Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-09-21
For the wsiehman A Joufnsl
The Burlington Platform.


questionable executive policy. this powerful
Confederscy was engaged in wa of inva-
sion against the comparatively feeble Repub-
lie of Mexico. The President almost pant
ed with effort TO make out a justification Of
the war. In his Messages he said much of
the outrages committed by Mexicans against
American culzons. II was not "a " to I'M
derstnnd clearly about these uutragcs. for he
did not particularly describe them Bur we
were told over and over. that they were IN
Darallelled, and that their preparation had
been continued from the first existence of the
Mexican Government Now. il would hove
relieved the President of his hard task nd
enabled him to breathe easy, ard II the same
time to bring down upon poorMexico storm
OF furious indignation from every part Of our
Union # he could have charged upon that
country the same ouirages which the Slave
States are constantly committing against A
mcrcan citizens. Could he have told us that
there were IN the city Of Mexico prisons in
winch hundreds of our people were often
confined for sale could be have described
the hean-rending scenes Of slave auction.
aud portrayed with graphic skill = collie Of
American citizens. chained together, and
marching under a waip trough the Nex can
States, To- be worked TO death on sugar plan
iatlons-he would have kndled such - glow
Of Indignation against Mexcoas would have
ahnns, made MS forget the unauthorized man
ner IN which that war was Introduced.
Now, has the general government no rem
edy against such wrongs committed at hone?
Then, Americans hang YOUR heads with
shame. and boast no more Of the superior
wisdom of your z vcrnment hat govern
lnent which cannot restrain its own Suites
from oulrages, a thousandth part of which
would be regarded as Just cause of war by
any other nation, should be the last 10 be pro-
posed as the worlds model. But | stand
ready to vindcate the government of my
country ngaust an nputaion Of such weak
ness. IN my argument shall regard the
Constitution Of the United States simply ms
a contract. binding upon the people because
they have agreed IN 1t, and take no notice. at
presented that higher obligation which binds
every government, however framed, to ad-
minister Justice and protect all its subjects
IN the enjoyment of all their natural rrh's.
regard the Constitution NJ capable of an
easy and triumphant defense against that
Gdrflsnuan view which makes it the insini-
ment oio wicked conspiracy against the slave.
II Is no respecter Of persons. 1t does not
confer privileges on favorlios or on one class
IA prcicrt nee to another show me one man
m this broad Union who is entitled to any
prriiegeou constitutional grounds,an will
challenge you To point to another innocent
nan who Is not entilled TO the same privi~
lcge on the same grounds. II the Constitu-
ton demands that any ore man shall be pro-
tected IN the enjoyment of his liberty and
natural rights, It 'uakes the Same demand ~
bchnlf of all the rest If il authorizes any
process by which a person. wrongtully de-
pnved OF his freedom, may be set at liberty.
that process Is available for ALL | respect
suly invite legal gentlemen to take up the
Constitution. and refutc me upon this point.
The Constitution, M the hands of pro sla-
very interpreters has been found 10 be capn-
Bile OF any meaning. or no meaning, as best
suits The slave interest And it il rcmarka
bic that one Of lis provisions has been COM
pleiely reversed by construction of anotl-
or. The fugitive clause bv construction has
become guaranty Of slavery TO all the
STATES, Each State may reduce 10 slavery
any number of Ms citizens. and that clause.
Icy construction. provides against their escape.
Further, each state may kdnap The cilizcns
Of other States and by virtue Of TINT cun>
strnctlon. bold them as siavcs. Such is the /
power OF construction Ii ought. # need be, /
To be as powerful for right No for wrong. 49, /
But waive the privilege of construction. /
choosing to take the Constitution in IFS most
pluin and obvious sense. desile no amend 4
ment but such an amendment Of The national
mlnd as will make It accord strictly with the
letter Of the Constitution.
The Constitution requires that no person
shall be deprived Of liberty without the pro
cess of law. Now. | am no lawyer. nor IL il
essential 10 my purpose 10 show what due
process of law is. My design will be an
swerph hv stniinr ono th;.,.- II NJ is .,.f Be-
process Of law. Should the South adop, the
practice of kidnapping men, women. and
OF the North, and bringing them
under her slave svsie md should some
persons OF ali the free States, become VIE
Tins of This practice. the whole North would
rise IN a loud demand for governmental re
dress Nobody would admit that the victims
of this kIdnnppn were deprived Of liberty
by due process OF law. II would be easily
seen that whether this constitutional provis-
ion had been IN ended against kidnapping or
not, It is both insplrt and plain language
prohibition Of the practice. And It might
well be asked what is a government worth
that must leave such practice undls'urbed;
And yet this kidnapping would only be de
velnpemen, nt the slave system in a new di-
rection, without any new feature The fed
eral government would have no power to in
terterc with il, which would not be a power
TO suppress the whole system
Pardon me, MIR. Editor. fad il necessary
10 say more than intended. In my next
number intend TO fulfill my promise of
showing how the federal government should /
abolish slavery. You doubtless foresee that
an going to present no marvellous discov-
cry, after all. | shall say Whist any body
Snlght say. Indeed the subject in Itself N
wolves no difficulty. The only difficulty IS
to conceive how the poor slave can be true
bona hde man, entitled, Just like any other
man, to governmental protection.
7. S-Snce getting my first three mum
beers 10 the press, aud writing the fourth, |
hnd by your remarks that have got an oppo-
nent To put my views to the test. THIS -
agreeable to my wishes, though might have
been more pleased To find the editor OF an
influential journal in hirmony vita me.
regret number Of errors in the printing
Of my last number The substitution Of
practical for practicable, in one instance. may
have been made by the pen; but the subsli- /
luton twice of flor i. must have been by .
the type. But what ! most regret Is the
omission of whole line, probably, Of man
uscripl from the middle Of sentence, max
ing It read quite ludicrously. The sentence
should have reads Ii we of the North are
smart at making pecunmry bargains we are
sure to be oyerreached BY the south in any
bargain about slavery. |. s.
"