Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-04-22
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sprxSH 0Fgo N0Rh1ERDY JOHNSON,

Nj, johnson began his speech az folo"si
A.. ~ senate 81 The great Importance Of the meas
FSls TX .s.S. ''1 10 %s"aai !, once
hereditary descent during their whole ives shd mo DC
cause they were bondage, and As one oI 1ne op u
auenees oftnt condition In which they were placed nave
sssn RENT in state Of almost absolute ignorance !, an
syen, IN which the worlds history furnishes no parallel
whether u succeeds VII be ATTENDED we, no t
lowed by unmixed good BY unmised evils perhaps
slnos: certain and the only question IN my view tnM
presents itself TO Statesmen IT, hrst whether the measure
Itself right independent Of Its consequences and sec
ondiy whether consequences may be suoh rem
der i inespedient, because inhumsn IN other pafcu'
There was period in our own time when there was
bat one opinion upon the question Of HHht, or sn1st
bu, one opinion upon that question. The men who
fought through the Revolution those who survived \"
pers and shared in its glory and who were eseI 70 .ns
tonvention by which the Constitution ofhe united
s,,t,, vas drsed and recommended to the adoption Of
the American people, almost without exception hought
that ssvery was not only an sV any ., W ,bs bgb
est character which was the duty OF all ChHsuan pe9
pie. possible. to remove, becsusth was sin " wen
thni the history Of those times will bear out In
the statement that the By whom that Constitution
s ssd ,ns % wsS we i've. they would have
provided by constitutional enactment that That e' ana
that sin should at som. comparatively shremo'e gay %
tngs, public private, ofthe men OF that DAY, Is SUE
hcent for my purpose 10 state what the facts WIZ Justify
In
in the dsngers OF the revolutionary struggle, and who
largely participated in the deliberations OF me ConYcn
,pn by which the Constitution va. adopted, esrne,u
de,fed, only upon grounds OF political economy not
only upon mAtesl in their character but upon
grounds Of morally and religion that sooner OF later inc
institution should terminate Its recognition in the Con
sttuon therefore (for IL IL idle, a. think, TO deny
that IL Is there recognizedD the authority given by I'M
ploaton to trade which might lead TO its increase by
immigtAtion wAA not because large majority Of The
members Of the Convention, and large mAJoiy OF the
peop, Of the United States in the mass favored the inst
b~th .r, theth a
ofhst description Il would be difficult to have Union
adopted. Whether they were right or wrong, II is now
useless to inquire. Judging BY what was occurring at
the time. possble and perhaps even more than prob
able, that they were right but u they made mistake
TO that fact Union could have been adopted
without the recognition Of the institute in the Govern.
mehi which formed II, fits gradual en,irpaton could
have been provided Or no one who Is spectator o. me
around will now fail to regret that it had not
been done"
In the course OF hissply objection advanced by
Mr. Davi. Of Kentucsy, that's certain sovereignty
sides In the States Inconsistent with power in the peo
pie to amend the Constitution trench upon
i.iiug State authority, Mr.. Johnson said -
Mr.. President, II the people Of the United States
when they assembled together In their several states and
adopted the Constitution Of the United States we're
pems, then their right and nobody eses right TO
prov de how long the Government should last, whether
should be changed at ALL and II changed how changed
advance that ihs circumstances Of the country might
change the Constitution a. II vas then admirably suit
ed ia their judgment TO the wants Of the people as they
might prove iuad, quate % ts cherished end and
they therefore provided by the fifth stole Of the Cons
tuition for the amendment Of the instrument ITSELF and
Aeed the VII lie instrument subject TO the power Of
amendment with except thu exception as to the abo
on Of the slave trade until 1908 and the exception
to the taxing and clauses but everything
else made subject to amendment in the pointed
by the article and the article to declare that
when amended in the mode 30 pointed out the amend
ment shall TO all ntens and purposes be part Of the
Constitution aud Of course be valid H. instead Of
coming into the Constitution hereafter by way Of amend
ment was Incorporated In the Constitution itself il
vas originally adopted.
