Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1857-01-09
Political.
rREsIpENrs MEssAaE.
SPEECH OF HON. JACOB coLLAMER

] now WISH 10 snow Some reasons ufiV Nut
! prohibition was enacted by the representatives
of all the people Of the United States-of the
whole country, North and South. These
measures for the exclusion Of slavery were
adopted without division of opinion. ! ao-
/ knowledge that there was a controversy as 20
the admission Of Missouri but that contro-
yersy did not relate to this question Of power,
/ for the very act which admitted Missouri ex-
ercised this power Of inhibition as to the Ter
/ ritories.
/ Mr.. BRoDHEAD Before the learned Sena-
tor leaves this branch of his argumont--the
/ question of power. which he has discussed
| with so much ability should like to ask
him whether Congress has the power to es-
tablish slavery;
Mr.. CoAAMER When come to that top
ic will discuss it whenever amy qucs-
tion arises in the Senate that requires it, and
I | think can add any new light to il, | viii
try TO do So / supposed. however, that it was
now in the South very generally conceded that
this government, in the exercise of sovereign
ty over the Territories, has almost any power
except that Of making liberty.
wish now to show some reasons why this
people, who began this experiment, all of
them then holding slaves, in the very adop-
ton of the Constitution, in the first exercise
Of power under it. prohibited slavery. Ny
position is that they did it because, in the
first place. they believed that the institution
was one which ought to end and. in the next
place. because they believed that in those pla-
ces where il did not end. the effect of it was
such as TO weaken the country at large. and
was inconsistent with the great principles Of
civil liberty for which our fathers contonded,
and which constituted the great idea of our
Government That idea was this that mas
much as in popular Government the people
must have the right of suffrage. it follows as
a matter Of course i'm order 90 be safe in that
right the people must be made Intelligent
To the exercise of the elective franchise, cdu-
cation, intelligence. and personal independ-
ence are inscparable corrclatives and if any
system of government, or any character of So
cial institutions be adopted which will not
produce this result. or which will be in its
tendencies untricndly to it, that system is in
compatible with the great experiment.
ought here to remark that | have nothing
TO say, and on an occasion like this, in rela-
ton 20 the morality of slavery, its ethics, its
matter of Justice between the master and
slave. its pretended sacredness. divine author
ity. or sanctions in Christianity. These are
all topics suitable to other occasions. | have
nothing TO say about them here. I have no re-
proaches to cast on the master. | have no
desire to do any such thing. am treating
the subject entirely as political subject Il
was perfectly Understood by fethoro. who
had tried IT, that where the Institution was
not abolished by the States themselves, it
would in its tendencies. produce a condition
Of society which did not comport with the
great purposes, objects, and views, and what
was necessarily implied in popular govern
ment It's necessary effect it was seen, would
be to elevate a limited number, and depress
the mass of the white population. The expo
riment in the cause nf humanity which had
been entered upon in this government was
for the white race-not merely the Anglo
Saxon but the Caucasian race-the whole
white race 1t was that they should conduct
their labor with high intelligence. that they
should be improved and elevated, and become
people better fed. better clothed, better hous-
ed. better governed. of higher intelligence,
than any other people under heaven" pc
culiar people Jealous Of good works" A
great manifestation of " the dignity of labor 8"
Their idea was. further, that this institu-
tion Of slavery would not comport with that
purpose, but would produce a different condi-
ton Of society. Now, in speaking of their
views. and of whether those views have been
realized, in fact and in practice, since their
days, shall use the authority of no one who
is not from the slave States. ] shall use no
terms but those which arc derived from the
people living in the midst of the institution
After this experiment was begun. seven out
Of the thirteen States abolished slavery; the
others retained it, and we must, of course, go
to them to see what has been the political and
social effect of chershing and retaining it
| am saying nothing of its virtue and morali-
ty or whether il tends TO improve and ele-
vate the moral condition of society. or wheth-
er it makes the slave better or poorer than he
was at home in Africa. That is not the top
ic. wish to call attention TO its effect on the
free white population Of the country.
| am willing TO concede that whore an in
stituton in the character of an aristocracy
exists. and where labor and all mcnial sorvi-
ces are performed by Others for a particular
set of men, it leaves to those mon wealth and
opportunity, if you please for high cultiva-
tion--for high order Of intellectual exist
ence. Nor should we at all wonder that men
who have thus felt its beneficial influences to
themselves personally should have a desire to
cherish and sustain it, But, sir our principle
is, " the greatest good to the greatest number. -
What on the whole is its effect on the mass
the majority of the free white population -
/ And further, what effect does il produce as to
making the country which cntertains it pros
/ porous, successful, strong, able to contribute
its full proportion, with the rest of the com
munity, in sustaining the national indopend-
ence and national prosperity
Sir, viii read some views upon that sub
1 iect prefer to read from the expressions
Of those familiar with the question; and first
/ | will quote the views which General Wash
/ ington entertained. lie says in a letter to
! Robert Morris, which is quoted by Sparks
81 can only sag, thero Is q man huiag pho osAes
more sincerely than do 10 plan adopted for the
abolition Of a. (siqu0g) but there is only proper
and eectal mode in which it be accomplished, and
that is by legislative authority and this far my
/ suffrage will go, shall never be wanting"
Again, in letter to Sir John Sinclair, OF
Scotland, who was proposing to make invest
ments in lands in this country, speaking OF
this institution, he says
There are in Pennsylvania laws for the gradual abo-
ton Of slavery, which neither Virginia nor Maryland
have at preson but which nothing certain than
they must haze, and a, period not remote"
We all know the views Of Mr.. Jefiersou.--
In forming the Declaration of Independence
he was dcsirous TO put into il clause that