Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-09-21

to encounter the ohgafcAs OF slavery bureau
appl.ase.(
.sinly secure the election of men, wha, nnse-
Ggced and untcrriied, will uphold at Washing
ton the principles of freedom, and who also here
a: home. In our comwuaity, by example, intia-
once and vote, will help to fnyigorate slassacht'
sets. Indeed, might gaiurther land say that
by 10 Gther organization can ne reasonably hope
to obtain sach men, except in Taro end cXcer-
tionai cases.
Men arc hut instruments. It vii! rot be
enough merey to choose thosc who are loyal.
Other things must he done hero at huiag in
the first place. all the existing laws for the pros
lection Of human freedom must be vigorously
enforced, Applause, and cries Of "gpod, and,
since those hive been found Inadequate, new
laws for this purpose, within the limits ct the
constitution, must he enacted. Massachusetts
certainly might do vel in following Vermont,
which, by II special law, has placed the fugitive
slave under the safeguard Of TRIAL by jury and
the writ Of habeas corpus. But legislature
true to freedom, will not foil in remedies. Gap
plause.) y simple prohibition, declaring that
no person holding the commission OF Massachll-
setts, rs Justice Of the Peace, Or other nagis-
taatc, should assunc tG decide slave ease or
to act as counsel for slave hunter, under the
penalty Of iorleitins his commission, would 90
far to render the existing Slave Act imperative
| (Aprlausc.) There are not many so fond OF
this base work, as to continue it when tho CoGi-
uonwealth has thus set u on 1t a legislative
| brand
But besides more rigorous leig,la ion, Public
Opinion mt:st he invoked to step forward and
throw over Tile fugitive its wotcctin2 Ianoply
A slayc-hunter will then be il by-word aud re-
proach; and all, who volunteer i'll his vilcness,
without any positive obligation Of the law, will
naturally be regarded as u part of his pack
daughter and ehoeIS.) A most successful
member Of the Italian police, Bolza, whose Off
clil duties involved his own personal dograda-
ton and the loathng Of others, has lclta record
Of the AGATE sense which oven such u man re-
tanned Of his shame. II absolutely farbid my
heirs says this lcuitcnt official. 'tu allow amy
mark Of whatever kind to he placed over the
spot Of my burial much more any insert ption
or q itaph. | recommend my dearly beloved
wife to impress upon my children the injunction
that, in soliciting any employment FROM the
Government, they SHALL ask for it elsewhere
than III the cre, Mirc pJ'aice, and not, unless TN
der extraordinary circumstances to give her con-
seat TO the marriage OF any OF my daughters
with memb + of that SERVICE Thus testiIics
the Italian instrument Of legal wrong. Let
public opinion here in Massachusetts once put
Forth its christian might, and every instrument
o. the Fugitive Act will feel IL kindred Shame.
tGreat ap! ansc.)
But it is sometimes graycly urged that since
tie Supreme Court OF the CniIcd States has
affirmed the consitulonality of the Fu-
gltivc Act, there only rcul;.inS to us in all
places, whether in pablic stations OF as private
citizens, the duty of absolute submission. And.
i'll taking the oath to support the Constitution.
have sworn to support as understand it, and
not rs other men understand it. (Loud applause.
When it had subsidcd il was followed by three
ro,sing cheers for Sumner.)
In adopting this rulc, which was frstauthor-
taiycy enumerated Ivy Andrew jackson, when,
as President of the nitcd States, in the face Of
the decisions OF the Supreme Court, he asserted
til" nneosltutionality Of the Bank, desire to
be understood us not acting hastily. Lctmc add
that, il it needed other authority in itssuppolt,
it has that alsa of John Quincy Adams Great
apl laasc And here indulge me with II rcni-
nisence. 1t 50 happened that, during the last
year Of the lie o tbs venerable statesman while
he was i'll, it was my privilege to sit sometimes
by his bedside. On one o! these occasions, !
put the question to him directly, whether in
taking the oath to support the Constitution, he
assumed any obligation to return II fugitive
slave to which the ''old man eloquent prompt
~ aud earnestly replied that according TO his in
depreciation OF the Constitution, he assdmcd no
such Obligation. {Applansc) swearing to sup
port the Constitution he sw0rG to and proceeded
to assign certain reasons therefor and he then
added in words calculated to producca profound
Impression, that ''thc best thing ever uttered by
Andrew jackson was that for which ut the
time he was so much abused; namely, that in
supporting it, he supported it us he understood
it. Immense cheering and excitement. Thus,
if any person at this day be disposed to deal
sharply with this rule, let him remember that
his tirusts will pierce not only the fllne of An
drew jackson, but of John Quincy .AAams.---
patriots both Of eminent life and authority who,
though diff.ring much on public questions, and
at times rivals and foes yet concurred in this
important principle. [ApplAuse.
But reason here is in harmony with authority
From the necessity OF the case must swear to
support the contribution, either as l do uAdcr-
aan9 it, or rs | do NOT understand it, UMugh-
tcr) But the absurdity of hanging on the lat
ter horn Of the dilemma colnImlS me to take the
formcr-and there is n national tud of tie argu-
mcnt. (Grcat laughter and chccrs,) Is there
IL person in Congress or out of it, in the ma
tional government, Or State, who, when tdiS
inevitable alternative is presented to him, will
venture to say, that he swcars to support the
constitution, as he does NOT understand it =
daughter and applause.) The snppoStion is
prepostcrous. But let me ask gentlemen, who
are disposed to abandon their own understand
ing of the constitution, to submit their own
conscious to the standard of other men, by
who's, understanding 10 they swear! S.rclv
not by that Of the President. This is notallrgad.
But by the understanding Of the Supreme Court
In other words, to this Court consisting ut
present of nine persons, is committed power
of fastening such Interpretation as they see lit
upon any part of the Notwithstanding to
il Or snhtracting from tor positively varying
its ENTHUSIASTICALLY making and uILnak-
ing the cunstitut ton; and al! good c;tizaus must
bow to heir work as Of equal authority with
the original instrument ratified by solemn votes
Of the whole people. Great applaase.) II
this be 50, then the oath to support the consti-
tuition Of the L. 5, is hardly less offensive than
the famous 60 ct cetcr;, = oath devised by Arch
bishop t.aud, III which the -ahjcct svvrc Ia do
certain specified things with an ''&c" added.
Such an oath have net taken. GOOD, good. J
4 For myself let me say that, hold Judges, and
especially the Supreme Court Of the country. in
much respect bat am too familiar with the
history Of judicial proceedings to regard thc,i
i, with any SulerStitlqnS reverence, (Sensatien.l
Judges are but men; and in all ages have shown
1t full s,arc of httman Iraity, the worst crimes
"f history have been lcrpctritcd under their
sanction. 1t vas Judicial tribunal which con-
,iemn2d Socrates to drink the fatal hemock. aud
WHICH nailed the Savior to the cross, 1t WAS a
jjudlrious tribunal surrounded by ali the forms
81 law which doomed the fair Virginia, in an
r'9nt Rome, as u slave; which in ncderu times.
enforced the tortures Of the inquistion, amidst
the rhrioks and agones Of its victims, and Which
compdicd Ga.llep ii declare, in solemn denial
OF the great truta he had disclosed, that the
earth did no' move roond the sun. Aye, Sir,
t. vac It 1dicid trib4nal, in England, surroun-