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

well knows il. Sir, know that from the
stringent summary provisions Of this bill, free
men have been kidnapped and carried into
captivity and sold into everlasting slavery.
Will any man who has a regard for the sove-
reign rights Of the State rise here and com
plain that a State shall not make a law TO pro-
tect her own people against kidnapping and
violent seizures from abroad OF all men,
believe those who have made most Of these
complaints should be the last to rise and de-
ny the power Of a sovereign State to protect
her own citizens against any Federal lcgisla-
ton whatever. These liberty bills, in my
judgment, have been passed, not with view
Of degrading the South, but with an honest
purpose of guarding the rights Of their own
citizens from unlawful seizures and abduc-
tons / was exceedingly glad to hear that
the Senators on the other side had arisen in
their place and had said that the repeal Of
those laws would not relieve the case from
the difficulties under which they now labor.
How is it with the execution of your fugi-
tive bin Sir. have heard il here. have
read IL in the papers ! have met IL every
where, that the people Of the free States. and
especially the great Republican party, wcrc
uniaithful on this subject, and did not prop
erly execute this law. II has been said, with
such a tone and under such circumstances
here, that, although was sure that in the State
from which ! come, these insinuations bad
no foundation in truth, could not rise here
and rcpol them in the face of those that say,
we viii not believe single word You say.
! never. did. and never would, until our enc
cmies those who have ever opposed as and
who have ccnsurcd us upon this subject, had
arisen here in their places, and at length,
with a magnanimity that | commend, have
said that this was not So My colleague,
with a magnanimity for which give him my
thanks, has stood forth here To testify that in
the State which | in part represent, the Re-
publican courts and the Republican jures
have fulfilled this rcpulsive duty with perfect
iathtulncss. So said the Senator from HE
nois, Mr.. Douglas y and If I understood
him, so also said the Senator from Indiana,
Mr. Fitch) Therefore. sir this calumny
upon us is removed SO far as the statement Of
our political enemies can mako the avermcut
good. I know that our courts, when case
is brought before them--I do not care what
their politics may be--leel bound to admins
ter the law just as they find it: and let me
say 10 gentlemen from the South upon the
other side whore You have lost ono slave
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''I'"' vi some una" VINO is 'r'''I,ne 'or 'leI''
XII ~ 'o' business J." our i'9. '1' '.u ''
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nav security III taVcuuS IN heiily one
hall OF the Union, aud especially the gulf
States Of this Coniederacy. care not what
a mans character may be he may be perfect
Iy innocent of every charge he may be man
who never has violated any law under heav-
en- and yet if be goes down into those States,
and it ascertained that he is from the North,
and especially if he differs from them in the
exercise of his political rights, ifho has voted
for Lincoln instead of for somebody else, it is
a mortal otiense, punishable by indignity 10y
tar and feathers, by stripes and even by death;
and yet YOU whose constituents are guilty of
all these things can stand forth and accuse us
of being uniaithful 20 the Constitution of the
United States Gentlemen had better look
at home.
Gentlemen it will be very well for us all
to take Wow of all the phases of this contro-
versy before we come to such conclusions as
seem to have been arrived at in some quar-
ters | make the assertion here that do not
believe, in the history of the world, there ev-
er was nation or people where law re-
pugnaut to the general feeling was ever exc
ruted with the same laithiulness as has been
our most savage and atrocious fugitive bill
in the North. You yourselves can scarcely
point out any case that has come before any
northern tubnnal in which the lazy has Uct
|'y" on'o,o'u 70 ."c ''Il '1"g'' 10" o"5"'
W N"U" '"'S' i'''S' anu 20" 40 N"o" '"'"''
%" al ""'W 'na' "ue" law Is pass" any
W. ~ "'liu '"y P1oP'o' ""o 'eo'' III S'"-
S'''n'e' .. 'o' "ny o'ner re'Son' opposed 10
us eNecu'.o"' II Is not III human nature 10 en-
'o'0u WIN 'no SAINT 0e' '''"Cy "S Id" 'u''
nee,s win 'no aPProoa'oh vi tue great mass
" 1up .,''1'n9' h,o'! I1'9nol ''''n unpel,
s''noS '"'S, anu every eSuueu ma" wa! aunt
w. inolo'oio !" 'nS' 10 no' '.oio"''!
ou III pu' una III 'ue 0Ne