Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-03-07

empire. Not standing on the soulGss punctIlIo
that they ought to have known better than to
leap into such turbld and bottomless waters,
let us fling them at least the drift wood that
may float them to the shore. If they have
chance to return by their own voition, it will
cost less than to plunge in after them, and
they will be better associates IN all time to
come.
1t is not to those States now in armed revolt
that would offer the calumet for they are not
entitled even to an explanation to save them
from suicide. They have not asked it; they
have appealed to no tribunal save that of force
But the border States have as yet done nothing
to earn our hate, something rather to elicit
praise and to them, made glorious by ances
trail rcnown, and by a common fame, precious
by holding the ashes Of heroes and statesmen
whom we have loved with that wonderful love
passing the love of women" 10 them let us
give assurances Of faithful redemption Of all
the obligations imposed upon US BY the Const
tuition we have sworn to support, and that fra
tcrnal sympathy that shall leave them no cx
cuse for seeking foreign home.
Among the resolutions reported by the COM
nittee, not all Of which received my assent,
there was onc--
" That the several States be respectfully re-
qucsted to cause their statutes to be revised,
with view 70 ascertain if any Of them are in
conflict with, or tend TO cmbarrass or hinder
the execution Of the laws Of the United
States to which did assent, bccaute It is
respectful in ITS tone, pertinent 10 States South
as well as North and because my own State
had already ordered precisely this ding 70 be
done before we assembled here Moved by'h
own sense Of proproty, Vermont viii, in her
own good time do whatsoever isright-because
it isrlght. have not given critical attention
to what are called personal liberty bills, for
none Of them, nor anything else. has prevented
the execution Of the fugitive slave law, though
repugnant to large share Of the legal and
moral sense Of the country, which the Presi
dent Gays has bcoG crceuted IN cr0g contested
cdse That cannot lie said Of the neutrality
laws to prevent hllibustersm. nor Of the laws
for the suppression Of the African slave trade.
So far as the legislation Of Vermont is CON
cerned, think it has been intended to main
tain her reputation at tie Iurcst democracy in
the world, the very sanctuary Of liberty and
to throw around her inhabitants however ium-
bic, the safeguards Of the writ OF hdjeas corpus
and trial by jury. az well as to prevent the ne
tarious crime Of kidnapping from being com
mitted within her borders.
such laws as these are common. and ought 10
be to all the States. They are merely lpgsla-
Tive authority to enforce a bill Of rights dear
20 heemcn and formidable TO tyrauts only. :"
ard stand, as tie flaming sword to defend Tire
rights Of nan, as recognized IN all our republic
can constitutions, wherever they Shall be as.
sailed.
p, tIo G,c,.;o, ,c +t,, Suzanne C.,,.. :. 49,.
case Of Prigg rs. Pennsylvania. which suisse
qucnt events have rendered historical it was
decided that the master could seize his slave as
any other property. wherever found, il there
was no State Iaw against IT, Much Of the
legislation complained Of was therefore set in
motion, 10 compel masters to resort to United
States authority, aud prevent the possibility q
lawless seizure of Tree black men. In the same
case, il was decided that the legislation of Com
/ gress excludes all State legislation on the sub
1 ject. Free State Legislatures. therefore very
generally prohibited their officers from aiding or
assisting IN such business. If this shows a
hack Of comfy, It was in pursuance Of this de-
clson Of the supreme Court.
1t is true, also, that the rigors Of the fugitive
slave act Of 1880 multiplied and intensified
such statutes, II, however, in doing this
State Legislatures have transcendel the object
AIMED at, aud any Of their statutes conflict
with that section Of the Constitution Of the
/ United States which declares that "no person
HELD 10 service OF labor in one State, under the
laws thereof escaping into another, shall. in
consequence Of any law or regulation therein
BE discharged from such service or labor. " they
should be repealed without debate. It's never
to he forgotten and especially not now, that the
-. I Ia, tt
States which shall be made IN Pursuance thereof
is q" the supreme law Of the land, " anything
in the constitution or laws Of any State to tho
contrary notwithstanding.
One Of the propositions Of the committee. as O
ltred by the distinguished gentleman from Mas
sacbusetts, is to provide an amendment to H.,
Constitution which shall forbid all possible fu
turc Interference with slavery in the States
where is exists, Such, unquestionably, is tn,
true meaning Of the Constitution now
know Of no party having the remotcst intention
OF giving 1t any other construction. The Ron
ublican party, of all others, bound themsclve
in the most solemn form by the resolution o
the Chicago platform thus
That the mentenance inyiolate Of the RIGHT
OF the State, and especially the right of Gael
State TO order and control its own domesti
institutions according to its own Judgment ex
clusivcly, is essential to that balance of powe
on which the protection and endurance of on
political fabric depends and we denounce tn
awless invasion by armed forces of the soil O
any State or Territory, no matter under wha
pretext, as among the gravest of crimes"
That is explicit. and among cool men woul,
be so regarded. Unfortunately, all men at thi
time are not cool The resolution unanimousl,
adopted by this House on the ll,h ofFcbruar
: last is even more explicit Every member, Re
publican, inclusive, for once in harmony.
"ResoirCd, That neither Congress nor tn
people or government of any non,sayeholdm
State has the constitutional right to legislat
upon, or interfere with, slavery in any slave
; holding State in the Onion.
Surely, after this, tie possibility of decer
ton must be considered eilcetually throttled. :
g 0nly those who desire to be cheated can h