Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-12
Virginia Again,

Virginia Again,
Virginia has new Governor. Gov. Wise
has retired, like as we have seen clown go cut
of the ring, in blaze OF crackers, Roman can
dies, squibs, scrpents, and fire works generally.
His exit was attended with all the pomp and
spectacle of glorious war, with the triaing ex-
ception of the fighting and there is no doubt
that there would have been fighting if there had
been anybody to fight. The fact was his enc
mics existed only in his Imagination, and the
Accomac Light Infantry had not quite SO dis
tinct vision of them as the oyster Governor.
But Gov. Wise lived-as Governor-long enough
to hang John Brown, which will be quite long
enough for his fame. lie also, in the evening
of lis official life, enjoyed an opportunity of
receiving, in jubilant spirit, two or three
hundred medical students who were possessed of
The insane idea that if they left Philadelphia,
the Quaker City would at once be brought on
its marrow bones, at the feet of the South =
though the City has thus far borne their alb
sence with astonishing fortitude, and the dead
in that vicinity have had much more quiet in
their graves. Henry A. Wise is now Elk. Gov
ernor, and John Letcher rules in his stead. Mr..
fletcher has s)hIe funny suggestions in his mes
sage, He advises the appointm ent of two
Commissioners, to visit Vermont, among other
States, and " insist upon the repeal by our
Legislature Of laws " obstrIciing the execu-
ton Of the Fugitive Slave Law. Now Gov.
Letcher ought to know, and doubtless does,
that any law Of Vermont in conflict with
Constitutional law of the United States, can not
stand when put to the test and the proper
place to test it is in the Courts. But the idea
of commission of two F. f. VS.. waiting upon
the Legislature of Vermont to influence the re-
peal of the obnoxious legislation, is certainly
one, that, for the fun Of the thing, we should
admire to see put in practice. In the matter of
manners such commission would get some USE
full hints. They would learn that in Vermont
man might speak his nina upon the subject
of Slavery, and not be in danger of a coat of
tar and feathers, or prison and the halter
And they would have no trouble in getting able
counsel to assist them, for there are Democratic
lawyers in Vermont who are ready to show any
amount Of zeal for Slavery, for consideration.
We hope the commission will be on the ground
next fall
Gov. Letcher also suggests convention of all
the States to inquire if this vexod question of
slavery cannot be settled upon some basis mu-
tually satisfactory to all parties. There is this
slight difficulty in the way of any good result
from such a convention, that the South will not
be satisfied with any arrangement or settlement
of the question, unless they Can have their own
way. There WAS one little settlement of this
question upon a basis mutually satisfactory,
several years ago, called the Missouri Cumpro'
mise, but the South with the aid of their SER
vile tools at the North, abrogated that, and now
Gov. Letcher wants another settlement. We
are under the painful necessity of informing
Gov. Letcher, that as far as Vermont is con-
eerned, the day of compromises is past. We
make no compaets with those who have shown
no honor and no faith in keeping their past Gov
enants. Vermont asks no right the Constitution
does not give her, and will yield none that ii
does give. She claims the right to show her
devotion to Liberty and her adherence of Slav.
cry, in every Constitutional way, and she will
do it.