Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-11-25

SLAVERY, THE DRIED SCOTT DECISION
AND rnE
Action Of the National Government thereon.
SH5mitted 10 the House Nov. Is, 1858.
To The House Of Representatives nOw in session ::
! The Select Committee to whom was referred
50 much of the Governors Message as relates to
| Slavery, the Decision of the Supreme Court of
/ tic United States IN the case OF bred Scott and
the action OF the National Government thereon :;
also, the petition of William Slade, James NJ.
Slade and one hundred and ity-eight others !;
of Solomon Foot. George I. Hodges, William
Z. klttredge, Alanson Allen, Luther Daniels,
Charles l.. Williams and others the memorial
OF Ryland Fletcher, Joseph Freeman, Warren
Skinner, Clark Ii. Chapman, Redfeld Proctor
and Others of Rowland I. Robinson, r. w.
Freeman and two hundred and hfty-one others !;
and of William r. Shafter and Others the pc
tition of Il. 7. Walton, Lawrence Brainerd,
Ferrand +. Merrill, William Ii. Lord, II. p.
Gushing, Eli Ballou, Joseph Poland, George
w. Collalner, S. S. Boyce and one hundred
Others of Nathan 7. Sprague, Ira Button,
Daniel Harrington and others; of John L.
Marsh and Frederick Button of Ii. Hastings,
j. Clahin and four hundred and tifty-eight
others; of Martin Wiers, Calvin Joslyn, N.
Fisher, 5. NJ. Seaver and of more than three
thousand others, petitioners, being citizens from
all classes, professions and pursuits. and resid-
ing III all parts of the State-praying for legis-
Law, and for the enactment of Laws securing
Eroa1nn, 10 oil
protecting its citizens against the aggressons of
Slavery, and the encroachments Of the Federal
Government in all its departments; having,
under deep sense of the obligations imposed
on them by this reference, taken the same under
serious and careful consideration, respectfully
report
That, at no period since the adoption of the
Constitution and the formation of the Ameri-
can Union, has there been time which, in the
opinion of your Committee, was so fraught
with peril to that Constitution and Union as
the present. Principles have been advanced
and doctrines avowed and acted upon by the
Chief Executive of this nation, endorsed by a
party majority in Congress- and promulgated
from the bench of the Supreme Court of the
United States, which if practically enforced
would subvert the Sovereignty Of the States OF
this Union. If practically enforced, they
would destroy those cherished State Rights held
50 sacred by the Fathers of the Republic, by
the National judiciary and by the whole De-
mOcracy OF the country, from Thomas Jeffer.
son and Chief Justice Marshall down to the ad-
vent of some Of the recent Administrations Of
this Government
If these doctrines be enforced as constitution.
al law, then are the lives, the liberty, and the
property of the citizens of this State without
protection. Citizens Of Vermont and of the
Free States can be reduced to Slavery with i'm.
nunity, their persons imprisoned and theil
property destroyed without remedy. That bono
OF Union called the Constitution of the United
States, instead of " establishing justice, pro
noting the general welfare, or securing thu
blessings OF liberty" is made instrumental il
the destruction of all these Instead of cher
ishing and protecting the civil and politca
rights OF the citizen and of the States, this Con
stltution Is used by its expounders and admins
traitors, as an instrument to subvert and ami
hilate these rights. If this condition of thing
Is to continue, no free State could exist.
would be an anomaly, a contradiction of terms
an utter impossibility for Freedom and SLAYER,
to exist and flourish together at the same time
|
inevitable doom. No free community or fire.
man would submit to remain as a partner O
member OF a union where his dearest and mos
cherished rights were cloven down and dies
troyed
For the correctness of these positions, you
Committee would present to the House fe,
prominent considerations
In the first place they would state that Yer
mont and all Abe Free States are excluded
these doctrines prevail from all the Terrltorie
OF the United States, unless consenting to settl
in communities where Slavery is protected b
law-thus reducing Free Labor to competitio
and level with Slave Labor, and the freemen
the North to the abject condition of the nor
Shareholder of the South The Territories hay
no right to prohibit Slavery or legislate againi
it.
Your Committee cannot overlook the fat
that the great merit claimed for the Kansa
Nebraska Act by its originators, was that
inagurated the democratic principle of L" popl
lar sovereignty. A new era had dawned i
the history of legislation on this subject an
the people of a Territory were LEFT FREE
} form and regulate their domestic institutions
, THEIR OWN Way through all coming time
( The vexed question about excluding SLAYER
from the Territories was forever settled an
never again to be disturbed The people, g tt
: sovereigns,' had the right to admit or exclu(
it as they pleased to determine 1t is believe
that the dominant party and its leaders, durn
the last presidential election, maintained tn
} doctrine throughout the Free States, and til;
the elections in some of these States were ser
, ousy affected, if not determined by the populi
belief in relation to it. That the election
:, the Chief Magistrate Of the nation was own
, to this fact is not at all improbable.
Now, the President and the Supreme Cou
q, declare " that Slavery exists in Kansas ar
in all the Territories, under the Constitute
: OF the United States, and that the people of
~ Territory, or Congress even, have no right,
y legislation, to exclude it. But it is a agni
cant fact that Congressional legislation is no
demanded, by the Slave-Power, and by the o
gans Of the Administration, to secure the sav
@ holder IN the Territories, in the free use al
G enjoyment Of slave property. Thus is Slave
soil dedicated to Freedom by all law, huma
= and Divine.
= But this doctrine, that Slavery exists and
u protected in the Territories, proceeds upon t
!. ground that Slaves are property, and recogniz
as such by the Constitution of the Unit
States II this position be true, then, certai
ly, the stakeholder, as a citizen of the Unit
G States, is invested with the right to take al
!. enjoy that property wherever the jurisdiction
the Federal Government extends. In 9th
+ words, the Constitution of the United Stat
y recognizes and protects the right of property
II human beings and carries this protection VIII,
ever it's authority extends. He is protected
the right on beard Of national vessels on t
high seas, and wherever the national flag carr
Is the national property. Wherever Federal |,
or Federal power prevail, he is protected in
right, whether on the land or the sea, whetl
in the Territories or the States. Wherever
" Federal Government own foot of land. "a f
70 tifcation or public building all island, HI
" Dor, or a break-water, whether IN or out
A.. o., tho,.a AZ. Sl..,:. j