Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-09

Still more, Sir, do affectionately enoin upon
all who shall thus have tho wisdom to come
into existence on this side Of tho Atlantic,
and of such pure and untainted ancestry, to |
be either born in the Protestant faith, or to
be converted as speedily as possible to that
good and true Protestant Church, within
whose pale | myself am accustomed to wor-
ship.
More than that, Sir. Speaking from a full
knowledge and conviction of the serious in
conveniences which absolute and eternal
Slavery entails upon Man and upon races Of
men, do earnestly, strenuously and affection
ately conjuro all people everywhere, who are
hereafter to be born, to be born white
[Laughter.l Thus, being born in this free
and happy country, and being born white,
they win be born free. But, Mr.. President,
this is the length and this is the breadth Of
my connection with the new and mysterious
Order of Patriots. And, if there shall here
after come among us persons who, because
from ignorance they may not he able to profit
by my advice and COUNSEL shall be born in for
eisn lands or, even if there shall be any who,
in despite of my counsel, shall persist in be-
ing Roman Catholics, or Jews, or Turks, or
Chinese or if there shall be others, who, dis
regarding my persuasion, shall insist upon
coming into the world with blackened faces
and twisted hair, all can say in regard to
them is, that have done my duty, and shall
not add feathers weight to the disabilities
which they will incur by their presumption
and perverseness. Laughter.
Sir, my honorable friend from Connecticut,
Mr.. Gillette, has thought this was a good oc-
cason to invite us to consider the question OF
abolishing Slavery in the District Of Colum-
ba, and has therefore incurred some censure.
lie certainly had n warrant in the latitude
which tho debate had already assumed, al
though the subject was not very german to
the question before us. have no hesitation
to disclose my fanaticism in that direction
Five years ago, proposed, in the Congress of
the United States, the emancipation of all
the slaves in the District of Columbia, with
the consent of its citizens, to be expressed
through the customary forms of n popular
election, and with full compensation, to he
paid out of the public Treasury, TO the indi
viduals who should suffer damage in their for
tunes by SO great an act of National human
ity and justice am ready to go that length
now. shall be ready to go the same length
tomorrow III next year--nlways. This is
enough, trust, on that subject.
|, and others here, Sir, are denounced as
Abolitionists. in broader sense, and there
fore as traitors. | have no hesitation in con-
Tossing tho whole truth on that point. |
believe that I do not know human being
who maintains or supposes that the Govern
ment of the United States has lawful authority
or right to abolish Slavery IN tho States of
this Union. Certainly, in my own opinion,
that Government has no such power or right.
But, Sir, am a man, none the less because |
am a citizen and Senator of the United
States. And, although l have no power to
exercise in SlaveholdinG State, very freely
say, that if | were member OF such COM
munity, should recommend to and urge upon
r. Ia.
could endure until the necessary reform could
safely be obtained some measure of Emanci
patton, Immediate or prospective, with COM
| pensation for damages, through the action of
the State Legislature, upon the ascertained
consent of the People. add, further, to meet
the requirements Of those who snpposo that a
proposition Of gradual Emancipation to the
slaveholding States is either timely now, or
soon will be so, that while retain place in
the National Gounsls, any saveholdns State
been already adopted by my own State and by
other States, shall have my vote for any aid.
either in lands or money, from tho Federal
Government, which the condition of the pub
lie Treasury and Of the National domain will
allow, in turtherance Of an object in which
not only the slavelolding States are inter-
ested, but which concerns the whole Union,
and even Human Nature itself.
Mr. President, have made my way, at
last, through the intricate mazes Of this dis
cussion, to the actual question before the
Senate. The bill before US is in these words:
If a suit be commenced or pending in any
State Court, against any officer Cf the United
States or other person, for or on account Of
any act done under any law of the United
States, or under color thereof. or for or on ac-
count of any right, authority, claim, or title,
set up by such officer or other person, under
any law Of the United States, and the defend
ant shall, at the first term Of such State Court
after the passage OF this act, or ut the first
term of such State Court after snch suit shall
be commenced, file IL petition for the removal of
the eau Je for trial into the next Circuit Court
to be held in the district where the suit is
pending. or, if there be no Circuit Court in
such district then to the district Court invested
with the powers of Circuit Court next to be
held in said district, and Offer good and sutf-
cient surety for his entering IN such Court,
on the first day Of its session, copies Of said
process against him, and also for his there ap-
pearlng and entertaining special bail in tine
cause, if special bail was originally requi-
site therein, it shall then be the duty Of the
State Court to accept the surety, a I'd proceed
no further to the cause; and any bail that may
have been taken shall be discharged, and the
said copies being entered as aforesaid in such
Court Of the United States, the cause shall
there proceed in the same manner as if il had
been brought there by original process and
any attachment Of the goods or estate of the
defendant by the original process shall hold
the goods or estate 50 attached to answer the
final Judgment i'll the same manner Us by the
laws of such State they would have been hol-
den to answer such final judgment, had it
been rendered by the Court in which the suit
commenced and the party removing the
cause shall not be allowed to plead or give
evidence of any other defence than that ari
sing under a law Of the United State, a.
: aforesaid.'
What is proposed here is an innova,ion--a
new thing-a thing unknown in the laws o
the country, since the State came into u Fe
= deral Union. This new thing is, that u per
son, civilly prosecuted in u State Court, anC
justifying under authority or color Of a Law
of the United States, may oust the State o
s its jurisdiction, and remove the cause into I
: Court of the United States. Tho first ques
] tion which arises is, How does the thin,
$ stand now How has it hitherto stood
r What are the rights Of parties in the Stat
} Courts The Constitution of the U. State
n binds together in Federal Union thirty on
= States which while they remain equal and qua
o lifted sovereigntics, at the same time consti
r tute, in tho aggregate, another qualified soye
IS reignty. Insomuch as the chief business @
d government is to protect the rights of it
j. citizens or subjects, and as the Performance
Is of that duty is under Governments, assigne
o to Courts of Justice, and insomuch as th
d citizen Is simultaneously the subject of
If State Government and Of the Federal Govern
II ment, the State Courts and the United State
n Courts exercise concurrently OF co-ordinatel
y the power of trying civil actions which ar
brought against persons acting as officers
It the Federal Government. Tho public Officer
O. of the United States are, as We all know, nu
10 merous, and of many classes-civil, militar,
|, and naval, They are engaged in oxecutin
a, laws relating to the army, the navy, the cu'
ID toms, the public lands, the Post Office, tt
n Judiciary, and foreign relations. Thes
m apentk NAV H., c.ll.d nnnn "a n uar hv N