The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-06-07

1850. We arc young in the ar,s Of pol.
itics-you are old. We are strong-you
nro weak. We are, therefore, over con
ddeut, careless and Indifferent you are
vigilaut and active. These are all traits
that rebound to your praise. They arc
spoken not in your disparagcment. I
only say. that there may be an extent of
intervention on your side of aggression
on your side, which may induce the
North at some time, either in this or in
some future generation, to adopt your
tactics and follow your example. Re-
member now, that by unanimous consent
this new law will be repealablc stat.
ute, exposed to all the chances Of the
Missouri Compromise, 1t stands an in.
finitely worse chance Of endurance. The
Missouri Compromise was transaction
which wise, learned, patriotic statesmen
agreed to surround aud fortify with tho
principles Of a compact for mutual con.
sideration, passed, executed, and there
foro, although not irrepealablc in fact,
yet irrepealable in honor and conscience,
and down at least until this very session
of Congress of the United States, it has
had the force and authority not merely
of an act of Congress, but ola covenant
between the free States and tho slave
States scarcely less sacred than the Con-
stitution itself. Now then who are your
contracting parties in the law establish.
ing Government in Kansas and Nebras
ka and abrogating in Missouri Comrro.
mise What arc the equivalents in this
law2 What has tho North given and
what has the South got back that makes
this a contract2 Who preteuds that
this is contract2 Who pretends that
it is anything more than the exercise of
an ordinary act of legislation If, then,
law which has all the forms and sol.
emnities, recognized by common consent
as compact, and covered with tradi-
tions, cannot stand amid the shutting of
this balance between free States and
the slave States, tell me what chance
this new law that you are passing will
have ? You are, moreover, setting n
precedent which abrogates all compro
miscs. Four years ago you obtained
tho consent of portion of the free
Statcs-enough to render the effort at
immediate repeal or resistance alike i'm
possible-to what we regarded as an un-
constitutional act for the surrender of
fugitive slaves. That was declared. by
the common consent of the persons act
ing in the name of the two parties. the
slave States and the free States in Con.
gress,1n irrepealable law-not even to DC
questioned, although it violated the Con
titution in establishing this new princi-
pie. You expose that law also to the
chances of repeal. You not only expose
the fugitive Slave law, but there is no
solemnity about tho articles for the an.
nexation of Texas which does not hang
about the Missouri Compromise aud
when you have shown that the Missouri
Compromise can be repealed, then tho
articles for the annexation Of Texas are
subject to the will and pleasure and the
caprice of temporary majority in Con.
gress Do you, then, expect that the
fire.. States are to observe compacts
and you to be at liberty to break them;
that they are to submit to laws and
leave them on tho statute book. however
grievous, and that you are to rest under
no such obligations think it is not
reasonable expectation Say then, who
from the North will DO bound to admit
Kansas when Kansas shall come in here
If she come as slave Statc2 The hon.
orable senator from Georgia, Mr.. Toombs,
and l know no is as sincere as he is art