Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1851-04-03

1t IS the opinion oil the PRESIDENT, Of ms
cabinet, of Congress, aud of the Supreme
Court, so far as the members have indiyd-
ualy expressed opinions, and Of the great
mass of the legal minds of the Union, that
this law is constitutional that Congress had
the legal right to pass it. The erpeaitncg
of it Is quite another question. Bat the
law being duly passed and ~ force, the duty
of obedience, to our mind, is perfectly eyl-
dent. ANY other conclusion at once strikes
at and demulishes the entire foundation Of
all government, Of all civil and social organ
cation.
Now, let US suppose another case. Sup
pose this law when put in practical opera
ton. is found to be defective Suppose 1t
is asceriained that the liberty of the free
black is not sufficiently protected thereby
that it contains provisions that need some
modification aud that majority of the
North seeing its practical effects, ask To
have the law So far changed as to ohviate
these objections, while 1t gives the South
the substantial benefits of that clause of the
constitution, to carry OUT which the law was
passed Suppose our Legislature should
come to this conclusion, aud so express
themselves by resolution. Suppose ma
ioiiiy of The membess of Congress should
see the subject IA this light, aud determine
To make tie modification by changing The
obnoxious parts of tins law. BY what sys-
TEN OF reasoning have the South, the slave
States the right to complain Have we not
submitted to their law : Has ii not been
recognized as the supreme law Of the land
in all the free States Have any Of our
Courts refused To carry II out Has any
State at the North declared that the law
shall not be cniorcedl Have we said to the
South, 10 the language OF the Union, " the
flie uf the Union IS in the hands of the
South "lf her Legislature, or her people
see ht to- iusist on the observance OF this
fugitive law, we of the North shall feel the
necessity of a more stringent and eiiectual
action on the part of The North" Have we
thus coycrtly, but not tie less directly,
threatened dsUai0n if our views were not
adopted and carried ouil We have seen
nothing of this kind on the part OF the
North, aud wc trust we shall see nothing
oft We rus our people have more re-
specl for the Uuun, and for the equal
rights OF others, than to attempt any such
game.
49, ,l..
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pass ah 'p'u'o" uPo" q'eS''"',' % Et"e' al
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action 81 faf" representative NUS oe rec
"g''zea ana respected Just as inucn DIS 'ney
respect thatNt 'h"se opposed '' mem Il,
sentiment ANY "'hef c"u'se VIII oe 'a,a'
I" nose VINO ehler upon IT, we sly !" ','e
SCUM, II me m'Jof''9 o' ''e people "i '"e
N"r'h' ana MAJORITY " Tue "eif'sen''-
yves o. the people IN Congress- see NJ 20
m"u'ly me fugi,'Ve Sl''e Law, you n'us'
S"o"" 10 It, Gu nave u" ''s'' ~ say u,
as YOU must obey our wishes as e'''nouleu
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