when decision Of thi
Court, Oh questions of law, was an end of a
controversy. If ant-slavery men do 90 back I
that position, and admit that the States are boun
to act at all, they will then be met by the clai
Oh the other side that the States are bound
the Constitution TO act only in one cab and tn,
is 10 delirer up Me siareio become Stare catcher
For this the Bethel meeting prepares ITSELF
the succeeding summary Of all sorts of lav
human and divine, applicable to the case
,. Resorsi, That the Fugitive Slave Law pas
sed by ongress in Sept, 1850 Involves an III
authorized assumption of power, that ii Is othe
wise unconstitutional IN some of ITS present fe,
tures, and wholly at war with the spirit of oil
GofifHlitli III It's dethlih, ana ought 10 De lunl
dIltely repealed
3. Rsso'ped That the laws of Nature and
Nations fully Justify the slave in escaping trol
bondage-that even our own government,
protecting fngitives from foreign despotismand
naiuralizlpg foreigners, and thuse enabling thel
to protect themselves against the sovereignti,
TO which they have been subject directly admit
this right of the slave, and sanctions and wa
rants him in exercising it.
t. Resolred, That the laws of God, as revea
ed IN Histord and inslarBped upon the soul
man, and the fibhts inherent and nalienable
man, Of lisa llserty and the pursuit of happ
ness, are Of higher authority and greater sacre
ness than any law that directly conflicts WI
the one or oyerthrows the other-and that,
consequence we are, by every consideration
obedience to God, and duty to man, to refuse
do any act which violates ,he higher lawn
God, or tRnples on the inalenablc rights
man, sltho' the act be required by a law Of Il
government which rules over us.
s Ressired That we have the express san
ton for the principles which we thus proclaim,
reason and in Reyelution--in the examples
Patriots and Martyrs of all ages, and in the VI
language Of the great commentator who says
The latr Of Nations ooeral nth mankind, a
dictated BY God himself is, Of course superior
obligation 10 any other. II IS binding al orer