Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-05-03


unanimous vote; tho reason given, sir, was
because the former thought to express the
condition Of slaves, and the latter the obligation Of
freemen."
The idea that it meant slave is repudiated by
the very terms Of the section for it says persons
owing service labor" Sir, if you are to trans
form person owing service or labor into a slave
you must look elsewhere for license to do it,
Nav, a slave, chatel, no ono will contend is in
dcbtcd or owes nybudy labor or anything else
That ia impossible. A slave is incapable of making
any contract whatever. The slave you catch under
that clause is Just no slave at all 1t is some
person owing labor and gone out Of the State to
get rid Of the debt In defiance Of at least three
positive provisions of the Constitution, the fugitive
slave law grabs somebody, black white, for it
makes no distinction of color--demands of him a
lfe's labor-suspends ''the privilege of the writ
of hdbeaS co1puS"-denies him "t"iai by jury
and "deprives him of liberty without the due pro-
cess of law" and works him, or whips him, or
sells him, as it likes.
There is one other clause in the Constitution,
referred to by the advocates of slavery ayoring
their views:
"ARr. l. SEC. 2-Representatives and direct tax
cs shall be apportoned among the several States
which may he included within this Union, accord
ing to their respective numbers which shall be de-
termined by adding to the whole number Of free
persons, including those bound to service for
term of years, and excluding Indians, not taxed,
three fiths Of all other persons"
Itis claimed that the three ffths of all other
persons means slaves. Then, why notsay SO? Bu3
suppose it does, it was merely compromise with
slavery, in which, like other compromises with
slavery, freedom gets cheated. With an under
standing that the public burdens would be borne,
or taxes paid by the slave States in proportion to
their representation in Congress, the slave States
obtained, and now possess, the unfair advantage
,,r
equal number of presidential electors more than
fair share, while they have long since ceased to
furnish n dollar in consideration of the arrange
ment. Thus the slave States have controlling
property representation in Congress with which
they continually invade the soil of freedom, while
the free States have no such property representa-
ZION to resist the invasion. Besides, sir by prop
erty representation which the free States do not
enjoy the slave States meet us at every presiden-
tal election with some twenty-five electoral votes,
and for which they pay not iarthing OF the shpu-
lated consideration. SIR, by this fraud the free
States are, to great extent, disfranchised. The
property representation of the slave States not en-
joyed by the North is equal to some eighteen hun
dred thousand votes, in effect DISTINGUISHING
some eighteen hundred thousand northern free
men-more than five times the number of all the
shareholders put together.
Sir, five shareholders, with each one thousand
slaves have more power in Congress, and at every
presidential election, than three thousand northern
ireemen. And now we are coolly asked to
remain quiet and submit to have this unfair ad-
vantage over us not only perpetuated, but to
have it multiplied, and increased and extended to
an indefinite extent. Sir, i ask, with all due re-
spect is not this little too much?
Now, sir, for section ninth Of the Constitution.
Here again slavery seeks sheter
"SEc Q, ART. 1.-The migration importation
of such persons any Of the States now existing
shall think proper to admit shall not be prohibited
prior to 1S0S."
This is claimed by some to be a recognition Of
the slave trade. If it was, it was n recognition
with ven ,eancc. 1t was to put an end to it.
And here, sir, allow me to quote as authority a
IA rule of Interpretation of the United States
Supreme Court:
"When rights are infringed when fundamental
principles are ovsrthrOwn; when the general system
of laws departed from, the Legislative intention
must DO expressed with irresistible clearness
to induce a court of justice to suppose design to
effect such an object"
"Nher rights are infringed," the legislative in
tention must be expressed with irresistible clear
ness
Sir, will any one pretend that the Constitution
with irresistible clearness" that man
is allowed to infringe on the rights of another so
far to deprive him of his liberty-to take possess
ion of his wife and children, and make them sub
seryient to his will-to sell them to n returnless
distance from their native home, and from each
other, and pocket the money? God forbid that
the Constitution of my country should harbor
such sentiment!
Sir, you are not to rely on doubtful passages of
law; you are not to infer guess when the dearest
rights OF man-when liberty itself is sought to be
overhrown Nothing short Of positive declarations,
expressed with irresistible cCarness," can give
slavery the slightest foothold in the Constitution.
And here, sir, in the presence of this House and
the country, take occasion to say, that the Const
tuition nowhere gives Congress power to legslate
for the return of fugitive slaves. Sir, demand
that the power be pointed out with irresistible
clearness or the claim to it be abandoned forever.
Sir, all attempts to sustain slavery in the Constiu
ton take for granted the legality of slavery when
the Constitution was formed. Without this as
sumption no such claim would ever have been set
up. But, as this assumption is untrue, the whole
fabric Of slavery iE the Constitution falls to the
ground Sir, if this glorious republican Consttu-
ton of this glorious land of liberty, the asylum
Of the oppressed, this home of the brave, and this
land of the free, takes sides with slavery, then
confess do not understand it. Sir, the Constltu-
tion, both in spirit and express terms, repudiatcs
slavery, and positively bars its existence Slavery
{ is war, open war, on the rights Of man. 1t Is
death to rights inalienable. Its very name was
offensive to tho'convention that formed the Con-
sttution, and was denied record Slavery
in the Constitution! Sir, it would be like ingratt-
ing wormwood into the tree of liberty.