Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1857-08-20
Address of the Democratic State
Committee

| Address of the Democratic State
Committee
The proposed address of the Democratic State
Committee to the people OF Vermont is issued,
The general style and execution of the principal
part of it is that of the newly-appointed Dis
tricl Judged. A. Smalley Of Burlington-and
the tone Of the whole Of it is highly in keeping
with the notice we gave OF that gentleman at
the time Of bis appointment. The all-lmpor-
tant theme II the address is the 8 eminent .
administration of Pierce and :" the great men
,oho supported il " After pompous enlogy
upon the history and F." unparalleled success OF
the party, he proceeds 70 examine the principles
and measures Of the party. The first is
at was early contended by the democrats,
that the constitution of the United States, both
in its letter and spirit, intended to leave all pow
ers of government, not expressly granted by that
instrument 20 the genera government, to the
states and t. The people, and they have always
commended for strict construction OF that lusiru-
meat
And as necessary consequence of this doc
! trine in reaian to the powers of the general
Government, democrats hare dItcdys been opposed
10 The erercise of doubtful pogers By the state
governments, and hare been IN tapor Of The
largest Hberfyto Tie nd,uidual citizen consistent
Nth the public good, and OF leaving hi n as free
as possible from restraints of state or municipal
statutory regulations; while the other party has
always been in favor of mu tipliciiy of arbl-
trary legislation, and wherever it has had the
power il hasESlled the statutes of states with
laws derorssSS tssndividual liberty. and with
special and class legisainn.n
ST is this spirit of intervention with the
rights Of Others, and the Intense patriotism which
ALWAYS has animated the party, embracing the
whole country. lis progress, and perpetuty, wh'cL
hateiy caused one portion Of This confederacy Il
look 10 The democratic party as buhoark dgains
the political aggressions of The fanatics of an
other"
"These general principles Of the two parties
to which we have endeavored 10 draw your AT
tenton are now sought to be applied to thf
question of domestic slavery. And a careful
and candid examination, we think, will satisfy
you, that although this question is represented
by one party as a new issue, that no new prlnci
pies arc involved. The principles Of the demo
cratic party of TO day upon ibis aglating issue
il is believed viii be found on examination to bt
the doctrine of the fathers of this republic =
MOI The doctrine of the fathers as claimed IN III
schoofboy eSsoys Of some Of the scholarly poh
t,hons of the day. but The doctrines of The father
as iquyM by tApm in their acts. They france
a constitution for these United STATES, achic'
reco gnizes end protects the right of any Slate Il
hold slarys that should choose 0r determine so Il
do ; AND UNDER THAT CONSTITUTION THERE i
NO LEGAL IMPEDIMENT To SLAVERY IN EVERY ON
OF TIE THlRTY-oNE STATES uF THIS CoNFEDE
RACY. Tie fathers, in their wisdom left thl
subject, Ike every other Of zeal aud domesli
nature, TO the control of the local legislatures
or to the people They ecen did more than TN
10 take The control orer slarery ont Of congress
thea prouMedby an article in Ibis organic iai0 Q
The United States, that congress should not pro
hibtt the ,iaue hode by the States, for period Q
almost tlunly years thereafter. The constitution
and democratic principles would leave ii in IN
power and hands of those localities
This is the democratic doctrine with regard I
slavery In territories. This doctrine is embodle
in the measures known as the Kansas aud Ne
braska territorial bills. The principles of thos
bills are by us believed ID be the same upon ,hi
subjecr as the principles which led to the urma
zion and adoption OF the constitution of th
United States. The sagacty and patiohSm Q
The statesmen aoho jnauguroted the application 0
his principle 10 The question Of stacery in III
terrafsses re he .seis Important crisis in 'h'
country, wiH ioag be remembered NTH reneraf0
By their party, md w.h gratitude by The country
This is the substance of that part of the ad
dress relating to the great question now at issu
in the nation We ask especial attention to til
above extracts which VIC have put in italics
and most especially the passage in small capi
tails
1t is true that the cringing of part of til
Northern wing Of the Black Democracy, unde
the lead of Pierce, Douglas IL Co has bou h
1.-The confidence Of the shareholders. Aud tn
South now Iook to that party for the perpetual
ton and extension Of their peculiar loca inst
tuition. That the Constitution has any claus
which can by any strict construction, be mad
to protect or recognize S avery in any State.
as false as that tic principles claimed by tn
Black Democracy are Democratic. 1t is n
doubt true that the sapieut District judy
would heartily wish to engrafl the dccsio
of the U. 5 Supreme Court that the peopl
of any State have right to hold slaves, tina
it is base for any State to pass laws preventin
such crime, upon the code of the offce-holder
of this STATE But that strict construction {
the constitution, which he 50 largely pirate
about, authoriz' any such thing is false. II
may, however, wish the party Of this State
endorse this address, as it has already done, an
show its willingness to have Slavery here bu
the free peol lie of Republican Goyernmer
will spurn with contempt any such base instr
nations upon their manhood, philanthropy an
morality.
1t will be seen by the clause in the part whic
we have quoted relating to the Slave Trade, tina
this learned District Judge rejoiccs in the fac
that the General Government did not before pre-
hibit the traffic, and a small deviation from
strict construction of this address would sho
an implied willingness to have the trade agai
opened. ~fressnUconcern to the Judge whetht
Kanpas does or dues not have a slave Cor
stituion but he and the rest of the party car
not be blind to the fact that every means in IL
power of the General Government has bee
uscd--not to leave their institutions in til
hands of the people--but to make 1t a slaS
Stme The organs Of the party state that ever
Governor has been especially instructed to hal
rass the Free State men, and assist the Slave
holders. Is this Democracy Is this the in