Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-09-05

laws, for the invasion Of the peace
and safety Of society. Yet do say
nevertheless, that | regard chains anc
balls and all such implements an,
instruments of Slavery, with deies
torlon So profound, that will soone
take chains upon my own frame, anC
wear them through what may remair
Of my own pilgrimage here, than i'm.
pose them, even where punishment
is deserved, upon the limbs Of my
fellow men. / canaol consent to &,
backward, aud restore barbarism tC
the penal code of the United States
even for the sake Of an appropriation
to maintain the army of the United
States for single year The Kan.
sas code rises, as you advance thro
it, to q climax Of inhumanity. Here
is the next chapter:
"If any pet.on shall aid or ass,t in onucinr deeoy
ing tpesuaamF co., chtfyinF away, ot seadiag eut %
h,s rvrtoiy my slave hrionFiue to anaihef ~th io
tonf tn procure sntct iha rerduni such shvo %
with intent 10 deprive the thereof Of the service
Of such slave, be- shall be adiudged guilty of grand ai
renvi nnf on curftrun thefeof sAaN sufr deafa b
Imprisoned At haii labor Tor not less than ten yeas."
Pray tell me, Senators, what you
think of that? This statute has
been promulgated in Kansas, a Ter.
rllory Of the United States. IT car
have become a law there only, direct
" or indirectly, through the exercis,
Of the legislative power Of the Con.
grcss of the United States. The
Constitution Of the United State,
conIers upon Congress no power
whatever TO consign any human he.
ing to n condition Of bondage OF
slavery TO another human being, but,
on the contrary, prohibits the exer-
else of a power SO inhuman and bar.
barous. The Constitution Of the u
niled States, consequently, confer,
on Congress no power, directly Oh
indirectly, to make it crime in one
man 10 persuade another, reduced tC
bondage or slavery, to seek his free
dom. repudiate this pretended
law, therefore, and | will not con.
sent to send the army Of the United
States TO Kansas to execute it.
Mr.. MAsoN-Will the Senator al
low me to ask him whether the law
10 which he has just adyerted is moi
a law of the State of Missouri, adop.
ted by the Territory of Kansas
Mn. SEwARD-l presume ii is, bu
| do not know that fact.
Ma. MAsoN-Does not the Sena.
tor know the fact that ii is part o
the body Of laws OF the State of Mis-
sour, adopted by the Territory o.
Kansas
Mr. SEwARD--I say | presume il
to be so | do not know the fact
Sir, | am here asked, while voting
twelve millions to support the Fed
eral army, o make II crime agalns
the United States, punishable will
death, to persuade a slave 10 escape
from bondage, and to command the
army TO execute that punishment.
cannot do that.
Mr.. RuD-l dislike 10 interrupt
the Senator, but there is one point
on which desire to know his opin.
lon- for it is important, certainly, to
one section of the Union. The
course Of the Senator's argument
seems to incline to the opinion on
hls part that it is no crime 10 per
suade or to enticc a negro slave tc
run away from his master. Is that
The opinion Of the Senator from New
York
Mr.. SEwARD-There is no Sena-
tor for whom | have more respect
Than the honorable Senator from N.
Carolina, but | have rule---whca
is, TO adhere to my own line OF argu
ment. am defending my vote, on
a bill before the Senate. | shall GO
into the discussion OF no collateral
question, further than il is necessari-
ly involved in the argument which
the occasion requires. call your
attention TO another of these enact
mcnts:
az any person shall sHnes deeoy or carry away ou
Of ths Tetutofy, any slave belonging TO another viii
intent deprive tha thereof of the seryire u
sneh slave, with intent To effect procure the fee
.I.. .fs. .Iff
larceny, and conviction thereof, shan suffer pEArH
bs Imprisoned al hard labor for not iess thaH tsi
years"
There is no larceny of property
of any kind, which in my Judgment
demands punishment by death. Ger
tainly, ] shall not agree TO law
which shall indict that extreme pun
ishment for constructive larceny, in
a case where it is at least a disputed
point in ethics, whether the ofl'enst
is nahum in Sc. Hero is another
chapter
'If any slave shall commit poiit larceny, or shat
sshlnny neat cattle sheep or hog or he guilty Of an
iuisdemennuf. or other ohanse Punishable undor th
pfoysuns Of this tct only b. hne or imprisonment 40
county li. of bY blth such hne and imprisonment, h
shall insisad af such pHHishmsat, be- puuishtd, II
mais BY stripes on HE bare back osceading thirty
u ne, or, IL femaio, BY impusonmoat az The couut
ail hot exceeding twenty one days, OF hy stripes
exceeding twnnly one, at the discretion of the justice
With repentance and atoncment
Mr.. President, ! may hope to he for
given for innicung blows upon the
person of fellow-man, equal it
strength and yigor TO myself.
should have no hope TO he forgiven
much less TO retain my own self re
spect, if, on an occasion, under any
circumstances, or upon any pfetoxl,
should ever consent TO apply, or au'
lhorize another TO apply, a lash tC
the naked back of a weak, defense
/ less, helpless woman. Sir, call these
provisions which | have rccIted b,
what name you wlIl-edict, ordinan
ces, or statutes they ure the law
which the House Of Representative
says shall not be enforced in Kansa
u