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

where in the political system. An
experienced statesman will decide,
al once, that, under all the circum-
stances, this wrong must be looked
Tor in one Of two places. Either the
foundations of our political system
were not well and wisely laid, or, in
IFS workings, it has departed from
those foundations. When we exam
inc, TO find where the system and its
workings so clash as to produce
these frequent and dangerous con
WILSON'S, we ascertain that they have
arisen, 10 every case, from an at
tempt 10 erfend SlaUery over the ma
tional domain. Il would seem, then,
that the extension of slavery did not
agree with the fundamental policy of
Our government Whenever The Two
things are brought into contact, their
violent abrusoas throw the whole
body polite into fierce connexions,
Which threaten to rend 1t asunder. II
, they agreed, the extension of slave
Try would be natural. 1t would be
Oasy 1t would produce no strife,
no jar n the nation, no trouble any
way. We are, then, without even
readingthe Constitution, or a single
ordinante on which the government
Is fOundtd, brought Ia conclusion.
almost NJ certain as a mathematical
demonstration, that our national
policy does not include the extension
Of the slave system. This conclu-
SION is Sd absolutely forced upon us,
by the Evidence Of our senses, ia the
violent nibicaks, the writings the
uphcavihgs of the whole body poll
TIC, u der every attempt 10 extend
slavery that 1t seems quite impossible
to deny ii. But far-reaching con-
illusions, drawn from one or two
great farts, are not always admitted
TO be safe guides important polili-
cal measures. Wise statesmen hest
tate to act on them. They look a
round for corroborating evidence. 1t
is important, therefore, TO exhibit
proofs from documentary and const-
tuuonal sources, TO show that the
original policy Of our government
did not include the extension Of
slavery, il such proof exists. 1t is
especially important to do it at the
present time. In the progress of ma
I lions great crises occur which are To
shape the destiny of coming ages
They are political cruclbles, into
which humanity and liberty seem tc
be cast Tor remouldlng. They are
/ destined to shape the social, the NOR
1 al, The political interests OF the ma
/ non. and. 10 some extent, OF the
world, far down the lapse of time.
( long after The actors IN the scene
have ceased TO mIngle in human
strife, and to do God or I'll to their
racc. Al such times, wisdom, hu-
mainly. love of country, require US
t. pause, 10 dlvcsi ourselves oi per-
sonal and party interest f; 10 look
back aud around for guidance. We
are bound to search for the princi-
pies aud the policy of the wise and
the great OF past ages; specially ol
our acknowledged political fathers ;
aud to realiirm aud to maintain whai-
ever Of wisdom they teach or the
progress Of the world may be thrown
back for ages 10y our dolngs, howev-
ever small or good they may seem.
Great principles, acknowledged and
acted on by the political fathers, as
familiar to them as household words,
in the onward rush OF succeeding
generations, sometimes come 10 be
overlooked and forgotten We seem
to have fallen on such an age, and
to have reached such "A crisis. We
need great candor, iar-seeIng WIS
dom, that noble patriotism, that en-
l:rged love of country and of liber-
", IN which personal plans, section
al pride, aud party interests are mer
god and lost, in order to guide our
gallant ship safely through the storm
10y which II is rocked, or IL may 20
down in the political Whirlpool II has
entered ; aud the fragments OF
wrecked freedom may be slrewn on
the pillows of stormy sea.
ENGLISH CHARTERS.
To go to the foundation of our
national policy respecting The extern
sion Of slavery, we must revert back
to the origin Of civilization in the u
niied States This policy was con
nected with the old English char
tiers, and originally based on proceed
ings which arose out Of them, espe-
cially out Of the Virginia charter. A
brief statement of those charters is
part of the history Of this policy
The FIST charter of lands in the u
nited States was given to London
company by Queen Elizabeth, bear
iog date April 10, 1906. 1t includ-
ed all the lands on the seacoast be-
tween the thlrly-fourlh and forty
fifth degrees of north latitude, and
all the islands within one hundred
miles of the said coast. The coun-
try was called Virginia in honor OF
the Virgin Queen. The same com
pany obt lined subsequent charter
from James l., confirming and great
ly enlarging this in lis western ex-
tension, dated May %, 1909. Caro-
lima had a similar charter, gwen by
Charles H. in 1867, including all the
land between the thlrly-6rst and thIr