The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-05-17

COIUliGS DN tIiC NotlGA NO'htAy Ill wiz
out of the thirteen states negro slavery exist
ed. and the right of property in slaves wa.
protected by law. This property was recog
rized i'll the constitution, and provision was
made against its loss by the escape of the
slave. The increase in the number o.
slaves by the further importation from Africa
was also secured by ii clause forbldding Con
gresS to prohibit the slave trade anterior to a
certain date and in no clause can there be
found any delegation Of power to the Con-
sress authorizing it in any manner to legis-
late to the prejudice, detriment or dlscour-
aeemeLt Of the owners of that species OF
property, or excluding it from the protection
Of the government.
The climate and soil ofthe Northren states
soon proved unpropltlous to the continuance
of slave labor, whilst the converse was the
case at the South. Under the unrestricted
free intercourse between the two sections, the
Northern states consulted their own interest
by selling their slaves to the South, and pro-
hibiting slavery within their limits. The
South were willing purchasers of a property
suitable to their wants. and paid the price OF
the acquisition without harboring a suspicion
that them quiet possession was to be disturb
ed by those who were inhibited, not only by
want of constitutional authority, but by good
faith as ,enders, from disquietlng a title en-
anating from themselves.
As soon, however, as the Northern states
that prohibited African slavery within their
limits had reached number sufficient to give
their representation controlling voice in the
on.ress, 4 persistent and organized system
Of hostile measures against the rights Of the
owncrs of slaves in TIE Southern states was
inaugurat,d and gradually extended. \ con-
tiuuous series OF measures was devised and
prosecuted for the purpose of rendering III
secure the tenure OF property IN slaves ia
naticai organizations. supplied with money
by voluntary Subscriptions were assiduouS y
engaged in exciting amongst the slaves i
spirit Of discomfort and revolt means were
furnished for their escape from their owners,
and agents secretly employed to entice them
t. aoscond tie constitutional provision tos
thclr rendition t. their owners WAS first eva
!cd. then openly Denounced rs a violation Of
conscientious obligation and rel igious duty ;
men were taught that it was amtrit to eluGe.
tiNp'tN 'I'l'iltiN 'PtS' tlIS NAN NutiViI Va
the laws enacted to secure the performance
of the promise contained IN the constitutions
al compact owners Of slaves were mobbed
and even murdered in orcu day, solely for
applying 10 a mag gistratt for The arrest of a
fugitive slave the dogmaS of these Nolunta-
:, organizations soon obtained control OF the
-;sa'ults of many Of the Northern states,
~ iaN. WEI pa I'd providing Tor the pun
i>hmenl by ru.ncuS fines and long Contnucd
imprisonment n jaiIs and penitentiaric~ Of
citizens Of The Southern states who should
dane to ask aid of the officers OF the law io.
he recovery OF then property
EmbUldeued ~ success, the theatre of ag-
itatlon and aggression against the clearl Y eN-
pressed constitutional ligi.'> C The Southern
states was transferred to the Congress. Sen
atorS ana representatives were sent TO the
common councils of TIE nation, whose chief
It'll" Iu TIM distinction cou> ,t,d III the dis
play OF . sp.l.t OF Ltua ttlat.c.sln, and whose
business was not to promote the general wei
.are or q sure domestic tranquility. but to
awaken tie b.tteY,>t hatred against tn, citi-
zers Of sister states by ,:olcn, denunc;aiior
Of their institutions. The transaction OF
public affairs was impeded byrepea;ed effort,
70 usurp powers not delegated BY the cousti
.utlon, ior the purpose oi impalring the Sc
curity Of property in slaves, and reducing
those states which held slaves to u condition
Of inferiority.
Finally, great party was organized fol
the purpose OF obtaining the administration
Of the government, with tie ay0wed objec
OF using lis power for the total exclusion o
the slave states from all participation in I'll,
benefits OF the public domain, acquired by al
the states in common, whether bv c0naueS
or purchase of surrounding them ehtrcl,
by states in which slavery should be prohib
led Of thus rendering the property il
slaves so insecure as to be comparatlvcl,
worthless, and thereby annihilating in ettec
property worth thousands of millions OF dol
lars. This party, thus organized, succeede,
in the month OF November last in the cleo
ton OF It's candidate for the presidency OF tn
: United States.
In the meantime. under TIE mild and gen
ial climate OF the Southern states, and the in
crtaSing care and attention for the wclI-hein
and comfort Of the laboring class, dictated a
like by interest and humanity, the Africa
! slaves had augmented IN number from ah0u
100000, at the date of the adoption of tn
: constitutional compact, to upwards Of 1900
600. In moral and social condition they ha
4 been elevated from brutal Savages into dc
: Gle, Intelligent and civilized agricultural |;
n oorers, and supplied not only with bodii
comforts but with careful religious instru'
ton. Under TIE supervision OF superlI
|, H.. Il;
: only to allow gradual and marked amelio
+ alton of their own condition, but to con,e
u hundreds OF thousands OF square miles OF II
Ii wilderness into cultivated andS, covered wit
: prosperous people towns and cities ha
t sWung into existence, and had rapidly il
creased III wealth and population under t!
u social system Of the South the white po
II ulat0n OF the Southern siavchoidiHg stat,
ii hat. augmented from about ! l,250UUO, at II
= date Of the adoption Of the constitutions,
: more than o.JOO.GC0 in 1860 and the pr
: ductons o. the South IL cotton, rice, sug;
and tobacco, for the full development al
s. continuance Of which the labor OF Africa
Il slaves was, and is, Indispensable, had Swole
e to an amount which formed nearly tire
/ .OuIths Of the exports OF tie whole [ mite
v >tates, sand had become necessary to the wan
J. @. civilized man.
o WITH Interests Of such overwhelming MA
n nt.dc mpcriI.ell, tie people of the Soutne,
{ states were cr.yen by the conduct of Il
d North 70 the adoption Of some course of a
i ton to avert the danger with which th,
n were openly menaced. With this view tt
q legislatures OF the several states invited Il
II people to select delegates to conventions,
n be held for the purpose Of determining f
n themselves what measures were best adar..
+ to meet 50 alarming a crisis III their histor
II Here It may be proper to observe, tn
n from a ptliOd as early as 1855 therc had {
II sted in al Of the states OF the Union ia
ln ". almost un!nterrupte1!X IN the maiorit