Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-12-07
BURLINGTON FREE PRESS.

discover, sixty years after the Federal Con-
sttution became the paramount law Of the
land that it had throughout these sixty years,
been totally misapprehended, in most inpor-
taht feature, hy,cOngresses, presidents. Ca bincts
judges and that The entire action Of the Fe
dcrnl Government, with regard to the terri
tories, had been founded in usurpltion, then
we can never more regard any power cxer
cised by that government as clearly constitu-
tiOnal II Congress, in organizing Il new
territory, may not say that each human he.
ing, not a fugitive from justice or labor who |
makes that territory his residence, shall he |
legally entitled therein to " life. liberty. and /
the pursuit Of happiness then our Union is |
chimera, and chaos has come again.
In short. after half dozen adjustments
and " compromises, " the old issue Of liberty
against slavery contronts our new Congress
on the very threshold Of its deliberations, and
will not he put aside. That the ultimate is
sues Of this conflict will he such as humanity
dictates and justice demands, no believer in
an all-peryidang Providence is at liberty to
doubt; and any temporary advantage which
may seem to accure to slavery will surely be
overruled at last to the signal Advancement
| of freedom for all.
There are those who will view this question
! with the iaundiced eye Of the partisan and
cooly calculate the probable influence of "A
decision bearing this side or that, rs it may
effect the chances of carrying the q" Demo
cratic, " or the " American, " or some
other candidate for the Presidency. Let thes"
he warned in time, for the issue of freedom or
slavery, for what it is destined to he the
central and one of the most populous and
powerful states Of the American confedcracy
il too grave and momentous to be made the
football Of self-seeking politicians. 1t is Of
infinitely greater consequence than the for
tunes of any aspirant, the triumph Of any
policy affecting merely pecuniary interests
and contemplating none other than CONNER
cial or personal ends. Whatever party. or
ciiquO .. ~,-'...i, sLAII attempt melt Kan
sas into campaign capital, and suspend its
destiny on the chance Of securing more or
less votes for its candidates will aosuredly
he taught that he has underestimate the
intelligence and the resolution of this people.
- Shall Kansas be Free or II Slave State -
is question which must be answered on its
merits, leaving incidental consequences to
time to destiny, to God. The flag Of freedom
must he upborne by devoted arms and who
ever volunteers to serve it, in the hope Of
thereby serving himself, will very surely be
/ detected and balied. But let it he ngi eed
on all hands that the liberties of Klnsa.
shall first he secured-that the presidenc,
- shall be an atter-thought-and the way i;
. clear for an early solution of the diiIic Iity
= LET any party or faction seek to postpone OF
4 eyade this dccisiOn--to throw over the qucs
ton of the day, to await the issue of the pre-
l. sidential contest and abide the fortunes .
some favored aspirant-and that party, tina
II faction will have reason to rue its experiment
q on the public patience. The Kansas ques
ton is now in order-to seek to postpone c
{ shuttle it off would be confession at once Il
Ii cowar1ice and treason. IL would be to thru
. it inevitably into the presidential wlirlIoc
4 and convulsc the whole country with tn
throes Of II needless and perlous scctlona
II agitation. But let Congress act promptly
h Iearessy. decsiveIy, justly, and the contrc
J. versy will be forever settled and the wave
Of contention and irritation will rpecdll
subsde, giving place to contentment seren
L ty, and peace.