Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-01-10
Extract from the Speech of Senator
Wilson.

OpposrTIoN OF THE PATRIOTS OF THE AMER
IcAN REVOLUTION TO SLAVERY.
The Senator from South Carolina told us
some days ago, that in the Revolution, when
the Government was first framed, they were all
pairiois--ihey did not quarrel over these sec
tonal questions. The Senator from Texas,
think, held the same language, that we of this
degenerate age were raising these sectional
questions. would ask these Senators who
forced these issues upon as In IVA, when
the old Congress met and framed The Articles
of Association, the second article was prohi-
biiion of the slave trade, which had been forced
upon the Colonies by the policy Of The British
Government. That prohibition of the slave
trade was sustained by the North and by the
Suuth even South Carolina endorsed it. 10
1897, when your Constitution was framed, we
of the North were not responsible for the exis-
tence of slave anywhere under the authority
of Congress. Most of the Northern States had
taken measures in favor of, or tending to, eman'
cipaie in their States. When the Constitution
was framed there was not man in America
who believed that the idea of property in man,
TO use the words Of Mr.. Madison, was embod-
led in that Constitution When Washington
entered upon his duties as President, there was
no action of the National Government which
made The people Of Massachusetts, or Of any
State, responsible for slavery anywhere outside
of their own jurisdiction. Were men proscri-
bed then who held. the views that we on this
side of the Chamber now hold No, sir; the
men who promulgated the Declaration of lnde-
peDdence: who carried us through the Revuln.
lion who framed the Constitution Of the Uni.
ted States and who held the first Offices, were
all men opposed to slavery. Washington was
President. He had declared that no man in
America was more in favor of the abolition oil
slavery than HIMSELF and his vote should never
be wanting TO effect that object. John Adams
had declared that conserving 10 slavery was a
sacrlegous breach oftr Thomas Jefferson
had proclaimed, over and over again, his views
in favor Of emancipation, that the abolition Of
slavery was the first object of DESIRE
Alexander Hamilton was removed from the
Presidency of an Abolition Society IN New
York TO the head of the United States Treasu
ny. John Jay was taken from an Abolition
Society in New York and made Chief Justice
VI Tue supreme OOuIt OF tne UDlteu STATES
yet he had proclaimed TO the world that ouI
'prayers TO Heaven would be impious" unit
we abolished slavery. IreGell, of North Caro-
lima, had declared that when the abolition o
slavery took place il would be an act pleasing
TO all generous minds, and he was made Judge
Of the Supreme Court. Wilson, Of Pennsylva
MIA, in the Convention for the adoption of the
Federal Constitution, had avowed the doctrine
that the new States were to be under the au
,hority of Congress, and that slavery woult
never go there; and yet he, too, was placed OF
the bench Of the Supreme Court. Gouverneui
Morris, who was sent abroad TO represent THU
country, declared slavery 10 be a nefarious in
slituiion. Madison, Sherman, Ellsworth, Ger
/ ry, Patrick Henry-ail the great men Of thu
country, North and South, with the exception
Of few fre-eaters in South Carolina and Geor
! gia-held the doctrine then that slavery was
local institution, existing only by the force O
local law; that the National Government hat
no connection with it /; that il was an insiitu
tion which would pass away before our highe
civilization and our purer Christianity. Al
we ask of you is 10 carry us back and place
where we stood when 49, n..o I.. lWsuu
tun rnI ....... I.. Governments mn