Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-11-11
No Slavery in Vermont!

EDITOR FREEMAN Though 1t is difficult Tor
Inc to write, and still more difficult for you to
print what | have written, yet such is my anxi
ETY. that the attention of the people should be
called to certain questions growing out Of the
fugitive slave clause in the Constitution, that
venture to send you communication on the
subject. 1t cannot be expected that these ques-
tions can be fully discussed in short article,
nor is it my intention to attempt it. | wish
merely to call public attention to them in the
hope that if there is anything in them they vii
receive the attention of some who are more
able to do them justice than myself.
The question now propose is, whether a fu
gitive slave, living in II Free State, may net &C
quire rights wholly inconsistent with the claims
Of the master-rights that may not only release
the State where he resides from their obligation
to deliver him up, but make it the duty of such
State to defend him
In order to be clearly understood l will state
IL case A fugitive from the State of Virginia
comes into Vermont to reside. and lives num-
Der of years, During the time, he marrys
wife, and has two children born to him. By
the Laws of Vermont this marriage is perfectly
valid, and the children Legitimate, The hus-
band is bound to perform all the duties enioined
by the marriage covenant, and entitled to all
the rights growing out of the relations of hus-
band and wife, and parent and child. They
cannot be taken from him, and 80 long as he
obeys the laws he cannot be forcbly separated
from them.
BY the Laws of Virginia this marriage is
perfectly void, and these children bastards-
The Slave lays himself under no obligation to
perform the duties cnjoined by the marriage
covenant, and acquires no right to the woman
and her children. They may be taken from
him, or he forcibly separated from them at the
VII Of the master.
Now by the laws of which of these States
shall this case be governed? If by the Laws
OF Vermont, he cannot be separated from his
family, and of course cannot be surrendered up.
If by the Laws of Virginia the marriage is
vod-he therefore has no wife or children, am
can be surrendered up. The marriage contract
was contaminated in Vermont, the parties live
in Vermont, and the trial is to be had in YER
mont and to me 1t is very clear that the laws
OF Vermont must control the Court in deciding
the case. If 50, then this State so far from
being bound to surrender this fugitive, is
under the most solemn obligation to protect him
in all the rights that pertain to the husband
and father. | cannot believe the trainers Of
the National Constitution ever intended to force
The laws OF foreign State into this, and make
them override and annul the laws and regula-
tiohs We have established to regulate those pri-
vatc relations that lie at the foundation of all
Christian society. We have domestic nstitu.
trons as well as the slave States, and to suppose
the laws governing their domestic institution
of Slavery should be permitted to break up oul
domestic institution of marriage within oul
own limits, is absolutely prepostrous. ltwoult
reduce us to the condition of colony of thu
slave States, and the fugitive slave clause shonl'
receive no such construction. We have endured
the evils of colonial vassalage about lon,
enough. Our Mother country, the Slave hold
ers, do not govern us with the liberality tina
Great Britain governs her Canadian Province
and it is about time We began to do few
things in our own way in our own State W
ought to at least 60 SO far in the exercise of GU
Constitutional rights as to defend our right a
a State. | am fully aware of the restraining
clause in the article requiring the rendition q
fugitivcs from labor, and will give you my con
struction of it in another communication.
' The General Government have enforced tn
Fugitive Slave Act without any regard to tn
laws, institutions. or moral sentiment of tn
People of the Free States. They have not chi
separated the father from his family, bu
"plucked the nipple from the homeless gum
of the infant while smiling in its mothers face
and sent that mother into Slavery. This, t
me, furnishes good reason why the renditio
of the fugitive was by the Constitution reserve
: to the States. 1t was presumed by the framei
. of that instrument that they would take goo
care that their own laws md institutions wei
not violated. ). ). u.
" Jericho. Nov. 9th, 1858.
-a.e.b--. ------
y Mr.. Washington Reyes, of So. Reading, ha
this wear raised pumpkin weighing AZ 10 lbs