Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-07-07
CONFEDERATION OF THE
STATES.

STATES.
On the prospect of war with
France, England requested the Amer
lean Colonies to form union for ef-
ticIent action. Accordingly, dele
gates from eacL of the New England
States, from New York, Delaware
and Pennsylvania, me, at Albany in
1854 On the 4ih of Jolly. DR..
franklin drew up Articles of Con
federation" which were debated and
adopted. The Convention discus
sed the right OF the Brush Gov
eminent To lay contributions on the
Colonies without their consent. -
The Madison Papers state that the
convention was called TO discuss tins
subject, which ls not historically ac-
cuate. The discussion was lnci-
dental, not the object of the meet
ing. There was no discussion on
slavery. The convention formed
r.-~sod .nt i.- tho future action 81 the
colonies. In IN, an open, formal
meeting of delegates from all the
States wac called. They assembled
at Philadelphia Sept 4, and contin-
ucd in session I'LL October 6. There
is no record of discussion on slave
Try. Nothing occurred to test the
sentiments of the delegates, or TO
shape the policy of the nation on
this point. On the 10Th of Nav.
/ l775, the next Congress convened
at the same place. The Virginia
delegates, before leaving bone, were
instructed TO present n resolution de
clarlng the Independence of the col
ONES. The measure was approved,
and Jefferson appointed 10 draw up
declaration of Independence. In
this paper he inserted an article ac
cuslng the King of " being deiermin.
ed To keep open market where
men should he bought aud sold, and
of proslltuiing his negative TO sup
press every legislative attempt to pro-
hibir or restrain this erecraJie com
merce Suppressed Articte, Mad
ison Papers, p. "a. On his article,
the first slavery discussion Of Con-
gress ensued. The only remaining
record of it, to which | have had ac-
cess, is the folio wing brief notice in
the Jefferson Papers, under dale Of
Juy 2, l775: The clause for rep
rotating the enslivIng OF the inhab-
lianls of Africa was stricken out in
compliance TO South Carolina aud
Georgia, who had never attempted
to restrain the importation of slaves,
aud who, on the contrary, wished To
continue ii. think our Northern
brethren also felt little sensitive on
the point, having recently engaged
largely in the traffic" This record
does not bear on the extension of
slavery. Ii was, however, the first
Congressional discussion of it. II
shows the bearings of the country on
the subject at that time, aud brings
out the following important facts
The influence OF slavery had not
yet corrupted the statesmen OF Viz
ginia, Maryland, and ID elaware. Vir-
glnIa denounced Il IN strong Ian
guage, aud had made legislative el-
forts Ia suppress il. South Carolina
and Georgia were bold aud unyleld-
ing in lis defence. In the first ma
iional discussion on this subject, the
anl-slavery principle OF the country
Yielded to the pro-slavery will of The
extreme South, to preserve a onion
of the States.
In the Declaration Of lndepend-
ence, however, all the States joined
in putting forth to the world he FOL
lowing political axioms, which they
Justly called self-ovident truths =
We hold these truths to he self
evldentt that all men are created
equal that they are endowed with
certain inalienable rights; that a
mong them are life, liberty, and the
pursuit Of happiness" These "self-
evident" truths forever sweep away
slavery. Our political fathers put
them forth to the nation and the
world, as the broad banners Of per-
sonal freedom. under which they
were to fgh, the battles Of the Rev
olution. and 10 found q new empire