Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-04-22

can neither legislate nor encroach'"
So we'll settled is this position, that it is |
also endorsed by the Buffalo platform Of |
lS4S as follows;
ReSolued, That slavery in the several States
of this Union that recognise its existence de-
ponds upon the State laws alone, which cannot
be repealed or modified by the federal govern
ment, and for which that government is not re-
sponsible; we therefore propose no Interference
by Congress with slavery within the limits of
any State"
propose now TO inquire from which
side these instigationS to national interfer-
ence have come, or whether the friends of
slavery or its opponents are to blame for
the consequent disturbance Of the public
harmony.
The law of 1793-the first example Of
national legislation on the subiect-was
passed at the demands of the friends Of
slavery, to enable them to recapture
their runaways with greater facility
This law not only gave national aid to
State institution which is declared to be no
concern of ours, but it was an unconstitu-
tionaI assumption of power on the part of
Congress, violating the sovereignty of all
the free States -.4.-.---..
BY another act of Congress the general
government became responsible for the ex-
isience Of Slavery in this District, and Con-
gress has been legisating on the subject for
the District more or less ever since; and
this, doubtless to please the friends of slave
ry.
At different periods North Carolina and
Georgia made cessions of territory to the
United States, out of which Kentucky,
Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi have
been formed. Congress accepted the ces-
sion of this territory with the express pro-
vso--a sort of antl-WIlmot proviso-thdt
Congress should never abolish slavery there
thus giving, at the desire of the friends of
the system, national though unconstItu
tiona guarantee for its security in those
Territories.
Louisiana and Florida we're ceded to the
United States by France and Spain. The
treaties of cesslon required the United
States to secure the blessings of liberty to
all the inhabitants; yet Congress was in
duced to tolerate slavery there, forgetting,
perhaps, that the national government was
t framed for nobIer purpose than the protec-
, ton Of slave property.
And subsequently when California sought
admission into the Union with such con-
sttution as she had right to adopt, be-
cause she preferred free and homogeneous
to a mixed population-half free and half
sIave-because she preferred system that
admits OF unlimited progress, to that sys-
TEN which hls brought such Rip Van
Wrinkle sleep on some of the slave States {;
because her sons chose by honorable labor
to get an honest living, rather than to whip
it out of other men for this, and for no
other reason that | know of, the friends of
slavery resisted her admission Who is re-
sponsibIe for the agitation growing out of
that resistance?
And finally the friends of slavery camor-
ed for and secured the passage of the fugi-
tive BILL which Congress had no right or
authority to pass. In all these cases, and
t others have not time to enumerate, who is
responsible for efforts to induce Congress
TO interfere with questions of slavery 2"
On the other hand have yJt to learn
! where the opponents of slavery have de-
: manded any unconstitutional interference
win the system. They have petitioned for
= Inc abolition of slavery in this Districts but
: tins is simply asking Congress to undo what
mao no right to have done in the first
place. The interference is on the part of
r those who gave slavery legal sanction
e here-not on the part of those who sought
# its removal.
The stoppage of the coastwise slave
trade has also been demanded; but before
! any petitions had been presented for this
. object, Congress, by direct legislation, had
!. taken this traffic under its protection and
e regulation, prescribing all the details.
Petitions have also been presented ask
: ing the prohibition Of the inter. slave trade.
s But previous to the presentation of these
= petitions, demands had frequently been
made Oh Congress for the payment for slaves
and such claims are even now before this
e body. Is it strange that the opponents OF
n the system, if compelled to recognize
G slaves as merchantable commodities, should
ask to have the trade in such commodities
regulated as other commerce may be, or
even prohibited as any other immoral and
injurious traffic may be?
: The opponents of slavery also resisted
> the admission of Missouri into the Union
as slave State. The terms on which this
territory was coded. if faithfully observed,
o would have excluded slavery. To give
e territory purchased by the common treasure
of the country up to slavery. is virtually to
exclude every laboring freeman from its
borders; they cannot live where labor is
# degraded by the presence of slaves
d When Oregon was about to have terri
l. toral government, the opponents insisted
e upon the odoplion of the Jefersonlan pro-
d vlso, They had been excluded from every
foot Of the territory acquired since the
e adoption OF the constitution, except the
Stale of Iowa. They had some rights sure
+ y. But they insisted on the proviso for a
e still better reason-that the general govern
= ment had no right to tolerate slavery within
}, its jurisdiction
IS We resisted, also, the provisions in the
s acts establishing territorial governments in
;, New Mexico and Utah, by which it is said
}. to be settled tina. when these Territories
y are admitted as States they may come in
n with slavery if they please Had the last
e Congress right to say upon what terms a
e future Congress should admit new members
i into the confederacy? Is not that ques-
i ton for the States, which may then consti-
II tute the Union to Settle for themselves? The
unconstitutional legislation on this subject,
e in advance of the time when any legislation
h was required, is another instance of The
mcddlesome interference of the friends of
It slavery.
But the last and GROWING iniquity is the
d passage of the fugitive bill This was re-
+ sisted of course and can assure gentle