Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-04-15
The new Position of the South.

No observing politician can have iaiieu 10
percieve that the position of the South, IN re-
gard 10 the relations Of Slavery to the State and
Federal Governments, has undergone an almost
entire change within the last two years. Rely
inc ON their old and early established doctrlne
Of State Rights as a sufficient egls OF protection
10 their peculiar institution, and CONSCIOUS that
the Constitution of the United States, under the
incarceration which unbiased reason would
rive i, in connection with the Declaration of
Independence, Involved powers that, IN certain
.enerrencles, might bebrought to bear with dan
gcrous effect upon slavery, they ever persisted,
Un the year 1850. IN strenuously demanding that
the Federal Government should be made to Oh
serve on that subject the most scTnpulouS nom
intervention. About that time, however, us the
prospect Of the ncqusnion Of new territory,
which they might wish to convert into Slave
States. opened upon their view, and as they be-
oon tn uercleve they should need the action OF
the Federal government to bring about this OBJ
iect. thew became silent on the subject of the
and soon demanded Of it enactments to cradle
them 10 extend that institution into the territory
then acquired. Next they introduced into Con
,ress the noted Compromise measures, including
tbe Fugitive Slave Law, and, by exertlons, man
oremeut and means. to which the history OF our
National Legislation furnishes few or no para
lois NJ Length succeeded in establishing those
measures, and making the most important one'
the Slave bill, according to their own claiming
the settled and unaterabe law of the land.
Here, then, as the Fugitive slave law dlrectIy
involves National Legislation on Slavery IN Inc
States, is an entire abandonment by the South
of their former doctrine of non Intervention, ana
full recognition of the right, and even CLAIM
of the duty of the Federal government, to legs
late on the subject Of Slavery both in State and
Territory. Admitting then this to be, as tho
Sogih now claim, the settled law and binding
precedent for future action Of our government
on the Slavery question, what are consequences
which will egitmatey flow from the position
Let us see. Among the powers OF the Federal
Government, that which is necessary for lis own
preservation and the continuance Of the Union
on which it is based, mast be admitted to be the
first and most essential one. And it must be
admitted, also, that prompt exercise OF that
power will ever be required at the hands of those
administering the government to put down and
remove every element and evil that seriously dis
turbs ito action, and threatens to subvert its
fundamental principles. Now how Is 1t witt
Slavery Has it not been asserted by grea
majority OF our wisest statesmen Tor the last nj
~ wears that of all dlngers 10 our republic tina
which threatened 10 grow out OF Slavery wa
the greatest? And, within the last two years
has not that danger been universally conceede
to have grown tentold more iminent? Nobod
denies this. What, then, since it is now se
tied that The general government can legIslat
for slavery in the states, what is 10 prevent
from legislating against it? Nothing. AS Gel
tainly ms it has power to DO the one, just S
certainly it has The power to do the other. An
furthermore, just so certainly as Slavery ha
become disturbing element IN the action OF tn
Federal government, and source of serious
danger to its existence, just so certainly shoulc
it take measures TO abolish it.
Ii the South then, wish to assume this posi-
ton, and abide by the precedent VIII CHI the
Compromises they are 81 mOdiy urging upon us
as a-fnalty involve, lei them d. SO. We viii
holdthem 10 it in all the licences it gives US
and all the consequences it will bring on lhei
own heads. II the tee States do not yet look
on slavery as sufficiently dangerous TO our re
public to demand its abolition by the Fedora
government, they, at the rale things are now
going, soon will, and when this occurs the do
mnon Of the Slave Power is ended forever.