Nov word or two in answer the honorable mem
her from Delaware He says that, with reference to
the Constitution Of the United States, the institution Of
slavery Is within the smendatory clause, because
with reference to the Government Of the United States
1t is subject for political interference Let me ask
the honorable member, and he answer II hereafter IL
he thinks proper, could human slavery have been Abo
would doubt that the trainers Of the Constitution had
put clause In 1t that slavery should exist that it
should go out Of existence at once go out of existence
would anybody doubt that Il would have been legally OPP
erative Certainly lift would have been within
the Of the people OF the United States acting pre-
esey In the mode in which they acted adopting the
Constitution is to have provided by express ar
cle for the termination Of human slavery why is that
Il cannot be done by them under the clause which
gives the people Of the United States the authority
snend the Oonsiitutioni Il can only be. not that hu
that the honorable member admits be the case
II is not because 1t was not an object Of government in
1850 but that II has been taken entirely OF scope
OF governmental power the scope OF the political power
ri the people, because not abolished by the Con
sti,ution Why, Nj President what says the preamble
Remember, now the question is, can that insttu-
ton which dealswh humanity a. proPsry, which claims
90 the level Of the brute portion Of the Of man.
be within the reach Of the political power Of the
people Of the United Saes not because at one
time within their power but because at that time they
did not exert the power. What says the preamble
How pregnant with conclusive is the preamble
TO the proposition that slavery cannot be abolished
What does that preamble state have been the chief
heart in recommending the Constitution with that pre-
amoie 10 the adoption Of the American peoplel That
justice might be establi'hed that tranquility might be
preserved that the common defence and general well
fare might be maintained and last and chief OF ALL that
liberty might be secured IL there justice in putting
an end TO human slsveryi IL there danger 20 the
tranquility Of the country in its exs,enee2 May not
interfere with the common defence and general welfare
And above ALL Is consistent with any notion which the
mind Of man conceive Of human liberty The very
eause under which we seek to put end 10 the instu
ton. the Amendaory CLAUSE. may have been and in all
prooabliy WAS inserted into the instrument from
vction that the time would come when justice would call
so loudly for the extinction Of the institution that her
call could not be dsobeyed, when the peace aud
qu,y Of the land would demand in thunder tones the
destruction Of the nsut on as inconsistent with such
o,s noa,d h,"p. shS h IN N. OF sne
diton Of things In the only free Government upon the
face OF the globe as far as the white is concerned
and founded upon principles utterly Inconsistent with
any other form Of government than Government which
secures sedom-when the sentiment Of the world would
dsse and we should beoom. he sco and sooru of Srs
tendon"
In reply to the question whether the authority Of the
government and the system OF slavery t0Reth
or, Mr. Johnson said -
There a time when believed that for ages and
ages they might 20 on, that the abolition Of the instt
lion would be the result Of peaceful causes nfuenses
though silent, persuasive but. a. think, owing
msudsnB philanthropy In one section, and to traitor
ous purpose In other, that time my view passed.
Lot he institution be abolished and the subject taken
from the political controversies Of the day on which and
In relation 10 which alone the southern people can be
cited 10 madness by the traitors may come into en-
stence from time TO time. Their first effort to destroy
the government by the declared asserted
Of the tariff and its unsonstitutionalty. That failed
thirty odd years ago The present incumbent othe pres
idents chair elected, elected by sectional vote and
the moment the reaches Charleston where OF
the leading conspa,orp WERE and here in this Chamber
where others be found 1t hailed not with re-
pet but with delight whyi Because, as they thought
would enable them to drive the South madness by
appealing 20 the danger in which such involved
was 30 essential TO their power and their Appnes
that will be repeated and again long as
the institution is suffered remain. Terminate IT, and
the wit OF man will, tnnk, be unable devise any
other topic upon which be involved in ratric
dalsrife. God and nature, judging by the history Of
1.-THE past intend 20 be Our unity Is written in
the mountains and the rivers, In which all have in
tefest The very differences Of climate render each inn
important to the other and alike important That mighty
horde which from time 10 time have gone from the At
antie mbued with all the principles Of human freedom
which animated their fathers Ia running the pers Of the
mighty deep and seeking liberty here, ars there
IAnd as heJ have said they will continue say until time
bfhali b. no mors.-We mean that the Government In
u'ure shA be as II has been In the past, one,
o. human freedom for the light and example Of the