The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-21

cessfuy exerted in extending and streDg thsning the
institution OF human slavery. contrary to the clear
violation OF the spirit Of the constitution and
whereas in order still further to extend slavery and to
establish it IN the fee Territories Of the United States
there have been passed the Fugitive Slave law called
and the code establishing in
Territories 81 Kansas and Nebraska with provisions invi
ting tbs establishment Of slavery therein and In fur
thersnce of this purpose the citizens Of Missouri have
been suffered to ade the Territory of Kansas in armed
band AID 10 prevent thereby the people Of said Kansas
from making their own laws electing their repre-
sentates and By lswess force exclude them
ercisipg any lice in the said Territory
government has lent itself to those illegal and unjust
schemes and has either openly aided therein secretly
copnived thereat aud has taken the
laws or to protect the Of said Territory in
ercise Of their constitutional rights thus publicly asssed
such OF its own officers as were not entirely subservient
to those bad designs and whe the right Of citizens
o. sayshoidng States 70 hold slaves in and tran,port
them through the FREE States has Of late been asserted,
and the act attempted and Ia consequence thereof c
zen OF sister State has been put In prison under the
usuped or grossly perverted power of federal Judge;
therefore iii by the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives of the State Of Vermont,
Resolved That Fugitive Slave act Of 1850 is contrary
to the spirit Of the Constitution OF the United States in
subvssion Of the rights and fragrant outrage upon the
spirit Of free people, and that the same ought to be i'm
Resolved, That the enactment of the provisions of the
code Of S which abrcgsted the ancient pro-
the wicked and amitous results of iusttu
ton, fraud upon the just rights of the people,
% breach OF public OF Which
nefan insult to the free States and in violation of the
Rstur: rights o. that it merits the cOnds~na
Resolved, That the armed and unlawful invasion of
Kansas, BY the citizens Of Missouri and their illegal
tory from all the political rights to which they
entitled In the government thereof for the sole
purpose Of establishing slavery therein, under the
sembance Of law, act of atrocity unequsled
in the political history Of this nation, and direct
ly subversive of the fundamental principles of rspub
Rcsr apAx shat 49, ~ ,~sr
be justly chargeabla as party to that wrong unless
abe publicly and distinctly disavow said Of her cit
zens and use every means in her power to prevent re-
Resolved That the interference Of the federal sd
ministraton to prevent punish said outrages justly
makes it, in the estimation Of mankind accessory there
to- and unworthy OF the confidence respect of free
Resolved That Vermont while she will in no way assail
the constitutional domestic rights of the slavehong
States will TO the utmost of her power uphold aud
an the people OF the Territories In their awfu effort to
exclude slavery thererom; thai she WILL at all hazards
and TO the last extremity resist all upon
the rights Of the States that the extent
into and the existence thereof in the Territories Of the
United States and the admission into the Union of any
State whose constitution does not perpesuay prohibit
Resolved That the slave who treads the soil Of free
State by the consent Of his master becomes thereby
and forever free entitled to exercise of the
whole power OF the State when necessary in the defence
of his freedom.
Resolved That the opinion Of this General Assembly
District Court of the United States has jurisdiction to
issue writs Of habeas corpus to render Judgment
thereon except when necessary to the orderly proceed
ngs of suits pending thereon in order to inquire into
The legality of commitments made under color of its
tbority and therefore that the imprisonment of Pass
more williamson, under the authority of the District
Court of the United States for the Eastern district
Pennsylvania, was not warranted by law, and void
Resolved, That Senators be- and they are hereby
instructed and representatives in Congress
quesed to do all in their to carry out the spirit
and intent of the foregoing resolutions.
Resolved That the Governor be requested to cause
copy of these resolutions properly certified to be sent to
each of Senators aud representatives. to be by them
communicated to Congress- and that copy OF the same
be also sent to the Governor OF each State in the Union
with request that they be laid before the Legislature
thereof.
In House of Representatives Nov. IL, read and
adopted. GEO. R. THO MPSON, Asst Clerk.
In Senate, Nov 49, 1855, read and adopted in
c. Fl. CHAPMAN. Secretary.
STATE OF VERMONT, SECRETARY OF STATES OrFICR,
MONTPELIER, Dec 20, 1855.
hereby certify that the foregoing correct copy Of
the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of this
State, on file in this Office.
CHARLES w. WILLARD Sec'y Of State.
Two thousand five hundred copies of the Cover
nor's communication were ordered to be printed,
the House feeling too much contempt for the reso
lutions to subject them to similar rule.