Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-02

having no disposition to enter the lists
among the early disputants. The Nebraska
bill passed at night was announced by can
not, and for aught | know cannon are all
ready to proclaim the passage of this bill
Everything had been brought into this dis
cussion, and hardly a phase of Slavery exists
which has not been alluded to. The bill be-
fore us has received none too largo a share of
attention. The Fugitive Slave Law has been
introduced. | have no conccalments or re-
servation upon that subject. ] shall give my
views again on that subject, when we come to
the organization of Nebraska. | prophesied
that the usurpation of the Fugitive Slave Law
would lead TO further usurpations, and here
they are in this bill.
| understand the Know Nothings to be Sc
cret societies of two or three grades, col
leagucd to elect persons of their own Order,
somewhat similar to the Native Americans.
[ hope my protest in this bill will not be
identified with this Association. ! belong to
but one voluntary society, and that is the
Christian Church. | belong to but ono poll
teal party, and that has open societies, meet
ing in broad daylight. Before | would bend
the knee, or join secret associations, and
swear to submit my judgment to that Of other
men, | would suffer my hand to be paralysed.
Prescribe a man because he was not born in
the same town, county, state or country |
seriously advise the people hereafter to be
born in the United States, to be converted to
the Protestant Church, and to be born white
If they can but if they come into the world,
notwithstanding my advice, with black faces
and twisted hair, | shall not add a feather to
the disabilities under which they naturally
suffer thereby. | am in favor Of the abolition
of slavery in the District fColumbia.
As to slavery in the States, | don't know
of an individual who is in favor of abolish
,,p A. ,.nr, - tIo Ct,taa ,,lnr, - ny,stu 1p
external interference but il | lived in aslave
state, | should use all the legal means to pro-
cure its abolition there, and to that end |
would try to get such aid from the Treasury
OF the United States as circumstance would
afford. As to the territories, ] shall not re-
peat my opinions. What is proposed here is
AN innoyation--a new meusure-that the
Courts of the States may be ousted in civil
causes in actions complained of under n law
or color of a law of the United States. Thir-
ty-onn equal and qualified so%vereignties COM
pose the United States. The objects Of both
are alike to protect their citizens. The one
is the Federal Government the other the
State Government. The latter were organ
lied to protect the liberty of the citizen
Where they fail, the Federal Courts are ap.
! pealed to.
Mr.. Bayard-Somc states haYt recent ,
, by their legislation. endeavored u render the
laws Oh tne lNltcl states nuSdIOry, ncllce
the necessity ofsuch a bill us this. One state
! imprisons as II felon him who asserts his right
to property and fails to prove his title Such
state legislation renders the present Till i'm
/, p%erative. No officer can otherwise fulfil his
, duty in reference to the laws Of the United
: States. II these states can carry their points
, against the United Sta ties there must he a dis
a solution. They have already done something
toward this through mobs and murder-now
they are attempting further to resist the law
of Congress by legislation,
I Mr.. Sumner-lt is now near midnight
i Since IL o'clock this morning We have beer
d apart art iS 5Ga ttflvaTtJb js is the day usually SCI
Z five private bills unheard sacrificed to slave
ry in one of its most odious forms. There l
IA seeming apology for slavery at home, bu
that apology fails when you hunt a man Wit
=, has the intelligence and skill to secure hi
freedom.
J. Mr.. RusK-Point out a word in that bill
which speaks of slavery.
- Mr.. Sumner read the caption of the bill
!, 1t has been ably discussed by my friend iror
Ohio and others. By the admission of thi
whole debate, it is a bill to bolster up the fu
gitlve Slave act.
k Mr.. Rusk-If the officers Of the Unite
- States are not to be protected, repeal you
law.
~ Mr.. Sumner-So say /. "Repeal your law,
he There is neither the word slave nor "SlavC
" ry," in the Constitution. The bill is report
ed by a Senator from the North, to bind ane'
n the chains Of the slave. Some Senators IT
- gard the Fugitive Slave law as constitutions
n others, equally conscientious, believe it to
b. utterly unconstitutional. There is anotht
n cIause, guaranteeing the same privileges an
" immunities in all the States, and to the cit
e. Gems of each state. Citizens from the ire
t, states in more than one State, have been pit
=. in prison, and in some instances sold.
Mr.. Butler--Do you embrace South Care
lima in your statement
Mr.. Sumncr-I do. South Carolina ha
in by her Legislature, claimed the right to il
-. terpret that clause, and Congress has no pow
err to l~cgislate under that clause. l say
II, Massachusetts that on the persons "held
he labor clause she has a similar right to il
he terpret, and to disclaim the right of Cor
-, gress to legislate upon this last named claus
This fugitive slave act Is MUST as 1t is Vi
UT constitutional You fancy you may prop
ks up by decisions Of courts, but such an act,
ed defiant of the law of God, would drag ar
Court down to oblivion. Senators have a
raigned whole states to-day, because the
OIL have cndeavored to throw the shield Of hal
as corpus and trial by jury around the Vi
tins Of this utrocious enactment.
:. An enlightened Christian public opinion
lis forming in the North, which will render YOU
n acts on this floor nugatorv us they are unco
Tt stitutional and irrational. You from Il
~ South brought slavery into Congress wh'
III you passed the laws in reference to slave
II which disgrace the District of Columbia, al
~ which my friend from Connecticut, Mr.. Gi
lett, has so very ably exposed to-day. Let
" M alone, say Senators from the South ; let
III alone, say we of the North. Keep slave
where it was under Washington, when o.
Gu national flag did not float over a slave.
H. move to strike out the e~nacting clause, Al
he insert an amendment, providing for the +
peal of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1854, al
NC ask for the yeas and nays upon the amen
III ment.
In answer to Mr.. Butler.
vi Mr.. Sumner said-No inducement wou
incitc me to aid in the return of a fugiti
Vi slave.
Mr.. Butler-The gentleman has no rig
IN to a seat here, disavowing all obligations
the constitution.
DIS Mr.. Sumner-I do not disavow obligntC
to that instrument.
~ Mr.. Summers amendment was rejected
Nays 80; Yeas Q.
IT, An amendment, allowing the use of dcIp-
e' tions taken under this bill to be used IN Il
l. United States Courts was passed, when 3
IN bill was passed to II third reading, by a "
of Yeas, 20 Nays, Q and at l24 o'c!lc
midnight, the Senate adjourned,
New Hampshire Election.
an They are having a rough timo in Ne
IS Hampshire about these days. The polite
war is waged with the greatest fercmess.-
he At a political meeting IN Newport n. II