Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-01-18


electing their own representatives, and by lawless
force % exclude them from exercising any voice
in the government of said territory: and
Whereas, The present administration Of the gen.
eral government has lent itself to these Illegal
ard unjust schemes; and has either openly aided
therein, or secretly connived thereati and has Ia
ken no steps to execute the laws to protect the
people Of said territory in the exercise OF their
constitutional rights thus publicly assailed and
overthrown, and has, under false pretenses, re-
moved such Of its own officers as were not en-
tpely subservient to those bad designs; and
Whereas, the right of citizens of slsveholding
states TO hold slaves and transport them throuhh
the free states, has been OF late asserted and the
act attempted, and in consequence thereof eiti-
zen of sister state has been put in prison under
the usurped or grossly perverted power of
federal judge: therefose, it is by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the State of Vermont
Resoired. That the Fugitive slave act Of 1850 is
contrary to the spirit of the constitution of the
United States, in subversion Of the rights, and a
iagant'outrage upon the spirit of free people;
and that the same ought to be Immediately re
pealed.
ResoEred, that the enactment Of the provisions
of the territorial code of 1854, which abrogated
the ancient prohibition Of slavery in said terrific
ries, and opened them to the wicked acts and ca
lamitous results of that institution, was gross
fraud upon the just rights of the people, faith
less breach Of public compact, of which the
slaveholdng interest had already reaped the
full beneft,-an insult to the free States, and in
violation Of the natural rights Of man and that
it merits the condemnation Of the civilized world.
Resolred that the armed and unlawful invasion
of Kansas, by the citizens Of Missouri, and their
illegal and lorcible exclusion of the people ofthat
territory from all the political rights 10 which they
are entitled in the government thereof for the
purpose of establishing slavery therein, under the
semblance of law, was an act of atroclty une-
qualed in the political history of this nation, and
directly subversive of the fundamental principles
of republican government, and that the State Of
Missouri will be Justly chargeable as a party to
that wrong, unless she publicly and distinctly
disavow said acts to her citizens, and use every
means in her power to prevent a recurrence
thereof.
Resolced, that the non-interference Of the pres
ent federal administration, to prevent or punish
such outrages, justly makes it, in the estimation
of mankind, accessory thereto, and unworthy Of
the confidence or respect of freemen.
Res0lUed, that Vermont, while she viii in no
way assail the constitutional and domestic rights
OF the slaveholding States, will, to the utmost Of
her power, uphold and sustain the people Of the
territories in their lawful effort to exclude slavery
therefrom,- that she will, at all hazards, and to
the last extremity, resist all encroachments upon
the constitutional rights of the States,-that to
the extent of her ability, she will oppose the ex
tension of slavery into, and the existence thereof
in the territories of the United States, and the
admission into the Union of any State whose con
stituton does not perpetually prohibit slavery
therein.
ResOlUed, that the slave who treads the soil Of a
free State by the consent of his master, becomes
thereby at once and forever free, and entitled to
the exercise of the whole power of the State
when necessary, in the defense of his feee dom.
ResoEred that in the opinion of this general as
sembly no district court OF the United States has
Jurisdiction to issue writs Of habeas corpus, to
render judgment thereon, except Iwhen necessary
to the orderly proceeding of suits pending there
in, or in order to inquire into the legality of COM
mitments made under color OF its authority, and
therefore, that the Imprisonment of Passmore
! Williamson, under the authority of the district
court of the United States for the eastern district
of Pennsylvania, was not warranted by law, anC
/ void.
| Resohred, that our Senators be, and they ara
hereby instructed, and our representatives in Con
gress are requested, to do all in their power tt
carry out the spirit and intent of the foregoing
resolutions.
ResolUed, that the Governor be requested to
cause copy of these resolutions, properly certi-
fed, to be sent to each of our Senators and Rep
resentatives, to be by them communicated to
Congress; and that copy of the same be sent to
the Governor of each State in the Union, with a
request that they be laid before the Legislature
| thereof.
In House Of Representatives..
| Nov. Il, 1855.
| Read and adopted.
Gro p Tuo,fpeoS Ass'5 (Le,E