Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-12-22
The Presidents Message.

The Presidents Message, which, for want of
space, we were last week compelled to submit
without single comment, contains, so far as re-
lates to the general policy and, perhaps we
should say, politics of The country, fewer ssssil-
ablepoints than almost any document OF the
kind taat has lately appeared. With its exposi-
tion of our public affairs, which nre set forth in
a simple and statesmanlike manner, none need
be dissatisfied nor need any enc object to the
abstract principles it advances, and especially
those relating to State Rights, aid the strict
construction of the powers Of the Constitution !;
for they are right, and truly democratic doc.
trines, having been auade the leading feature Of
the old JeiFevsonian platform, and expressly
adopted as one of the lending principles also Of
the Pittsburgh platform. But how the President,
or his party, can honestly pretend an adherence
to these principles, and then go OH and justify,
under the.poIiter name Of Compromise, the Flu
ritive Slave Law, which was the most palpahie
violation fthe Steae Rights and strict coRstruc-
ton principle ever perpetrated by Congress, is
more than,we can conceive. But such pre-
tense was set up in the Baltimore Platform !;
General Pierce solemny endorsed il 10 his In
angural, and now repeats il in bis FIRST Message;
aud not only does this, bot asserts, 40 substance,
that under this Compromise the Slavery agita-
ion has all Quilted dewn, and peaceably been put
\ 10 rest forever And he makes this assertion
t,oo in the facessad eyes OF the fact which he
knows to be each, because he meets II at every
corner, andein all the great polttea movements
Of the day the fact that this Same Slavery
question, slur 1t over, and disguise it as he will
is, in truth and reality, TEE ONLY issue 0tore The
: .4mefican people,
We should have fsl. disposed however, to
have passed over this withou,,nuch remark AS he
HIS said itall before, and in much more anqual-
flied asld offensive manner, had he Rot.aeadessly
:'-.ve'ed outiof' the way to die up the cid case
q Tho hMlsTAD NEGROES, and seri ousIy recon.
mended Congress to. provide for partng the
Is Spanish pirates whe captured tham. .ikcn free
. aion in their. African homes. The facts IN this
: Anisad affair we're simply these: Certasn Span
ist SIavers captured these ncgroea. sat were on
their way with them to Cuba, whoa the aegroes
rose, got possessioa q lhe'eaip, aEa~ezme into
t. ing Island Sound, landed, ard, ut the instga
ton o. the pretended owners, were thHcwn into
PRISON. where tacy remained til freddy the U.
4; Court, and set free. Ard -not oi.+r has the
u. s. Court pronounced t4eso uagfsec free, but
Congress has ONCE passed On the ,ea8e, when
even the Soath ppudmted he elairH'sfi,lch the
owners Of the ships had tie e(lfontery 10 present
TO our Government for payment, and every cody
supposed this matter at least, 10 kltcsteen for
ever put at rest RGa il seoGs that 4io discus
sion of this caia,, which the &paAisi. Govern
men itself has long .oince ceased.ia press, is to
he revived at the instance of n Northern Pfes,
dent, aad, If his recommendation is carried out,
the claim ia to be paid, taoush by its payment,
If we uudcrstand the case, the Government wilt
set The precsGeot Of indirectly reuasAing an act
Of kidnapping piracy.
President Pierce thought, probably : 20 gain
some popularity s;,the .soah by-ther gfatuitous
introduction Of this euhyeci MID .his> Message.
but we think he will fail of bis object while he
will have to settle with the people of the North
for the affront he has thus unnecessarily offered
to their feelings and principles.