Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-01-05

| To illustrate the abeurdity OF this atheistlc
doctrine of the Administration, we will suppose
that, by statute Of Turkey, any person, Hun
garian born, should be kidnapped. Than, accor-
ding to this atheistic doctrine, Capt lngraham
had no right to rescue Koszta, for his kiddap-
pers in that case, were acting " under legal re-
straint.
Mr.. Sollcre of Maryland. Mr.. Chairman,
what is the question before the House
The Chairman, (Mr. Orr, of South Cardinal
Does the gentleman from Maryland rise to
question of order
| Mr. Sellers. do.
The Chairman. What is the gentleman's
questions
Mr.. Sellers. want to know what is the sub
ject before the House
The Chairman The subject is the reference
of the Presidents Message.
Mr.. Sellers. The gentleman from New York
is making an Abolition speech, and DO not see
its relevancy to the question before the House
The Chairman. The gentleman from New
York is entitled to the floor, and he is i'll order
Mr.. Smith. The gentleman from Maryland
says, that am making an Abolition speech. l
am and hope he will be patient under it. l,
in my turn, will be patient under an Ant-Abo-
lition speech.
But I will proceed in my illustrations Of the
absurdity of this athcstic doctrine of the Adj
minstration. What, too, it there were u stat
ute of Tarkoy, declaring it right to kidnap any
person, who is American born. Thon, according
to this corrupt theology eff the Administration,
we should not b. at liberty to rescue I'm Ameri-
can citizen, who might be kidnapped in Turkey.
And what, too, ii acting under human authori-
ty,NxS, seShe language Of the ADMINISTRATION,
g under legal restraint," the people of one of
the Barbary States should kidnap Secretary
Marcy, and even President Pierce hims,lf-then,
alsJ, according to tais Goddcthoning doctrine
of the Administration, our hands wodld be tied;
and we should have no right to reclaim thrse
distinguished mn. Tn, sdpposition, that slch
distinguished men can b, kidnapped, is not alb
surd. The great Cervant3s was Il slave in one
of the Barbary States. So, to-, was the great
Arago. And it is not beyond the pale of posi-
blity, that even the great Secretary and the
great President may yet b. slaves. | am aware,
that they, VINO stand up so stoutly for Slavery,
and for the multiplication OF its victims, dream
not, that they themselves can ever ~ its victims.
They dream no., taat this chalico, which they
put to the lips OF ot1ers, can ever b. returned
to their own, And yet, even this terrible rotri-
b,;tion, or one still more terrible than any, which
this life Can ai,rd, may BE- the retribution of
such stJpenduo s treac cry and enmiy to the
human brotherhood. Little did Napoleon think,
when, with porlidity unutt3rablo, he had the
noble hut ill-iat3d Tolsstint L'Ouv1rture car
ried across the waters, to perish in prison.
"That he himself, then greatest among men,
Should in like manner, be 80 soon conveyed
AtaNart til d-cp"'
to perieh, also, in prison.
In that great day for which, as it has been
sdblimdiy said, all other days were made) when
every man shall receive the things done in his
body" letmc not b. found of the number of
tlosY, who have welded civil Office to bind and
multiply the victims Of oppression. When |
witness the tendency of power in human hands,
be it civil Or ecclesiastical or any other power,
to sach perycr5lons, shrink from possessing it,
lest |, too, might b. tempted to lend it to the
opprvssor instead of tn, Oppressed $50 re-
ttrned,' says the wis, man, sand considered
ali the expressions that are done under the
san; and behold the tears of such as were OPP
pressed, and they had no comforter: and on
the side of their oplr .ssars there WAS power
then they had 10 comforter
proceed to Say, that this dJtestabla doc
trine of the Administration go3s to blot all
over that page of history, of which Americans
are no proud | Imam tnat page which records
the famous achi,y ment of Decatur and his
brave Ir,r~,,i,rrs IN the Mediterranean AFol
it must ~ remembered, that the Algorine slve-
holders, who Were 50 sey-r:ly chastiSed, and
that, too, notwithstanding, being the most igno
rant, they were tho least guilty class of slave
holders. SAY, it must be rem mb rcd, tiat
these Aigerine SHAREHOLDERS acted under human
Government, or, in the words Of the Admins
tration, 'under l,sdl restraints" and wcrt
therefore, acc riding to The wisdom Of the Adj
ministrltion, RI rs Vi II IN all 6hlis ,ti)n t, do
unto Others, as they W. Id have o;h,rs do unto
them; and wy, at entire liberty to cnsl,ve
Americans as well as other people.
add, that this blasphcmus doctrine Of the
Administration leaves unustifed, and utterly
condemns, every war, Which this nation has
waged for every such war has been against "A
people acting under the authority of their Gov
ernmcnt, or, in the language Of the sdministra-
ton, "under legal restraint" What if our
enemy, in fig ting against us, was guilty OF
fighting asains: God was z lilty of trAmpling
under food the Divine law! Nevertheless, ac-
cording t. the sag teachings of tie Admins
tration, his guilt was overlaid with innocence,
from the fact that he was acting under legal
restraint. Surely, it will not pretended,
that our transgrcsson Of the Divine law are
excused BY our legal rsrlint, and that the
like tranSgressoas, On the part OF others, can
no. be excused by the Ike causy. Snrely, If
we may put in the plea Of legal restraint
against Divine laws, 50 may Others.
Alas, what disgusting spectacle docs the
Administration pres mt, in IT'S deliberate cor
ruption Of the Bible for the guilty purpose Of
sparing 80 abomnablo and vile a thing as Sla-
very Alas, what pitiablc spectacle Of SELF
degradation does this nation present, in choos-
ing such an Administration, and in remaining
patient under it And how rank, and broad
and glaring, is the hypocrisy upon the brow OF
that nation, who, whilst her feet are planted on
the millions she has doomed to the horrors and
agonies and pollusions Of Slavery, holds, never
theless, in one hand, that precious, lieavcn-sent
volume, which declares, that God hath made
of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on
all the face of the earth - and in the other,
that emphaiioally American paper, which de,
clares, that "all men are created equal ~ And
matsfiiess vYpressions, aggravated by the fact,
that she owes infinitely more than ever did any
other nation to Christianity and liberty and
anu tIlilt Biz ticioiolV, uiuSi
infinitely greater obligation than was ever any
other nation to set an example, blessed in all It's
influences, both at home and abroad Other
nations began their existence in uniavorablc cir
cumstances. They laid their foundations in
despotism, and Ignorance land superstition But
Christianity, and liberty, and knowledge, waited
upon the birth of this nation, and breathed into
it the breath Of life.
My hour is nearly up, and will bring my
remarks to a close Alter all, the Admnistra-
ton has done us good service, in attempting to
qualify the Divine command, to do unto others,
as we would have others do unto MS; Tor in at
tempting to do this for the sake OF SAVING
Slavery, it has, by irresistible implication,
admitted, that the command its,lf requires US