Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-04-25

Affairs OF KANSAS.
SPEECH OF
HON. j. C0LLAMER
OLE NERMONT-
OF VERMONT,
n rnr srNArr. .lprl 3. ls5G.


sas to form q constitution and State go rn-
mcnt preparatory to their admission in the
Union when they have the requisite p lula-
ton
Mr. CoLrAMrn said: Mr.. Presif 1t, /
remember that few years since there
was published in Virginia, work called
New Views Of the Consttuton" J truck
me as being very extraordinary title New
Views Of the Constitution that yiews
which those who made the Constitu IN ney-
or entertained otherwise they won not be
new. But. sir my surprise OF hat de has
gradually passed away. ! cannot 1t have
observed, and think all gentleu must
huve observed that there seems to ga very
great desire on this subject, as ON st 9th
ers on the prri of some men in the commu-
nItv, 90 crafty very lnordinate irosty.
and 20 express aud manifest great dea! OF
ingcunuy IN getting up nelU rieU OF the
/ Constitution. The very fact that ey arc
new should be sufficient, in my es nation,
| 90 condemn them. We want no nc views
of the Constitution. To ascertain W. twerc
/ tho original views Of its trainers is proper
subject OF investigation We sh' ID en-
| deavor TO travel under the Influence those
/ lights So us 20 arrive at correct COZ luslOn
/ 10 regard 10 constitutional questions.
It's known 10 men Of legal exp ience,
/ that there is such q thing as what Is called
cotcmporaneous construction; and not
only know It's existence. but many ha, ex-
experienced great advanta fe from It's ie.-
When sny d.pree of ambiguity exi in
reference to the construction of any per,
contract. law. or statnte -wheiher inp yate
HE or In relation To public affairs. and spc-
cialIy when itlsa paper of long star ing
much hrbt may freoucntlv be OBJ ned
by ascertaning what was the constr ton
at the time when d was wutieu-what lrse
of conduct was followed by ihe part, im-
medmteiy ON the inception of the co ract
Immediately on the malInr of the pap iui-
medatey ou tine promu' cation of the w.
II we can ascertain from the light 4 lycd
from ihoif conduct aud their action D. they
understood 10. we consider ourselves have
ing made one step 100 the progress OF | uth
hardly know of any one branch fof our
Constitution where consider coter l0raue-
ons instruction SO important "a in fnrd To-
the subject Of slavery. and espcciul I in re-
laton TO the rights snd interests of those
States who claiu aud hold slaves. To them
cotemporancou- construction is, 7 thiuk a
matter Of the deepest Importance. iThey are
lhe pnrt of the United States WIN D, | think,
would derive on thls subject the 81 possi-
BE advantage from new views the Con.
stnution.
have made this last remark T a reason
which will state. Ii a mln e TO take
ottr fonsttfution and sbouM cl. the vol d.
rt .. -
ume OF our history ana shcutd iherate our
LEGISLATION. and rend that book ? tbout these
q. a. .t...t D.. ..fI .....,. o., ,l,,, ,.i,,
ll-"'7, ! 'u'"N pug "'"'" O"ii'N w. sue
/ si'n 'N'' mere never was sue" d ui'us ~
s'"'''Y ln U', 03uu'y' ",'''''s ~
me instrument 'hat "oN'u ie'u '' l" u,vl''.
y' us sN,s'en0e' N"V" .'',' : s.,''ll','
e''l1u,l 70 asOe.'s'u 90" 'l' s.''a'''
learn from the reading OF any 'cuI'' paper
OF ooo"' "',lou' 'ue i,sn's 'pu''e'','
'ouuu U.S. j. as u''ut utu.| p' w as 'o'
man n"" 10 ue'eI''lne no" u,' ue "o'''
h"o% 'n '''t,'"u 'p u'o ,N'',
l"e De'y u he 'aa u'' ,Ie '' o' Ie'J'D,
,'n a'ou"u i'| nt uu'' ''' .'''
HE"' ''ou"u "''''' '"u '' LUZ ~
J''tv "V" "'U0" '' |ou'r t,-
'l " "c "l" '' """ "o'' '"D
our 'Npei'e,ce we i'A'e ',e '5,'s W o.'
,''''u' ",' u'' i.t',
leag nv, '"s '.'U',i "'N'Iu. ~
. Hilu ] ihlhh lt Wnuu ue PlaCi 'Dir 80 " N"l
siderable extent
1'l,ro. .,f. .,.,,l,- tbreo rI4ces Oh tho Congii
/; tnt'on,n which esue now .derstand th,
sub,eci. slavery Is alluded TO all. In th,
.ecanJ sectinn oc tbe frs, ar, 10 ofthe Con
:, .,itut,o, n ia orov,ded tbnt-
d .., ai...., ,.,... .h.i, no ooc,,
,oa,a among ibs several site. who ns, b. in.lrae
'tha 600, uaon according 60 ihe' yp''u,e ..o nu%
'u ,.,s ,.f ,,ee a,'.s. ,ol sd.s bouad to .e,
f' wee To- ,e,m Of ysa,s aud arelala lalin' not 'aH
ed l"'oe h''@' OF all other Pe''on'''
Let man, with perfect 'o"ieage o
Do the English language read lh clause WIN
out the lessons OF our histor ahd legls.a
ton, aud ! ask ~ all cand' though h
[ might be a highly nlelhgei man-"ha
woul be think about ~ would say
.'l "th.ee hiths OF all other re' nus an
y, stumbled al what they did mes "hAt o'he
g. persons could there be you We include
i, all iree people. and excluded B Indians an
who else could there beg member Do
has no history 10 20 "- ash ny man o
earth how would he answer 4 question
1t cnunoi be answered.
The next place where Il Is opposed Ih
nd subject Is alluded TO little 'iqdely' an
= by circumlocnuon, Is tins prov on'
d, The migration OF importation of persons rs
ny OF ,ns s,,'s' 10. aoT sA'.,'s ,,. 'ls @ pI 9 " II ~
"a Yea, l.o- !,
II man should read that clause alone
would he ever think that il al. led TO slave
or slavery? l. there any j ,mation 10
, which would make man dre nof any sue
% thing? Certainly not All IL could con
cude from it would be, that s, le states wish
ed TO encourage foreign r igution, am
}, some did not; that some W ned to fl a.
their Territory. and some did IT; and there
fore. they regulated it for III time being. b
providing that each State houd do as
= pleased. That is all that IDENTITY could b.
Inferred from the reading &, tins clause.
The third place in who it is alluded I
no is the provision, that "no ,rson held TO ser
wee or obar, by the laws one State unde
the laws thereof, escaping ito another, shall
IN consequence of any Nv or rcguatio
therein, be discharged ir such service O
- labor, but shall be dely ed up" Try th
same experiment again read il from th