Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-10-11


the sword of thc ex,euioner. The cxis.
tcncc of this power-nobo,y questions. II
il has been rarely exercised IN this country,
AMI never in an extended manner, the pows
er none the less has u Fixed place in eur pos
litieal system, As well strike out the kIns
dred law of sclfdefenm, which belongs aku
TO stntes and individuals Martial h~ "
only one form Of seif-defcnsc.
That this law might be emplsyef against
slavery was FIRST proclaimed IN hhe ffouse
of Representatives by d Massachusetts
statesman, who was u champion Of freedom,
John Quincy Adams, His authority IL
such that | cohteni inyseK with placing ihry
law under the sanction If his name, which
becoiiies more authoriiIvc when we consid~
er the circumstances Under whicI, the doc
lrihe was put forth, repeated and then aeain
vindicated
1t was us early as ajih Of May, 1886,
that Mr. Adams first exEounded what he
called The war power and treaty ing
power Of the Constitution" Then II Tas
that he declared -
"From the instant that your slsrveholdfnG
states become the theatre Of war, civil, SER
vile or foreign, FROM that instant the war
powers OF congress extend to interference
with the Institution of slavery in every way
in which it can be in.erefercd with, from
ssfu fsf E.r
stroyed, to the cession of the siatc burdcny
ed with slavery to foreign power"
Again, on the Tlh of June, 1871, ailer
many years uf reflection, and added expe-
rienee in public life, he terrified slave-mas~
tiers by showing that universal emancipation
hight be accomplished through this extra.
ordinary power,
AIterward, OH the 14th April, 1912, for
the third time he stated the doctrine In ihe
House of Representatives, and challenged
criticism or reply. | forbear to read the
whole speech, though it is worthy of con-
slant repetition. An extract will suffice -
Il lay this down as the law of nations,
! say that the military authority takes. f5;s
the time, the PLACE of all municinal institu-
tions, slavery among the rest. Under thas
state Of things, so far from its being true
tfdt the, states where slavery exists have
the exclusive management of the subject,
not only the president Of the United States,
but the commander of the army has tho
power to order the universal emancipation
of the slaves"
And then again he asks in words appii.
cable to the presen. hour. -
"lf civil war come, if insurrection come,
is this beleasured capital is this besieged
government to see millions of its subjects
in arms, and have no right to break the fet-
tiers which they are forging into swords p
No! TIE ioar poacer 81 flle gorernn,eat can
s'ceep thai institution into the ga,Jf.."
The Representatives of slavery fumed and
ragged at these words and at their vener-
able author; but nobody answered them
And they have stood ever since in the rec
ord of congress, frm and impregnable a.
adamant.
In the protractcd controversy which Is
now drawing to its close, Massachusetts has
done much, She frs: gave the example Of
universal freedom Within her borders and
ever since that early day she has taken a
leading part in all efforts against slavery
Il Is her children who have never failed in
his cause, where anything was to be done,
by word or deed. Massachusetts
has for years borne the burthen Of this dis.
cussion, and also the heavier furtben Of oh.
oquy, which has long rested upon all who
pleaded for the slave. 1t Il Massachusetts.
who with patriotic artlor, first lcaped to the
rescue, when the capital was menaced by
slavery, and by a happy coincidence on the
9th April of this year, consecrated herself
NEW by the blood of her children thus
being at the same time first to do and first
o suffer. 1t was also Massachusetts gen.
sral who first Iii this conflict proclaimed that
'ur camps should not contain slave; and
t was an illnstrious Massachusetts stntes-
nan who first uiifolded the benHcent prin-
pie by virtue of which, constitutionalIy, le-
yally and without excess Of any kind, the
president or a commanding general may
become moro than a conqueror, even lib
,rafor.
Massachusetts would be false to he rself.
she fails at this moment And yet. l
would not be misunderstood. Feeling most
profoundly, that there is now an opportuni- !.
y, such as rarely occurs In human annals,
or incalculable good seeing clearly that
here is one spot, like the heel Of Achilles,
'here this great rebellion may be wounded
Q death-I calmly deliver the whole ques-
ION to the judgement or those on whom the
esponsibility rests, contentins myself with
emnding you that there are times when
Of to act carries with il greater respon-
bility than to act. 1t Is enough for us 10
eview the unquestioned power of the gov
and TO handle for moment its
lightly weapons, which are yet allowed to
uuIber, without assuming to declare that
e hour has come when they shall fash
,ainst the sky.
But may a good Providence save our
'vernment from that everlasting regret