Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-01-20
Congressional.
NDMRNT or THB CONS l.
luton
REMARKS OF MR.. MORRILL, OF VT,


Mr. Speaker, if the vote on this question
had been taken on Saturday. l should have
said nothing, and to-day intend only to oc-
cupy few minu'es in what may prove fruit
less attempt to obtain something more than a
mere party vote in behalf Of a measure which
will mark an era in our history, and should
enlist the cordial favor of every lover Of the
great principles upon which our Government
was founded. 1t is no occasion for passion,
but the times call for direct and unequivocal
action. Every vote will explain itself, With
no aid from any other, and will admit Of no
commentary.
There is a reluctance upon the part Of a
portion Of this House to even propose, for
the subsequent action Of the people, this
amendment to the Constitution OF tue United
States, that to me is surprising. There is not
the slightest doubt Of the constitutional pow
er OF II the legal regularity Of the proceed
ings contemplated. Any objection must,
therefore, apply to the merits Of the measure
and not to the measure itself; TO the end aud
! not to the means How can any man, edu-
Gated in any Of the schools Of party to oe
found in our country, be opposed to the utter
and complete extinguishment Of slavery /;
! There is no party whose creed is not thorough
! ly and fundamentally hostile to this most de-
servedly hated institution, and none who
could not, consistently with all its theories
Of good government, hail with Joy its fnal
obliteration, unless it be within the now con-
tracted limits of the so-called confederate
States. Can it be that gentlemen are unwil-
ling even to allow the people of all the States
to pass upon this proposition For that will
I be the whole extent of our action. or merely
to give the peuple an opportunity to show
whether tw. thifds Of all the states will de-
eide that there are reasons OF sufficient gravi-
/ y to induce them to adopt the amendment
! This question will come up IL is only u
! question Of time. When it does come before
the people, will gentlemen then be prepared to
take the stump against il ? II not, the har-
mony Of the record had better now be provi-
ded for.
remember party, existing in the North
as well as the South, who we're but recently
not afraid to tamper with the Constitution,
/ but were clamorous tor an opportunity by
which further guarantees were to be secured
to slavery, and eau such a party now logical
/ ly refuse to concede the same opportunity by
which further guarantees to liberty shall be
secured and by which the question Of slavery
may be (. rever put at rest | ask that the
/ people shall have the right to reach this ques-
ton once, and as hope, forever. Let US
( take the chances even with all the votes of
I the former slave States included Do gentle
men Of the free North intend to do battle for
( slavery after the Shareholders themselves are
ready to abandon it. do not believe that
is The attitude they wish to assume here on
the page Of that remarkable history we are
I now making, wherein it should be the am
/ bition Of all. if they cannot obtain honorable
notice, at least to escape the scorn Of poster
ity by voluntary disa ppearance from the pub
| lie gaze.
1 But il is said that this question of slavery
is one Of the reserved rights Of the States
which we may not touch IL may be a proved
/ traitor, pirate, and murderer, but is still too
sacred to be touched by military or even civil
authority concede that there are many
rights reserved 20 the States, vet il it we're
the conviction of two-tbirds OF the States that
any of these rights would be more safely or
more wisely exercised by the Genef al Govern
ment. who shall deny their power to surren-
der any such righ, to the control Of the United
States; But slavery is a wrong : so recoR-
nized By the whole civilized world ; and can
not claim immunity as right. There is now
practically bat one amendment to the consti-
tuition which we are not at liberty to make,
and that relates to wholly different subject,
namely: " No State without its consent shall
be deprived OF it's equal suffrage in tue Sem
ate" Anything else than this is as much an
open question as it would be if we were now
at WORK framing Constitution for the first
time for free people.
Ia all the agitations which the question Of
slavery has from time to time iotced upon the
country, the lustiest upholders Of the domes-
tic institutions Of the South. while denounc-
ing what they styled unconstitutional inter
ference, have claimed for themselves the ex-
tremest doctrines of democracy, according to
the philosophy of Jefferson; and also that, i'll
living in slave Sta es, they would be abol ion
lists; and if they could consti utonaly reach
the question they would not fail to maintain /
the doctrines OF the Declaration Of Indepena- /
ence Nov, the time ha- come when the sin
cerity Of these declarations will be tested. /
Now, the time has come when we shall see
how many wear a name having no valid title
to it. Here is chance to show whether we 4
are for or against slavery in the abstract. | /
feel sure some at least will stand the FIRE and 4