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

Sullle DelluSlduS parry OF the nailon stands
pledged before the world to maintain this impor-
taDt right OF the people Of each State, to main
tain just such an attitude, in regard to slavery
as to them shall appear Just and reasonable
Such, too, were the positions Of the whiU parIv
generally, up to the passage of the COMPROMISE
measures, to which have referred. Indeed. the
Wings we're more strongly committed TO this
policy than were the democrats. The free
Democracy at Buffalo adopted this great leading
principle of State Rights, as the basis of Their
organization. But the distinction which marked
that party as separate from both the others was.
and still is, determination to bring into prac-
tlce this important doctrine, upon the maintain
ance Of which the liberty and the rights of the
people depend; while both the other parties have
practically, deserted their professed and avowed
principles.
To the maintenance of the Compromise
measures as final settlement of the slave ques-
tion, the President in his message, exhors the
people to adhere. The Wing and the Demo-
cratic parties are each striving to go beyond
the other in their devotion to this plan for 81
lcncing all further agitation of the questions Of
liberty and slavery The Wings, at the COM
mencement of this Congress, apparently got
the start O. their competitors i'll serviIity They
passed resolutions, pledging their party to the
support of the Compromise And here, in this
! Hall, certain leading members publicly boosted
of the fact, before we had even commenced the
Gle ;tion Of our officers. do not say that the
whole Wing party we're present at the caucus,
but the act hag gone forth as the act Of the
party. Those individuals who were present,
evidently thought that serviity to the Slave
Power was the only means of securing poIiti-
cal success. But we are given to understand,
by leading Democrats and by the press of taat
party, that their National Convention will do
that which their Congressio al caucus refused
to do, by passing resolutions, pedglng their par
ty and their candidate to maintain the Compron-
Use measures On tho other hand, we are now
told that the wings will play dark, that they will
make no avowal of principles, but will select as
their standard bearer gentleman OF acknowl-
edged military renown; spike his cannon, take
the hnts from their own muskets, and go forth
to the conflict without music, but with the ST.
lence Of a funeral
And now, Mr.. Chairman, the question comes
! home to every elector of this nation; to every
man, woman, and child, whether bond or free.
What tOM be The effect Of maintaining the Com
promise? What the effect of senclng further
agitation of the slave question? These are i'm
portsnt inquiries, which, as yet, have never
N'S0NN0NN
in this body.
t The first consequence resulting from the sup
port of the Compromise will be to maintain
t Slavery and the Slave Trade in this District.
7 As already observed, in 1901, Congress pass
ed law, by which the institution Of slavery
t in this District, with its attendant commerce
in human hesh was continued and established
under Congressional enactment, That law re.
! mains in force to this day. Here, sir, under
our own observation, within our own urlsdic
ton, by virtue of our own laws man is degra-
| ded, robbed Of his intellectual enjoymerts, kept
J in deporabe ignorance, and dsTobGd Of his
manhood. BY virtue OF those laws he is trans
! termed into Chattel, brutalized, and sold like
swine. Here, sir, men and women are bred tor
; market Beings in human shape follow the
! business OF rearing boys and girls for sale, and
by that business sustain themselves and families,
and accumulate wealth.
To sustain the Compromise is to sustain this
. revolving practice-to give these slave breeders
license and encouragement to pursue an Occu-
patton abhorent to every feeling OF Christianity
s and Of decency. Yet, sir, the Wing members
of this body on the first day of our session, re.
solved, distinctly and emphaticaly to support
8 this practice, which is spurned and held in dis
= rust by MahoInmedan Governments. | wish
to be understood, and therefore repeat, that the
J, support of the Compromise ia easures is identi-
8 fed with and INSOFAR. Bile from the support Of
. slave breeding and slave dealing, now carried
d on in this District. To sustain the Compromise
g is to sustain these practices. To prohibit the
: slove.trads hsso would violate shis pretaadey
. Compromiee. II is required, understand, of
- euUH tne Democratic candidates for President
IS that he shall sustain the Compromise, and there
10 al -. n 4 1
l. and encourage the breeding and sale of slaves
J. in this District. Unless pledged 10 this he can.
9 not receive the support of that party; while the
Wing candidate Is TO say nothing about it, to
T. express no opinion in regard to it. t. stand neu-
y, tral upon the subject To stand neutral. to do
i nothing, is to lend an influence in favor of this
l. growing human flesh for market. This traffic
J. in the bodies OF females depends on the voice Of
u Congress. If we say stop, it ceases forever; if
n we are silent, 1t continues. To remain supiney
: silent, Is to continue it.
d But the Compromise embraces also the Slave
trade upon our Southern COASTS. All are aware
% that, by the ninth section Of the act of 1907
o slave dealers are authorized to carry under GER
o tain regulatlons,) slaves from one port of the
United States to another, under the flag of our
II Union. Men, women. and children, are purchased
e in this District, and ia the Northern slaves States
n and placed on board these slave ships and car.
l. rled to the torture and premature deaths, which.
% 1t is well known, await them upon the cotton and
's sugar plantations There they are murdered
J. under slew torture by the lash of inhuman
d oVerseers. 1t is estimated that twenty thousand
l. human victims are thus annually sacrificed ia
D, Southern barbarity. The blood Of those victims
ID rests upon the members Of this body. We have
e the power to stop this food of human gore
ID But while these victims toll in chains, and SIGH
and weep under tortures to which our law con.
t, signs them, members here refuse to examine
e this subject, refuse to permit the introduction Of
a bill to repeal this law; but they stand here
l. and exert their utmost powers to revive, to gal.
1t vanize into life, the old party issuses on which
e they have heretofore contended. They endeavor
n TO close their eyes to notorious facts, and soothe
b their cOnscienceS by occupying their own atten-
lr tion and that Of others, upon the miserable par
g ty conflicts, which have no higher motive or
y aim than to secure the spoils of office to one or
h the other political party. Judge not for Others
n but so far as am myself concerned, should
e feel far less guilt we're to strike stiletto to
the heart OF single VICTIM than should to ex-
y ert my influence to sustain that slave trade. or
It than should were | to sit here in silence and
e permit that Infamous traffic to continue without
+ my solemn protest against it. 1t is trOaasRty
Is the case, that men and women, apparently
ii doomed to the tortures of the South by this trade
N commit suicide rather than meet it's horrors. All
1t will recoect the story of the father, mother, and
children, confined in slave prison in neighbor
al ing State, destined to the Southern market. The
I, parents, having deberated upon their situation
and that of their Children took the lives of Their
/; own otfsprings, and then sought death by their
10 own hands DO not we who sit in this Hall. and
Re by our silence and inaction continue this slave
IS trade share in the guilt of those dark and dam.
lr ming iniquitics Does not the blood of those
e victims stain our garments And, when we ap
pear at the bar of final retrbuton, shall we plead
:, this Compromise as justification for crimes
b which would strike terror to savage heart ?
Al. e IL