Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-02-24


principles that the sovereignty of the people is
supreme, and may act in forming government
against an already existing government without
law; and that they the sole judges of the
form of government best calculated to promote
their own happiness. The result was, the two
governments were brought into the necessity of
deciding the contest by arms, must be the
case IN every instance Of the kind. The charter
government was sustained, and the Legislature
under 1.-THE only competent bOdy-cAIled a
convention, and constitution formed by 1t
which is now in operation.
A republican constitution, then, means sys-
tenn of fundamental rules, principles and Ordinan
ces, for the government of State or nation,
formed and adopted under legal restraints and
with legal sanction. This was the idea of our
fathers This is the idea embodied in the Fed
eral compact
Sir, this doctrine of the people acting in mass
upon primary organic sovereignty, is found prac-
tically exeInplified nowhere, on the face of this
globe, but in the single canton of Appenzel in
Switzerland, where, in the midst of the eternal
glaciers, all the males over twenty-One years
meet semi-annually to legiSlate, each with arms
in his handSi France, IN the widest, bloOdeSt
period of her revolution, had 1t; and it found its
iitteSt disqualification when its great prototype
and advocate Marat, proposed Dictator, with
a cannon ball chained to his leg, that he might
always be in the power Of the people; or, when
the infatuated mob gathered at the foot of the
guillOtine, and like human ghOnlS and vampires,
Tapped up the warm blood which Streained be-
meath the glrttering bladeI Our system was
expressly formed to guard against these dire re
suits. Shall we cOuntenance principle which
must inevitably leave it in ruins2 Shall we,
shall this Union, cOuntenance principle which
will plunge in all the eXceSseS of the widest
period of the French revolution?
On the adoption Of the Federal Constitution
by the States, their constitutions remained the
/ ! l.
only in the mode therein prescribed Sir, the
very principle of the Kansas and Nebraska bill
and the issue now presented To the country by
! the LecOmptnn constitution, was embodied IN
the case OF Vermont, before the Constitution of
the United States was formed, and under the
old Articles of Confederation. Vermont was
| the first State admitted into the Union. Her
present existence dates back TO the year 1871.
Ten years before, in June, 1871, the existing
! Legislature of Vermont proposed terms of union
to the American Congress. She was, at that
/ time, and for many years afterwards, involved
in contests with New Hampshire and New York
in regard to jurisdiction and boundaries Of land;
for then as HOIc, increased empire brought as it
always brings. multiplied peTplexitieS. Con-
greSs refused the proffer, without the consent Of
the coterminOus States, and assumed the prerO-
gative of legislating upon the rights of Vermont
and controlling her local government, without
! her consent On the 9th day OF January, 1883,
Governor Chittenden replies, on the part Of the
| Legislature, in of the most characteristic
State papers on record. As il is not generally
accessible, beg leave to append hereto ex-
tract from IT. and from the address of the Gen
eral Assembly of Vermont, in the form Of an APP
pendix, marked No. 2. In both of these docu-
ments the ground is taken that Congress cannot
exercise any other than delegated authority;
that they have right TO intefere in the inter
nal police government of any Territory or
State; that they have not the right tn make or
unmake States, within or without the Union
They avow that such power involves the whole
doctrine of Great Britain in regard to the Colo
mics; and they declare, when they are called up
on to abrogate the laws of Vermont, reverse the
solemn decisions Of her courts OF justice, and
overthrow the whole civil government, they
think themselves justified to God and the world
when they say they cannot comply with, such
acquisitions,
Sir, these bold words come down to US from
the most Northern State of this Union; from
the turmoilS and carnage of the Revolution TO
act as a talsrnan of safety in the very arena Of
fratricidal bitterness aud geographical strife. Ii
is well, therefore, to go back to the spirit and
sentiments of these pioneers ofthe Green Noun
tains, who in the midst of an American war
with Great britain, the dependency of Canada
on their northern border and huS, with the
strongest motives to make common cause
against the COnfederacy which formed her
southern lines, and with which then there was
, y
during valOr to m1in;ain untaiated the true re-
publican principle in the face Of almost rresiSt;-
BILE temptations. Honor, ali honor, sir, to such
he. oiSm wherever it may % found, and come
from what quarter it mayl Il has in it, the
soul of Ethan Allenl
Sir, considering the position of that State this
moment, so far as the policy advocated By her
on this floor maybe indicative of her sentiments,
point back to her earlier and better era with
peculiar exuitatiOn. The principle TO which she
adhered then, carried out by her nor, would
make her
As glorious the British Queen renowned,
Who sucked the poison from her hu band's EoundP'
Nix; MoRRILL. have no objection TO the
course of remark the gentleman Is pursuing; bu;
desire that he shall mark this great diiferen,
between Vermont and Kansas; that Vermont
was never colony of Great Britain, nor was
she ever Territory of this Union
Nix CLEMENS Vermont belonged II the ex
isting colonies Of New Hampshire and New
York. What is the record? The record Is.
that this claim, set up by the people of vermont
was never acknowledged by the Government,
and she came into the Union only with the con
sent Of New Hampshire and New York am
glad the gentleman has made the interruption.