Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-04-08

States do not even refer 10 such Outragcs upon
liberty and humanity, but are eager to rise and |
swear allegiance to this fugitive law; avowlng
their readiness to chase down fellow being
who seeks an asylum from oppression. How
long will the people tolerate such calousness,
such insenslbility to all that Is right, and just,
and patriotic
Mr.. Chairman for SIXTY years this construc-
ton of the Constitution which have expressed
has been acknowledged and observed. During
that period, no statesman advanced the abhor-
rent doctrine of subjecung the laborlng men OF
the North to the disgrace of catching slaves.
The history of our Government shows this fact,
and coming ages will read it. This wv which
takes from the laboring men Of the North por-
lion of their earnings to pay for catching and re-
tuning fugitive slaves is thousand times more
repugnant to their feelings than was the stamp
act, or the tax on tea. Under this law, they are
involved in supporting an institution which they
detest compelled to contribute to the commits
sion of CRIME abholrent to humanity. This
oppression, this violation Of conscience and of
their constitution rights, this tyranny, they feel
and deprecate. 1t is impossible that an inteIli-
gent-a patriotic people can long be subjected
to such violations of their rights and the rights
of humanity. The conscience of the nation can
NV NC lOhS OpuldtCu HUN It's OUHtTulntuI, II
will be in vain for navy yard chaplains to deliver
lectures, and write essays, to convince our peo
pie that it is their duty to uphold the slave trade
and the fugitive law. 1t will be in vain for
" ministers OF the lower law" to preach up the
duty of Christians to commit crimes against God
and humanity, at the contemplation of which our
very natures revolt. The voice OF reason and of
conscience will find utterance. The escape of
Shsdrach at Boston, the Just and holy manifes-
tation Of the popular mind ut Syracuse, the mer-
! tied death Of Gnrsuch at ChrstSana, should
leach the advocates of the fugitive law, and of
the Compromise, that the higher law of our
natures, dictated BY God, and imprinted upon the
hearts of a Christian people, will eventually set
these barborous Gnactments at defiance. The
shooting slaves in The mountains ofPennsy vania.
the inhuman murder Of fugitive in Indiana, as
stated in the public papers, could not tail to be
followed by the resistance to which have reler-
red.
The slaves, as already stated, are to increase;
the number of fugtives will of course increase
more rapidly. Our RAILROADS, steamboats,, and
the vast increase of ntercomnunicaton between
our free and slave States, cannot fail to carry
knowledge and intelligence to the whole coIored
population, North and South. With them there
must be hostility and hatred towards their OPP
pressors whether they be shareholders, or the
allies of slavery. All honest men must unite in
the acknowledgement of their rights. Ii is our
duty to carry intelligence to every being who
bears the image of our Creator. Thousands of
agencies are at work, bearing information TO the
oppressed and down trodden of our land.
By an Unsuitable law which pervades the NOR
al world, our very efforts to sustain slavery are
converted into the means of its overthrow. The
slave trade in this District is upheld for the pur-
pose Of sustaining slavery in our Southern States
But where is the rejecting man, who does not
see that every slave sold from this CITY carries
with him intelligence of his rights, and becomes
a missionary of freedom when transferred South
Why, sir, in that mournful procession of fifty. two
victims OF this infamous commerce, taken from
this city In 1913, was an individual of unusual
intellect. His name was Edmonson. He cal.
led on me at different lines TO aid him in raising
money to redeem his sisters. They were, how
ever, sold, and subsequently repurchased by
some benevolent people at the East, and are
now free. | am told that his whole family were
endowed with inteects of the highest order
He was himself so far as proprely Of language
gentlemanIy department. and intelligence, are
concerned, not the interior OF gentlemen here, or
Of the President or the United States. But he
was victim 10 this slave trade and unless he
now sleeps in a servilG grave, he il preparing
the minds Of Southern slaves for that work
which, itnot accomplished by the voice of truth
and justice, will be perfected in blood. That,
ton, is the case with every fugitive slave who ia
returned to bondage. The wfoIp Northern
fslave population are becoming Intelligent. They
read, or hear read, the discussions Of our North
ern press. They learn what is SAID in this Hall
The remarks am now making will reach the
I ears Of many thousands who are borne down by
oppression To them say, .M men are crea.
ted equal; " you are endOtoed by yom Creator
,Oith an inatienabIe right 10 liberty !" and | add
the words of one of Vlrgna's noblest sons,
GIVE ME LIBERTY. OR GIVE ME DEATH"
Mr. Chairman, day of redemption for this
people must come. No human power can pre-
vent it. All reason, philosophy, and history,
demonstrate the approach of that day. Look
al the British West Indies. There the Africans
for centuries aborcd under the scourge they
clanked their chains they toed and wept under
the hand of oppression. But they increased in
numbers, as do the slaves of our Southern States.
Their oppressors became enervated by Incidence
and luxury, while the slaves increased in mum
bers, i'll knowledge, and in power, precisely as
do the slaves of this land, sarcasticalIy called
AuhN vi IUCNOuls Hcy uGSdllc all expense 10
their Government, as do ours. That expense
increased, as ours does, until the Government
had no other course than to purchase them and
set them free. The same result is intended by
those who now advocate the Compromise, which
is nothing more nor less than an attempt to
throw the burden of sustaining slavery upon this
Federal Government AS was we'll remarked
by the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr..
- n | II 10 Eadneal
ing measure, calculated to concentrate power in
this Government, and to destroy the influence of
the States. The plan has often been huteG. in
the leading organ OF the administration of this
city. This grand scheme will subject the nation
to debt of ST., 200 000000-a debt one third
greater than that of England debt that to an
indefinite period will weigh down the laboring
men of this nation, cripple our energies and
bring upon us the oppression, the suffering,
! which now renders the English peasantry the
subjects of pity throughout the civilized word
The Compromise is but the inciplent step to this
final consumation. II we are now willing to
subj ect the funds of the nation to sustain this
institution, if we silently submit to this Com.
promise, assert, without hesitation, that prop
ositon to relieve ourselves of the burden, BY the
purchase Of the slaves of the nation, will be made
within the next five years. therefore say 10
tire iaborlng men of the North OF all parties,
your constitutional rights, your liberties, are in
danger To pay 81 100000, 900 would, how
ever, be far less degrading to the Northern char.
acter than this fugitive law.
Sir, gentlemen here strive to get up old party
issues, Who does rot know that those issues
} have become obsolete that they cannot be gal
vanized into life? Who now contends for
) National Bank? Who opposes the sub-treas.
ury? These issues have been surrendered by
the Wings. The Democratic party no longer
contends against harbor and river Improve
ment. There will be no more proceeds Of the
public lands TO divide among the States. There
! is no longer any issue of principle in regard to
} the tariff. The Wings ask no more than that
the revenue to sustain Government shall be
raised by tariff of duties, SO adjusted as best