Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-02
Is slavery Abolish e d =.

Is slavery Abolished.
TIE Constitutional Amendment abolishiDg
slavery has been generally supposed to render
the Continuance of that L" relic of blrbarism l"
impossible where er the Constitution and laws
OF the federal government were operative or
respected. 1t is now, however, becoming a
question of little seriousness whsther this
general understanding was warranted. The
article Of amendment provides that a. neither
slavery nor Involuntary servitude, ercept as a
punishment for crime i0hereof the party shall
hare been duly convicted shall exist within The
United States. any place subject to their ju-
risdctoD." 10 the old times of slave-h holding
the :. dominant race" in the slave states were
N genioua il their devices to raducs free persons
of coi3r TO slavery, and most if not | the
code expressly prepared for coloreG criminals,
and b. which fer the most trihing Offences,
free coioFed persons were sold into slavery
which generally became perpetual. These
criminal codes have not been repealed in most,
# IN any, Of the late slave states, and the con-
sequence IS that free persons of color are nov
openly sold mo slavery. Witness the follow
iug annou nj en- ent posted on the wal, of An
napois, Mary land
.. PUBLIC SALE.-The undersigned will of
fer ;or sale, a; The Court House door in the city
Of Anna polls at eleven, clock, A NJ. on Sat
Lrday, the % al December, negro man man,
ed John johnson, sged about forty years. The
said negro vas convicted al the October term,
1866, Of the { -cuit Court OF Ann Arundel
County, Of larceny, and sentenced by The Court
to Re soid il he state for the term of enc year
from the IL II OF December. 1866.
Also a negro man, convicted aforesaid
nemet Gasssway Price, eyed about thirty years,
10 be- old for q ieIm Of two years 10 tie state
Also negro woman convicted aforesaid
med Dly Harris, aged atou; thirty years,
TO be sod ter term of TWO years in the state
Terms Of sale, cash Signed,
VIM BRYAN
Sheriff of Ann Arundel Co, Dec, ID, 1866
An account of the sale is thus given from
B4Iiimore
BALTIMORE, Dec. 24th.-Four negroes con-
v;ced Of larceny, and ordered 10 be sold by
Judge Magruder. at Annapolis, sod Oh
Sau.d day. Some twenty thirty farmers
were present at the sale. the first enc sold
was JtED JUIDSOE, MDO OlO iUI DLUeciI, duU.
the auctloneer taking his bid, be was fnall,
knocked down to himself and became bis own
purchaser. for S37. Another man brought $35.
ard two girls brought respectively $22 and
$50 each.
there was en- officer Of the Freedmen's Blu
reau at the sales, and 1t was thought the bic
DIM would have been more spirited but for tbs
fact that an impression seemed to prevail that
the officer in question was about 10 interfere
with The right of the purchasers and release
The negroes from tbs custody of the purchaser
Tie fficer, Msjor VandeIip. was, however,
only present tor tue purpose OF making etfi
davf, that Judge Masruder could be
brougEi TO trial, before United States Court,
undtr the Civil Rights bill The ffidavit was
made before the United States Commissioner,
and the case viii be heard on "Wednesday,
probably.
Congress at the last session passed Civil
Rights act which foi bids he infection Of any
punishment upon blacks which is MT ilficted
upon whites for ne same offense, end makes
the lid cio1 Of unequal punishment 10 be pun
shed b. ice and imprisonment. And Jet, I'M
der toe very eyes of the national executive
who has U hold and execute he law,
it is openly and dofantiy violated.
President Johnson is just as much guilty Of
the crime ct selling these colored persons into
slavery, ti.ougn he had otiiciated as judge or
auctiUneer. IL needs no more han ordinary
lnteI.g ence TO comprehend that The immunity
for offences commit: ed against the blacks all
through the late slave states, is / legitimate
consequence Of the policy pursued by Mr..
johnson. Holding in his hands the sworl OF
justice and the power of pardon, it takes thieves
nd murderers but little time to understand
whether they are to be brought to feel the
weight of the violated law. When the execu-
TONERS of the law sympathize with the law
breakers, when the prosecuting officer is in
league with the criminals, offenders may we'll
be bold in their guilty practices. Who believes,
If President Johnson were half as vigiiant in
enforcing the Civil Rghts act, as he Is to find
every possible PreteXt to render j. nullity.
that in December, 1865, that law would be
broken and dsspisei vi hin hours ride Of
Andrew JohnSon-a word, however, which the
nation has Ceased to expec, from him Who is
now serving his rebel ailies-to make the law
OF liberty an equal rights something more
than dead-eter on our stat ute book 10
make the federal power DE adfui to those who
vi tate the federal laws to strike terror in,o
tie minds of rebels who are cunning in Their
devices 10 defeat the righteous enac;ments of
Congess to make the national authority
dreaded by every eoemy of human liberty, in
stead OF, as now, only terrible to ,noss TO
seek It's protection.
We charge upon Presiden; Johnson the
crime OF violating both the Constitution and
laws of ii e land. The man who suffers a mur-
der to be Committed, which he can without
difficulty or oanger prevent. is IN Accompice
of the shedder of blood and bis guilt ia fesi-
fully aggravated, if be is the only person who