Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-07-17

taHon Of slaves into tho United States, and
which he declared TO be violations Of human
rights, which the morality, the reputation,
and the best interests Of our country have
been eager to prescribe and in fact he did
everything in bis power to prevent the spread
Of the institution Of slavery. Was Mr.. JEFF
ferson all wrong
But what has Vermont done to merit this
attack, Why, in 1920, when the first at
temp, was made to extend slavery into our
territories, oSr democratic legislature had the
manhood TO follow the teachings of Mr.. JEFF
ferson and pass resolutions in,tru ting our
delegation in Congress to oppose the adms
sion of Missouri into the Union with the
privilege q will not call II right,) to hold
slaves, with the following pre- mble, in part:
"The history Of nations that involuntary
sevitude not only plunges the slave into the depths Of
misery 6W renders gIe portion ~ community aePsna'
ant and iorefched and the remainder Brranc and ind
Tent Opulente acquired by the slavery Of others, de-
generates ia pOssessors and destroys the physical pow
ers Of government Principles degrading are neon
sis'ent with the primitive dignity Of and hs natural
rights slavery Is Incompatible with the vital principles
Of all fee governments, and tend 10 their ruin IL par
Allies industry, the greatest source Of national wealth,
stihes the love Of freedom and endangers the safety Of
the nation. ltis protb ed bv the laws Of nature which
are equally binding governments and individuals. The
right to introduce and establish slavery, in free govern
ment, does not exist.
1t then quotes the sell evident truths OF the
declaration Of Independence. 1t then states
that whereas slavery existed in the states, at
the time of the adoption of the Constitution
Of the United States, spirit Of compromise,
or painful necessity, may have excused its
continuance but can never Justify its intro
duction irto a state to be admitted from the
territories Of the United States" In accor-
daNro NTH tkaan r,rtnpfplna nd othpra of 40
same character, they passed the resolutions
before mentioned II Mr.. Jefferson was cor
rect in the declaration OF ndepe ndonce, then
the south had no right to extend the ihstitu-
ton of slavery into States to be admit ted
from the territories Of the United States, any
more than the Aigerines had right to seize
our vessels and cast our sailors into slavery.
But if they had that right, under the Constr
tuition, which is not so, what say oar modern
democrats about the right of free speech
Has no one that right but the friends and
supporters of slavery; Was our legislature
aggressive in fairly and candidly discussing
the question, and had they not right to a
voice in the matter of admitting new states
II they had not right to object on account
| of slavery, would it have u right to object Ia
the admission of new state for any other
reason II was a territory which we bought
and paid s0,OOO.O0O of francs for it, and the
free states pay the greatest share Of the taxes
and think we had right to a voice in the
matter, and that it was not aggressive, to give
their opinion.
But what have our churches done to meri
the indigis ION Of Mr. Smalley, know no
unless it be for not defending the slavehold
ers right to sleep with his female slaves, and
for not giving him a passport to Heaven ior
! that and other kindred acts.
But the last, and also our greatest offence
is our schools. We presume to educate oui
poor children, so that such poor boys as Sila,
Wright, Stephen A. Douglas and thousand,
of others cannot be ground down and kept
back. and made what Gov. Wise calls mud
sRs. 1t would look like encroaching upon
the rights Of the aristocracy. Would it not
be well for Mr.. Smaley to destroy our
schools and school-houses and call upon the
laboring men who attended that convention
to give three rousing cheers for himself, Val
landigham. Gov. Wise and the Richmond
Examiner; AN OLD LINE DEMOCRAT.