The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-04-02

discussion, in all its bearings, rights and
relationships. Among these must, oi
course, be the questions of what was the
state of the existing lars, and the modi
fications that might be required on that
subject The law had declared that its
"true intent and meaning was not to leg.
islate Slavery into the Territory or ex.
cludc it therefrom." This would, Of
course, leave to that people the inquiry
what then arc the existing rights un-
der tho Constitution Can slaves be
holden in the absence Of any law on the
subiect2 This question. about which so
much difference ef opinion exists, and
which Congress and the Courts have new
er settled, was turned over to the
people there, to discuss and settle for
themselves.
This territorial Legislature, so Great
cd, by force from Missouri. utterly re.
fused to permit discussion on the subject,
but assuming that Slavery already exist
cd there, and that neither Congress nor
the people in the Territory under the
authority of Congress, had or could pro.
hibit it, passed a law, which, if enforced
utterly prohibits all discussion of the
question The lth and 18th sections
Of that act are as follows;
SEC. / !. If any person print, write,
introduce into, publ sh or circulate, or
cause to be brought into, printed, writ
ten, published or circulated. or shall
knowingly aid or assist in bringing into.
printing. publishing Or circulating within
this Territory, any book. magazine hand
bill or circular containing any state.
mcnts. arguments, opinions. sentiments.
doctrine, advice or inucndo, calculated
to promote disorderly dangerous or re-
bel!ious disafIec,ion among the slaves in
this Territ tory, or to induce such slaves
to escape from the service of their mas
ters, or to resist their authority. he shall
be guilty Of a felony, and be punished by
imprisonment and hard labor for a term
not less than five years
SEC. II. Ifany free person, by speak
ing or by writing. assert or maintain that
persons have not the right to hold slaves
in this Territory, or shall introduce into
this Territory, print, publish, write, cir.
culatc, or cause to be introduced into
this Territory, written. printed, publish,
cd or circulated in this Territory, any
book, paper, magazine pamphlet or cir
cuar containing any denial of the right
of persons to hold slaves in this Terrific
ry, such person shall be deemed guilty of
felony, and punished by imprisonment at
hard abor for term Of not less than
two years.
This act further provides that no per-
son "conscientiously opposed to holding
slaves shall 50 as a juror in the trial
of any case founded on breach Of the
foregoing law. The act further provid-
c! that all officers and attornies should
be sworn not only to support the Consti-
tuition Of the United States, but also to
support and sustain the orgauic law Of
the Territory and the Fugitive Slave
Law and that any person otf.ring to
vote shall be presumed to be entitled TO
vote until the contrary is shown and if
any one, when required, shall refuse to
take oath to sustain the Fugitive Slave
Law, lie shall not be permitted to vote.
Although they passed a law thaV none
but an inhabitant, who had paid a tax.
should vote, yet they required 10 time
Q res"(eHcc necessary, and provided for
the immediate payment of Il poll tax. so
providing in effect, that on the eve Of an
election the people Of 4 neighboring State
could come IN, Ia unlimited numbers and
by taking up residence of day or an
hour, lay poll tax and thus become
legal voters, and then after voting return
TO their own state They thus, ia practi
cal cif.ctproviled for tie people of Mis-.
sourl TO control elections at their pleas
ure. and permitted such only Of the real
inhabitauts Of the Territory to vote as
are friendly to the holding Of slaves.
They permitted no election Of any Of
the officers in the Territory to be made
by the people thereof, bat created the Of
fees and filled them. or appointed officers
to ill them for long periods. and proyid-
cd that the next annual election should
be holdan in October. 1856. aud the AS
sembly to meet in January, 1871, 50 that
none Of these laws could be changed un,
I'll the Lower House might he changed
in 1856 bat the Council, which is elect.
cd for two years codkd not be changed
50 as to allow a change Of the Laws or Off
GERS until the session Of 1878. however
much the inhabitants Of tue Territory
nigh! desire it,
These laws, made by au Assembly ere
ated by foreign force. are but a mani
festaton Of the spirit ofoppression which
was tho parent of the whole transaction.
No excuse can be found for it in the pre-
trnce that thG inhabitants had carried
with them into said Territory quantity
Of Sharpe's ridcs. First. because that, If
true formed 10 excuse. Secondly, it is
untrue, as their Sharpe's rifles were only
Obtained afterwards and entirely for the
purpose of selt>deteucc, the, necessity for
which this invasion aud other acts Of Vi
olence and threats clearly demonstrated
These laws were obviouS ~ made to op-
press and drive out all who were iuclin-
cd to the exclusion Of Slavery, aud if
they remained, to silence them on this
subject and subject them to the will and
control of the people of Missouri. These
are the laws which the President says
must be enforced by the army and whole
power Of this nation
The people Of kausas thus invaded,
pnl., .,lr.1 4