Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-12-13

tSCSi:{p Us Tn Hn6t powerful natl2H on 'hl l'o0
az tho ,lrth, In every foreign rtGien q tAe
r!o,1. tie tits Il M 5ic9n cItzen- Is ned in
Ahu highest rtrl04r, and when trnhJ"hcoo IN
sa,ia5l Land It causes D." hearts oF eur county,
.,,et &, swell with honge. pride. Surely, wheh
Nv, rraeh the brink Of tho ya"Elng @oyss, we
.a.,nI ~.cil with horror from the lass fatal
g3,,r@e i}y euch drend catastrol he tho hopes
1sac ,!,3 friends of freedom throughout tbs world
,.g.,.3 j,a dce:royea. anda long niGh5 Of Maden
.,t,2,,,siy,l w0aid cnehv0ud the nations. Oar
.,ra:,nI, for inor3 chan eighty years would mos
.,y,f, h. lo,t, but it would b. quoted as CON
,.l,,4yf rrq?f that man is unfit for self govern
sssaGs,
Etisno; tylry wre1E nay, il Is nos every
.,rsvta,,s wYyng--whlch can justify a resort to
.st.,, = farfol alternative. Ilia ought to be
il.o saS. desperate remedy Of a dcspalring pee
,nic, ne, every other constitutional means at
r,n,: !iatien lad baen exhausted, We SLi"uid
reflect ;Lat under this free government there le
80 iaeasgant eh5 and low in public opinion
Ebe4.avlrv question, Ike everything human,
,a;jl have It's dav. | firmly believe that it has
.sa7c1dy yeachgd and passed the eliminating
po:n.. But it, in The midst Of the existing tx
f;te.loat the Union ghall perish, the evil may
slf2:l !. c1r.c irieTaysblc. Congress GIN con
sssiji.e much to avert it by proposing and rec
-ose,oalias to the Lesislacarcs Of th- several
.a:la ;es the remedy Tor existing evils, which the
constitution has i,faf provided for lie own pres
.ts4-tia.. THIS hiss been tried at different crti
~ .#fi.ds Of our history, And always with en-
,7.r:g surcc... II is Ia he found in the fifty ar
.i.sc yro;4hE ioI il Owu amendment
s,nicr his article amendments have been
-,.y,y js. 4 j.. tWo-lH7&a OF both houses Of Con-
r~as4. and have !jo.n "r4tifcd by the Lsgjsa-
s,.v.e q taItC.l0urtAs Of the several STAGES,
.aat lave .u.eJuoally BECOME parts Of the con-
4as:.,ia7 70 this process the country is in
,,p:. ~ 70. toe clause prIhi5iung Congress irom
s..z M any law respecting an established reli
@tan " aliidgrs tho freedom Qt speC3h or Of
A., !re.., or of the rghtol PETITION. 10 chic,
~ y. SIS Indebted for the Blll Of Rights,
,mi.;.A secures the people pgainst Any abuse OF
.ewec ~ tbs federal government. Sch we're
~ arrr.hrgious iUety entertained by the
4s.9s4 u Stlto night. a; that period as to havc
,7en3a7ed j. extremely dou' ltul whether the
,1g1st,;uton could hAyo long survived without
41,9.. amendments.
Again, the Consultation Was amended by tho
43p5 u-octs> Utter tho election Of President JEFF
.tee2a by the House Of Representatives., in Feb
.pagy, 1903 This amendment was rendered
pwi.i-h hid 8priYusly threatened the existence Of
4ha Government during the tendency OF that
a&e-Ei0n. Tic article iYr its cwn amendment
&ac intended to secure the amicabl9 adjustment
~ conflicting constitutional questions like the
ajs7s.,.t, While. might aricc between the govern
a.cpts of tue States and that Of the United
Sta!2e' This appearB trom contemporary HIS
ffecg In thi3 connection, shall merely call
.ttcation to few sentences in Mr.. Madison &
iuHtiT celebrated report, in 1893, to the Legis-
lstu-e Of Virginia. In this he ably and conelu-
sivc5y defended the resolutions Of the preceding
Legislature against the etEictures Of sovara
-etG.G State Legislatures.
Tbcs3 were mainly founded upon tbs protos
~ tho Virginia Legislature against the d" Allor
and Sodition acts, al palpahle and alarming
,infr,yctlogs OF the Constitution " in pon,iul
.r,s tie peaceful and Constitutional remedies
tgn1 he referred 10 none Uther-t6 which thu
s5tsias were authorized to resort on such 0cca
ls5ons, he concludes by saying that tho LegiS
iatu:G Of the States might have made direc
representation to Congress with view to ob
tsain 1, resembling Of the two Offensive acts, o.
4hey might have represented to their rcspeuty,
-Seaat3rs IN Congress their wish that two thirds
.'hes laf wonld propose an explanatory amend
a1caa 81 tie CUnetitution, or two-thiris Of
tkyBI.,lyca, If such had been their option
eight, by IA application to Congress, have OBJ
,I2lu3d orl3n!ion fer the s4m9 obice:.
fThis Is tic y:sy coutes which earnestly rec
epanl2pl il CIDER to obtain an explanttor,
-@oniEsot" Of the Constitution on the sub
:ect x slavery. This might originate with Con
,daan1d most lyisAhle to attain the object.
,r,; u,
I'd 10 the fnQl settlement Of the true cons.ruc
Aien Ct tie constitution on three special points
4. An express recognition Of the right O
YrGg ,rty in slaves in the State where j: nov
sxists or may hereafter exist.
g. The duty Of protecting this right in III
-4he c2ynmon Territories throughout their terri
,A9si2l existence, and until they shall BIS adm,
80 &c States into the Union, with or withou
slavery.
:. A like recognition Of the right of tn
-saaeser to have his slave, who has escaped frol
,1,ne State into another, restored and q dcliveru
aap'' 70 him, and Of the validity Of the Fugitiv
Slave Law enacted for this purpose, togethC
With declaration that all State laws impairu
CT defeating this right are violations Of tt
d3enstitutior, and arc consequently null al
weld.
At may be objected that this construction
.4so constitution has aIreldy been settled by ii
Supreme Court of the United States, and VIII
mere ought to bo required? The answer i
4bat very large proportion of the people
she United States still contest the correctness
tbis decision, an | never will cease from agit
son and admit its binding force until clear
established by the people OF the several Stat
~ tner sovereign character. Such an explain
iozy amendment would, it, believed, torsv
Aerianate the existing dissrnsions, and rcstC
reacG and harmony among the StarS.
1t ought not to be douhted that such an q
,gel' to thoarhitramont established by the CO
.atitutiUn itself won ID be received with favor
~ tbs 6tate6o Of the conf,d9racy. In any eve
80 ~ sat to b. tried in II spirit OF c0l'cli!tI
-3,efor5 any of thosa Stats shall separate the