Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-12-28

in late in the day to accuse us of harboring
these opinions
ask, then, what doctrines do we hold of
which you can rightfully complain You
have pointed out none. You do not complain
Of the execution Of the fugitive slave bill ;
you do not complain Of the liberty bills; YOU
do not complain that Mr.. Lincoln is a violent
man, who will probably do you any injury.
The Senator from Georgia told us that he had
do apprchensions that Mr.. Lincoln in his adj
ministration, would do any act in violation Of
your rights, or in vialaton of the Constitu-
ton of the United States
Mr. lvERsoN, Will the Senator allow me
to ask him when | said that,
Mr. WADE. do not quote the Senators
words, but ] believe have them here.
Mr.. lvERsoN. Tho Senator is mistaken.
! made no such remark.
Mr. WADE, Then ! would thank the SEN
ator to repeat what his remark was ON that
point, for ! understood him as ! have stated.
Mr. IvERsoN / refer the Senator TO the
record of my speech
Mr. WADE. think it is there ] under
stood the Senator TO say expressly what
have stated will look mp the sentence
that he had not any apprehension that Mr..
Lincoln would do anything ia violation of the
Constitution of the United Statos but the
Senator's grievance, as l understood it. was
that hostile chief magistrate might. within
the power of the Constitution. so administer
the government ms to do away with slavery
in ten years That is what ! understood him
to say
Mr. lyEHsoN. I did say, in substance.
that the Republican party having the power
Of BIO 81 o.. b
olation of the Constitution, might so OPP
crate upon the Institution Of slavery as TO
affect it, and probably distinguish IT,; but I
did not say that | did not apprchend from Mr..
Lincoln any violation of the Constitution of
the United States. do apprchend that he
will violate the Constitution whenever he can
with mponity, wherever ho can affect the in
stitution of slavery by such violation.
Mr.. WADE. It is of no great consequence
what the Senator said on that subject | will
only say that from Mr.. Lncons character
and conduct, from his youth up. you have no
right To- draw any inference that he will tres
pass upon the rights Of any man and if you
harbor any such suspi ion, it is in conse-
qnonce of an unwarranted prejudice, and
nothing else.
Now, sir, l should like to have the Sena-
tors on the other side tell me whenever a Re-
publican has violated, or proposed to violate,
a right of theirs | have listened TO your ar
guments here for about week They are all
in very general terms. They are very loose
ly drawn indictments and / do not know
where 90 meet on at all Is there anything
IN oar platform detrimental o. your rights,
unigs in modern times YOU a.tc sot mp
construction off the constitution of the United
States differing from ours we following the
old beaten track of every department of the
government for moro than seventy years, and
you. switching off. az it were, upon another
track and setting up yours as orthodox
that's ALL Laughter. You say that we
must follow you We choose TO follow the
old landmarks. This is the complaint against
u.s.
Mr.. Powell. The Senator from Ohio will
allow me, lie seems to assert that we have
made no specific charge against any Republic
can. Why, sir. in the very few remarks which
/ made in the running debate few days ago
/ called the Senators attention to the act Of
present Governor Dennison, of Ohio, who re-
fused TO deliver up fugitive from Justice
from the state of Kentucky. charged with the
offence Of negro stealing, ] wish TO know
from the Senator. whether or not be justihes
or approves of the action of Governor Denni-
son in that case; This is a specific and di-
rect charge upon the record | have the rec
ord before me. ! have the opinion of the at
torney general and governor of Ohio scttng
forth distinctly that they refused to deliver
that fugitive from Justice because b was not
charged with an oiense chat was "a crime uu-
under the laws Of Ohio or the common law.
wish to know distinctly from tha Senator
whether he iustihos hj- governor in that act;
Mr.. WADE. The Senator has asked me a
question that is little difficult; it is sub
ject on which lawyers and Judges may differ.
IL is question which ! have investigated a
little since it was up incidentally before me.
! know that the practice of the different states
has been variant upon it but Mr.. Stanberry,
now a citizen of the Senator's own state, and.
! believe, one of the first lawyers in it, CAV"
.. .r,-..-.. i...o,evly IKE tuat of Mr.. Dennt-
son, upon which the present attorney general
of Ohio founded his and he says he got it
from decision in Kentucky upon the same
subject. do not know how that is have
not resorted to all these old records but
believe from all | know, that he was follow
ing the presidents set by your own COVER
nors but whether he has or not there has
always been a difficulty upon that subject
know very well that when states have created
crimes of acts which are not malta IN Sc, when
they have imposed laws barely prohibitory of
some act which is not deemed immoral, many
of the states have refused to surrender fugi-
tlves under such circumstances; and | am far
from saying they are not right. However, it
is a question of law about which leave legal
gentlemen to their own opinion. Certainly,
you can draw no inference against the COVER
nor Of Ohio for following precedents that had
been set, if | am rightly informed, by your
own governor, and especially when one Of the
most conservative men that know, now a
resident Of your own State, and ono of the
best lawyers, | presume, either in that state.
or Ohio, laid down the rule as precedent
on which governor Dennison went All this
is entirely aside from the issue it is ques-
tion affecting the return oflugitives from JUS
tice, OF which heard no complaint until the
other day.
Mr.. POWELL. The Senator will allow me
to say that | do not think he has answered
my question. | wish to know whether the
Senator justifos aud approves of the act of
his governor So far the precedent of the
governor Of Kentucky is concerned, should
be obliged to the Senatorif he would produce
it; but no not believe that any precedent
exists | wish the gentleman to say directly
whether he approves Of the act of his COVER
nor in this case.