Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-01-04

cannot be construed into an authority ior
masters TO take their slaves into federal ter
ritory, or as binding the federal government
to recognize such slaves as property. Stand
ing Oh the Constitution, the true Republi- |
can doctrine is that all federal territory is
and must be free until Slavery shall have
been established therein by a sovereign
state freedom 10 national and this was
the doctrine recognized at the adoption OF
the Constitution, and affirmed by judicial de-
cisions. The new democratic doctrine, as
announced by Mr.. Jones, is precisely the
reverse of thls--to wit that Slavery must
be recognized in federal territory, and "pro-
tectedn there to use Jonos's phrase,l "until
Invested by sovereign state Slavery is
national. Hee is the key Of the great ma
tional question which the people are to de-
eide ut the next Presidential election. For
this reason, we hope every reader will con
slider these suggestions carefully and refer to
the Constitution We have adyer,ed only
10 that clause OF the Constitution which IS
relied upon to sustain the demands Of slave
nv. The power Of Congress 10 restrain and
prohibit slavery is derived from other sections,
to wit, sec. 8, Art. I, which gives Congress
power TO prevent the migration or impor'a-
ton" Of slaves, in connection with sec. 4 Of
Art. w, which requires the U. 5. 10 guaran-
~ a republican form Of government" aud
10 protect the states from INVASION and do
nestle violence. Il was observed in the
Convention which formed the Constitution,
thatit was absurd to guaranty protection a.
gainst invasion and domestic violence and
yet adnth SLAVERY, which wouldte tend TO weak
en- the power Of the states and provoke the
spirit OF discomfort And from this consd-
Grafton, rs well as from the power given to
pot an end 10 the slave trade, 1t is very clear
that the trainers of the Constitution designed
To restrain slavery rather than to extend 1t.
See also sec. g. Art. ~, which gives Com
gress power to make all necdful rules aud
regulations respecting the territory or other
property belonging to the United Staies."-
Mr.. Jones indeed tells us that this gives TO
Congress only the power Of landed pro-
prietor, not including the right either to per-
init or prevent the intrusion of slavery on its
territory, but leaving slavery to 60 there or
not GO without the interference Of the owner
Of the lund. A very ingenious way this to
establish slavery by lack Of potoer But We
submit that the owner may do what he will
with his own, If the L. 5. otcn the lond,
they may rule it as they will. But more than |
this he U s. is of necessity the sovereign,
above all other owners of the public lands
and all power over slavery follows It's sove-
reigny. If state sovereignty within It's own
domain has the right Of determining the
slavery question, las Jones admits then Fed |
eral sovereignty, wi:nin its own domain, has |
the same power The Federal Government
exercised this power up to the advent Of the |
present Slayocratic Administration. The |
Missouri and Texas acts we're exercises Of /
this very power, and the latter was the act
of that Slavo- Democratic party which now
breaches this new and most abominable her
esy.
Utmost an Election Of Speaker
On Saturday, Dec. 81, the House voted
six times. The second ballot was as fol-
lows: