Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-05-19
EN-. BRIGGS, I
GEO. WARDNER, Wing
3 D. HARRIS, , Central
II. NJ. BATES, Commit,
C. ii. HAYDEN.
Nav LIST, 1854.
Congres. and the Country.

Crimes affect mankind differently, as they
indicate more or less complete subsection Of
the soul to the principle of evil, or according
to the extent of the wrong which is involved
IN them, The community breaks out in ex-
pressions of deep displeasure when some in
stance Of barbarous treatment of a fellow
hcing has occurred in its midst But let the
report be that son has murdered his mother,
and every one is struck dumb with horror.
Men can hardly trust themselves to speak Of
it, nor to hint the punishment it demands.
We have this exemplifed in the condition
If the public mind in regard to the great
iniquity now in the act of apparent consum-
nation at Washington. Taking into account
all the relations Of the case, the history of
the country can show no so atrocious an act
VS. is involved in passing the Nebraska and
Kansas bill Had proposition been made
in Congress at the opening of the Session, to
insert in any bill provso to this purport,
that from and after it's enactment, Sec. l.,
Art. Ii. Of the constitution of the United
States, which limits the official tenure Of the
Presidential Office to four years, was to have
no effect, but that the duration Of the Presi-
dents Office was to be as the party electing
him might please to have it, it could not
have been made more Unexpectedly than the
intimation that the Missouri Compromise
was to be swept away.
For weeks nobody supposed such thing
could be really thought of by any one, or at
least seriously entertained by any persons
worthy Of the least respect in Congress
Gradually the reality broke on the public
tense sensation produced throughout the
free States. Never before was there such q
food Of earnest remonstrance poured into the
legislative halls in Washington, as has been
within the last four months Men of all
political parties joined together TO dcnounce
the horrible wrong to faith and to freedom
Where have been the gatherings to sanction
it No WHERE. Whence have come any
voices Of men eminent in the nation, t
uphold 1T Trey HAVE NOT BEEN HEARD.
History wrote down the name of ONE from
FREE STATE, who would have sold his coun
trv's liberties for gold She wrote down alsc
the names of A FEW OTHERS from the FIRE
STATES, who gave the decisive votes to exteut
the curse of Slavery to the west side CT tin
Mississippi. There is room On her page 0
adamant yet, She will write down the name
ofthose OTHERS FROM THE FREE STATES who now
for the dirty mess ofpottage offered to them b
those who despise the traitors to freedom
whose service they are purchasing, are help
ing to inflct greater wrong on their coun
try and on acknowledgements because CON
mitted in the face of accumulated knowledge
and accompanied with an open violation 0
most solemn acts Of public faith. All thes
names in all their blackness will history poin
to, ages hence, when there shall have bee
swept from the earth every trace of that &C
cursed system which has done so much to so
the good name of our country, and to pals
the noblest efforts for her prosperity and goo
influence.
If the country is nov horror struck-unt
bic to realize the enormty of the wrong t
which it is to be subjected, it will awake t
an action which will never cease till its flu
vengeance has fallen upon the heads of tt
guilty. -