History of Vermont. 29^ 



* falsely called general, might operate partially in 



* some states, and cease to oj^erate in others. 

 ' Would not this defeat the grand design of our 

 *• Union. , 



* In the eighteenth article in the eighth section 



* of the constitution of the United States, we 



* read, *' That Congress shall have power to 

 ' make all laws, which shall be proper for car- 



* rying into execution the Government of the 

 ' United States." If you enquire, where is our 

 " redress, should the Congress of the United 



* States violate the constitution, by abusing this 

 ' power ? We point to the right of election, the 

 ^ Judicial courts of the union ; and, in a jury of 

 ' our fellow citizens, we find the ever watchful 



* and constitutional guard against this supposed 



* evil. 



' In your third resolution yoii again severely 



* reprehend the act of Congress, commonly cal- 

 ' led the " Sedition Bill ;" if we possessed the 

 ^ power, j^ou assume, to censure the acts of the 



* general government, we could not consistently 

 ' construe the Sedition bill unconstitutional ; 

 ' because our own constitution guards the free- 

 ^ dom of speech and of the press, in terms as 



* explicit as that of the United States, yet long 

 ' before the existence of the federal constitution^ 

 ' we enacted laws which are still in force, against 

 ' sedition, inflicting severer penalties, than this 



* act of Congress. 



* And although the freedom of speech and of 



* ,the press are declared unalienable, in our bill 

 ' of rights, yet the railer against the civil 

 "' magistrate, and the blasphemer of his Maker 

 ' are exposed to grievous punishment. And no 



