The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-09
NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SLAVERY.

NEW HAMPSHIRE AND SLAVERY.
The following preamble and resolutions
passed the Legislature of New Hampshire at
its late session by a very large majority
"Whereas his Excellency the Governor has
laid before the Legislature the following pre-
amble and resolutions, viz:
Whereas the right of property IN slaves Is
expressly recognised by the Constitution OF
the United States, and is by virtue of such re-
cognition guaranteed against untriendly action
on behalf of the General Government; and
whereas each State of the Union, by the fact OF
being a party to the Federal Compact, Is also
party to the recognition and guaranty atore-
said and whereas the citizens OF each state
are, in consequence of such citizenship, under
the most sacred obligations to conform to the
terms and tenor of the compact to which their
State is party: Therefore,
~. BE II resolred by the General Assembly
of the State of arkansas, That the legislation
of Congress repeating the Missouri Compromise
Of 1920, and asserting the doctrine of non-inter-
ference with Slavery alike in States and Terri
tories. is in strict accordance with the COnstitu
ton, and in itself Just and expedient, and is for
these reasons cordially approved by the people
of Arkansas.
50. Resolred, That the opposition of the
Northern States to the legislation above men,
toned is at war with the letter and spirit of the
Constitution, is grossly violative of plighted
faith, and is traitorous blow aimed at the
rights of the South and the perpetuity of the
Union.
"3. Resolred, That the citizens of the State
of Ohio have pursued course peculiarly unjust
and odious in their fanatical hostility to institu
tons for which they are not responsible in
their encouragement of known felons, and en-
mt ne tod md chap viz
of law and decency, and in their establishment
of abolition presses and circulation of incendia-
ry documents, urging a servile population to
boodshed and rapine and by reason of the
premises, it is the duty and the interest OF the
people of Arkansas to discontinue all social and
commercial relations with the citizens of said
State, and the same is hereby earnestly recon-
mended, as the punishment of past outrages and
a preventive of further aggressions.
"a. Resolced, That his Excellency the Gov
ernor be, and he is hereby, requested to trans
NIT copies of these resolutions to the Governors
of the several States and Territories of the
Union, to be laid before the authorities thereof,
and to our Senators and Representatives in
Congress, to be laid before the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United States"
Therefore, BE 1t resolced by the Senate and
House Of Representatives. IN General Court con-
cened as foIlous: L. That the Legislature of
New Hampshire expressly and distinctly deny
that the Constitution of the United States rec
ognises the right of property in slaves and
while they admit that the Constitution confers
upon Congress no authority to interfere with
the subject in the States, they do claim that
from all territory over which Congress have
the exclusive power of legislation they may, and
it is their duty to- exclude it and that the doc
trine of the slave. States, that Congress are
restrained from all action unfriendly to Slavery
in such territory, cannot be sustained
2. Resolred, That the Legislature of New
Hampshire disagree entirely with the General
Assembly of the State Of Arkansas respecting
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise of 1920,
and believe that the repeal of said Compromise
was uncalled for, and most gross and wanton
outrage upon the rights, feelings, and senti-
ments of the people of the free States, and
should be condemned by every citizen of every
State of this Union, as a most perfdious and
treacherous violation of public faith and ma
tional honor.
3. Resolued, That the people of New Hamp-
shire demand as right the restoration of said
Compromise, and the amendment of the Kan
sas and Nebraska bill, so called, so as to ex-
clude Slavery from said Territories, and will
never consent to the admission into the Union
of any State out of said Territory with Con-
stitution toleratng Slavery.
4. ResOloed, That while the people of New
Hampshire are ardently and affectionately at
tached to the Union, and will do alln their power
to preserve it, consistently with their honor and
their rights, they will not, to avoid any crisis,
submit to the introduction of Slavery into Kan
sas and Nebraska, consecrated and set apart to
free labor as those Territories have been for
more than thirty years, by the consent of all
the States of the Union, nor will they hold
themselves bound by any legislative compro-
mise on the subject of Slavery till the Missouri
Compromise is restored.
5. ResotUed, That all threats of dissolution
of the Union coming from the slave States,
unless they are permitted to regulate the policy
of the General Government on the subject of
Slavery, have lost all their terrors with the
people of New Hampshire, and that they are
resolved to demand and enforce their rights in
every crisis and at any sacrifice consistently
with honor and the Constitution.
6. ResOtced, That it will be in time for the
General Assembly of Arkansas to complain of
the legislation of the free States respecting
Slavery, when the slave States shall have cor
rected their own, and when the lives, liberty
and property of the people of the free States
shall be made safe therein.
Z. Resotced, That the question whether ait
is the duty and the interest Of the people of
Arkansas to discontinue all social and COM
mercial relations" with the people Ohio, in con-
sequence of conduct of which they disapprove,
is one upon which the people of New Hamp-
shire are not at this time called to act, and one
which they are willing the people of Arkansas
should settle for themselves, on their Oun re-
spohsibiiity, having no fears that the people of
Ohio will be frightened from what they deem
their duty or interest by any threats of the kind,
coming from the State of Arkansas or any
other slave State and that the people of New
Hampshire hereby pledge themselves to the
people of Ohio, that they will unite with and
sustain them in all constitutional efforts to
resist the further aggressions of the Slave
Power.
8. Resolred, That his Excellency the Govern.
or be, and he is hereby, requested to transmit
copies of these resolutions to the Governors of
the several States and Territories of the Union.
to be laid before the Legislative authorities
thereof, and to our Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress, to be laid before the Senate
and House of Representatives of the United
States.
The annexed resolutions passed the House
of Representatives of New Hampshire at two
O'Clock A. M. on the night of the 18th, (the
last night of the SESSION. by a large majority,
and after an exciting debate, but failed in the
Senate for want of time
Whereas the aggressive policy which has
been heretofore pursued by the Slave Power,
and more especially by the recent wanton abro-
cation of time-honored compact, by which
vast Territory secured to Freedom has been
opened to the curse of human Slavery, evince
determination on the part of that Power, at
any and every hazard, to acquire and hold the
supremacy in the Government of the United