Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-02-25

oIed person into Oregon and claim him as a
slave if this constitution is sanctioned by
our votes and made the ,rganc law OF Ore
gon, there is no way given among men by
which he could invoke her courts to give hun
his freedom. It is reserved for this so-called
free State to invent method more subtitle
and efIectual for mantning slavery in her
own borders than was ever devised south of
Mason and Dixon line Thuslt is that the
most efficient instrumentalities for carrying
out the great work of the slave propaganda
are furnished by the north, and in the name
of freedom. This is the falls, and hollow
hearted prctence that Oregon is IL free State.
Passing from this topic to the clause of the
Oregon Constitution which is specially in re-
ference to Cinnamon, while it permits ono
class of Cinnamon to reside within that
State, with all the personal rights and privi-
lges as citizens, it dsables another class, still
permitting it however to reside there and
thus it builds up two classes of foreign men
in that community; one with personal rights
and privileges as citizens, and another DIS
abled, with no rights to hold real estate or
to exercise any of the great immunitics OF ci-
tizens one class of Cinnamon mere serls,
and the other clothed with all personal
rights Now, there is - clause in orr treaty
vita China pr NidinI AL ,au L"4-. 't'ir'
and China shall he iJraycr It pace with each
Other, and with all the citizens thereof,
''rUhoW ercept,on 10 persons or p 'dcts; and
how asked Mr. Dawes, does that clause COIN
port with the provision of the Oregon Consti-
tuition to which reference has been made.
He would like to know, if there was such II
provision existing between us and Great
Britain, and we should make an invidious
distinction between different classes of her
subjects, disabling upon the same soil some
of them, and granting to others the personal
rights of the citizen, whether we should not
be called to account for it? 1t is an inirac-
ton of treaty stpulations, which are the
Supreme law of the land.
And finally, Mr.. Dawes alluded to that
clause Of the Oregon constitution which pro-
vid that 1.-THE legislative VS. n''v s'rll
have power to rcstrai1 and r'..t'l8'e tha in
migration to this State OF persons mt quail
fed to become citizens OF the United States.
Under this the African slave trade can be
re-opened That is now prevented only by a
law of Congress This provision grants luil
authority to bring blacks from Africa, and
to prescribe the terms upon which 1T may be
done. There it no way that any African so
brought, could, by the aid of the courts OF
Oregon, release himself from bondage. And
If this authority be given by vote OF Con
gress, no penalty can be visited upon the
heads of those who participate in the traffic
between Oregon and Africa.
In conclusion, said Mr. Davis -
This sir, is not only not republican
constitution but it is not free constitution.
1t is departure from all our ideas OF a re
publican constitution. 1t makes odious dis
tinctions among classes of men /; among indi-
viduals of the same class. 1t ruthlessly
tramples the rights of the citizen IN the dust.
It arrogates to itself prerogatives that caii-
not be exercised in common by all the States.
1t trenches on the guarantees Of the Consti-
tuition of the United States. Sworn to sup
port that Constitution, | cannot sanction
this l cannot be driven from my opposi-
tion because there are other provisions Of
this constitution which inclines some in call
ing it free State; or because, if remand
it back to the territorial government, under
the Dred Scott decision, slavery exists there
I demand something more than Free State
in name. ! want the reality. If slavery
exists in Oregon while Territory, it is be-
cause the people want it; and if they want
it, they will make it slave State. in name
as well as in fact, within n twelve-month, il
admitted.
"These are some of the reasons why can
not vote for this bill. speak for no mar
here but my self, and for no constituency
but my own. | think know their senti
ments and should l vote for this bill,
should expect to be burned in efigy at every
cross-road in my district do not intenc
to disappoint, in this respect, the just cxpec
tation OF those who sent me here. ~