Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-02-17

not go TO Nebraska unless they stoop-
ed to the degraded level Of slaves 7
There were only four hundred thou
sand Shareholders in the United
States, while there were thirteen mil
lions of free laborers. Were these
thirteen millions TO be excluded from
the Territories that a few of the four
hundred thousand might take their
slaves to the Territories If slavery
be introduced into Nebraska, the
land will be blasted as eflcctually as
If burned with fire and birthstone, as
were Sodom and Gomorrah. He de-
MED that he was bound by the Com
stitutIon to recognize the title of any
man in his slave. Such title was
not given by the Constitution. 1t
was created and protected by local
law. AZ soon as the jurisdiction OF
that local law ceased, then the title
Of the slave ceased. The Co1slitu-
ton recognized no mans title TO
property ia another. II 1t did, he
would expatriate himself sooner Than
recognize that tile. He believed ia
the Declaration of Independence,
that all men were born free aud
equal-ihat declaration was the dec
laration of God lie heard Sena-
tor from South Carolina say near him,
that slaves were equal TO free labor
ers. He wanted that to go out to
the county
Mr.. Dixon-The Senator SAYS
that he believes in the Declaration OF
independence, which is the declara-
ton of God, that all men are free
and equal. Don't he therefore be-
lieve the slave to be equal to the
freeman : Laughter.
Mr.. Wade-I believe he is. but
your law has reduced him To the
lowest degradation. 1t refuses hri
all the nights and privileges Of other
men, and renders him liable TO be
sold by another man. Though not
equal by your laws, he is by the law
Of God. lie will stand before his
God at the last day equal 10 any of
you, and tic truth Of that law some
of you will find out to your cost, at
that last day. Laughter
Mr.. Dixon-I ask the Senator If,
by The laws Of his State. the free ne
gro laborer is equal to the white la
borer
Mr.. Wade said that he admitted
they were not, IN the eye of The law.
They were degraded and treated
with contempt. They were general
ly poor and in humble life, but still
this was not right or proper He re-
garded them as all created equal by
the law of God. He referred to the
position Of Virginia, who at one time
was at the top of the ladder in point
of population and all the other aitri
butes of a powerful State. Now she
was fifth or sixth, while other Suites
which were free, had outstripped her
and taken position above her. This
he attributed to Slavery Her states.
manship had become Alricanized,
and ii was now desired to Africanze
this Territory. The people Of the
South were against any general sys-
ten OF internal improvement, were
against any general system Of educa-
ton, though he could not say whelh-
er they imprisoned women for teach
ing the poor. They were opposed
to any general system such as had
advanced other States, but when II
came to system for raising children
for market, they could vie with all
9th Els. lie was opposed to carrying
that system 10 the Territory. Gen
tlemcn might call him an Abolition
isl. If to have an undylng hatred to
human Slavery in any and every
shape, was 10 be an AbolIilonist,
then he was one. If desire TO re-
sist at all hazards and to the last ex-
lremitv the extension of Slavery was
To be an AbollIiunisl, he was one
He admitted that within the States
no power but the States had any con-
troll over the subject but whenever
/ the Constitution and laws OF the
United States were sole law, Slavery
could not be recognized. He asked
how could gentlemen who considered
the Compromise of 1880 tinality,
propose this measure. II It passed
how could they complain, if he
were TO introduce a bill TO repeal all
those Compromise ac,s, the Fugitive
Law included This was dangerous
legislation. II would peril the Un-
ion of the States. 1t would create a
storm which no man could say where
it would end. He saw cloud al
ready, even now, larger than mans
hand. That cloud would soon gath
err all around from the North and
West. The whole heavens would
lie lighted up with indignant fires
Already the public meetings, &c,
gave evidence of the approach Of The
storm. The people of the North
were dsmayed, alarmed and terrified.
Some Of them do not believe this
measure. They cannot understand
how such thing can be seriously
contemplated. He warned gentle
men of the result Of such legislation.
1t was bringing Freedom and Slavery
face 10 face, to battle ill one or The
other dies forever. He had always
thought that the two principles OF
Freedom and Slavery could not well