Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-03-28

stitution among them. | do not re-
member, sir, during the many years
that | have been at this Capitol, to
have met with more than three in
dividuals who have not been willing
to admit, and have not admitted,
that, if the question Of Slavery
were a new one, for the first time
introduced, and if the question was
submitted to them as they were a
bout to plant themselves on the vir-
gin soil of their native State, and
they had the control of it, they
would not have Slavery with them.
/ If they would not have it with them,
if it were an original question in
their own State, ask them, in the
name Of justice, in the name of hui
manity, in the name Of that Chris
tlanity which teaches us to do unto
others as we would they should do
unto us why should they seek now
to fasten it upon another Territory /?
Sir, the position which | occupy,
and which is occupied by those with
whom | act, is, that it may never
be a reproach to us or our posterity,
that through our agency, & through
our want Of fidelity to the princi-
pies which we profess, this institu-
ton which we condemn shall be
fastened upon this Territory.
Mr.. BUrLER VIII the Senator
allow me to give him a matter of
statistics
Mr. Hale. Certainly.
Mr.. Butler. | knew the Sena-
tor would do it, because he is a ready
man. AT one time, sir, | thought
it probable that Knight have to 90 to
Boston to perform duty which my
friend from Georgia Mr. Toombs
has done SO much better than could :;
aud with that view ! prepared my
self with some statistics on this sub
ject, which | desire To present. |
desire to state them now, for know
Of no other way of getting them be-
fore a certain class, unless through
the speech of the Senator from New
Hampshire. He says that, so far
from being tainted with the sin and
agency Of introducing Slavery, the
North would hold themselves bound
by all the obligations to which he
has referred With the view which
have mentioned, 1 sent to the Gus
tom-house in Charleston to obtain
certain information. Most of the
registers were lost, but from those
that remained I obtained some in
formation which | will state.
When the slave trade was sup
pressed, it was suppressed by the
cnnr'-- ia of the North aud the
south and when L, " as restored !,
was restored by the common vote of
the North and the South but af-
ter it was restored, it was through
Northern merchants that slaves were
taken from Africa. They We're
brought in Northern vessels. Out
of forty thousand-that was the
number, for recolect it expressly
-two-lhirds were for the North
Five thousand were on account Of
one Northern State, SIX thousand on
account of another, and but two
thousand on account of South Car
ollna. So far as regards the sin of
bringing them here, do not think
that we are TO be responsible if we
should attempt TO throw il back on
those who introduced them.
Mr.. HALE. Mr. President, | am
glad to have this piece Of informa-
ton, It was the very train OF ar
gument which | was pursuing.
said that you reproached our fathers,
aud justly, have no doubt. have
no doubt the Senator is historically
correct.
Mr.. BUTLER. What have stat
ed is according to undoubted statis-
, tics.
Mr., HALE. have not the slight
est doubt Of it, and am glad have
got it; but what | mean, please
p God, is, that it shall not be true in
the future. mean, tha! if another
land is to groan under the evil of
= Slavery, no Senator from South
, Carolina, or from any other State,
! shall have a right TO stand up in his
place and point at New Hampshire,
il aud say, You did it," take all
the ceusure which the Senator means
d 20 administer to the Northern States.
| have no doubt that the cupidity OF
commerce yielded much, very much.
and ihat there ia great blame.
; have no doubt, further, that the
same cupidity which induced Nor
thern merchants to take the course
which the Senator from South
Carolina brings to my miud, is still
) left in the country, and It would do
the same thing again, unless re-
strained by law.
) Having gone thus far on this train
, of remark, | come now to another
point OF the case and | propose TO
} examine the question Of the power OF
Congress over Slavery in the Terri
tories; and | shall do it, ! think, to
the apprehension of the popular and
z the legal mind. The ground which
| take is, that Congress has an un-
doubted constitutional power to pro-
} hibrl slavery from going into any
of the Territories of the u. S. and
, to that point | wish the attention of
, the Senate. In the first place, |
7 suppose, when you wish to settle a