The Sun.
London, England, 1852-10-18 00:00:00

THE SLAV'• QUESTION.

Lord Carlisle, in his admirable preface to a new
s (.',abin," and which was
edition of " Uncle Tom'
inserted in our columns, refe rs to several indica-
tions of a good future for " the poor forsaken ones."
of whom he is the eloquent advocate. Among
those indications, he places the appointment, con-
ferred last year by the eminently commercial, emi-
nently American State of Massachusetts, to the office
of its Senator in Congress on his own much loved
friend Mr. Charles Sumner. Lord Carlisle refers
with much satisfaction to the Speech lately delivered
by the Massachusetts Senator on the bearings of the
Fugitive Slave-law, as " one which, by the closeness
of its logic, and the masculine vigour of its eloquence,
proves how all the perfections of his mind have
grown up to and been deleted with the inspiration of
the cause which he has made his own."
We have already drawn the attention of our
readers to that noble speech, and we have expressed
respecting it sentiments in harmony with those
uttered by the Noble Lord, in the firm conviction
that it will give a powerful impetus to the efforts
which are nw being made in the United States, in
behalf of the millions whose sufferings and whose
chains are consk.`ently pouring forth their pleadings
into the ears of him who will before very long break
in pieces the oppressor.

It will add to the full understanding of the great
question of slavery in the United States in the pre-
sent aspect of that question, if we farther advert to
that comprehensive vkw which Mr. Sumner has
lately given of the whole subject, and one of the
principal features of whose speech we have already
noticed.

The speech under consideration, referring to the
manner in which the question of human freedom in
America has been compromised by the Congress,
shows that any compromise finally closing the dis-
cussion of slavery under the Constitution is tyran-
nical, absurd, and impotent. Slavery, it is shown,
can exist only by ‘,;,fia. af . r--;.;-- ]--. .nd, as it
has no such positive support in the Constitution, it
cannot exist within the national jurisdiction. Mr.
Stunner asserts that the United States' constitution
nowhere recognises property in man, and that,
according to its true interpretation, freedom,
and not slavery, is national, while slavery,
and not freedom, is sectional. In this spirit (says the
orator) the national Government was first organized
under Washington, himself an abolitionist,; sur-
rounded by abolitionists, while the whole country,
by its church, its colleges, its literature, and all its
best voices, was united against slavery, and the
national flag, at the same time, nowhere within the
national territory, covered a single slave. Mr.
Summer reminds the Congress that the national Go-
vernment is a Government of delegated powers ; and
as among these there is no power to support slavery,
the institution cannot be national, nor can Congress
in any way legislate in its behalf. The true way to
secure peace and safety to the Republic (he argues)
is by the recognition and firm establishment of this
principle.
In reference to the late provision for the surrender
of fugitive slaves, Mr. Sumner shows that it was in-
troduced tardily and with hesitation, and adopted
with little discussion, and then for a long period after
was regarded with comparative indifference. The
Fugitive Slave Act, unconstitutional in so many res-
pects, is especially so on two grounds—first, as an
usurpation by Congress of powers not granted by the
Constitution, and an infraction of rights secured to
the States ; and, secondly, as a denial of trial by jury
in a question of personal liberty and a suit at com-
mon law.
Mr. Sumner appeals to the recollections and to the
nationality of his brother senators, by referring to
the resistance which their forefathers made to the
British Stamp Act, and which they refused to obey
British Constitution,
end,
only for reasons which would make the Fugitive
Slave Act also illegal. Teat former Act, like this,
was a usurpation by Parliament of powers not be-
longinginfraction
secondly, because it was a denial of trial by jury in
certain cases of property, " that as liberty is far
above property, so is the outrage perpetrated by the
American Congress far above that perpetrated by
to
of it
the British Parliament." Finally, Mr. Sumner
strengthens his case by strikingly illustrating the
fact, that the Slave Act has not that support in the
public sentiment of the States, where it is to be exe-
cuted, which is
the life of all law, and which pru-
ruingdhetrs the
belonging
to
services the sti
coloniestut
restored,n,
altogether;
7
dence and the precept of Washington require.
The " precept of Washington," to which Mr Sum-
ner alludes, was one which he wrote on the occasion
of the escape of one of his own slaves—for he held
slaves until he had light enough to discover his sin,
when he emancipated them—he wrote to the
dcollector
of Portsmouth, particularly ex
thpress slave t edesire b
ut
Mrs of
"I do not mean, however, by b this request that such
violent measures should adding\ V
:_ ashingtwn told
foregoave
which mighte beused the case if she hasexcite ad-
mob or a riot,
herents, or even uneasy sensations in the minds of
well-disposed citizens. e
her
Rather than either of these
as would ts
should happen, I o
would
which is of infinite impor-
tance."
Such is "the precept of Washington." Need we
the minds of all also,well
contrary to the soundgood
Weil-disposed citizens ? As Mr.
sense, and
proper feeling which pervade it, is the
Fugitive
Slave Law, which cannot be enforced
"ex-
citing a mob or a riot," and without
showaod thheove:aule,
uneasy. sensations in
Summer reminded his brother legislators, the exist-
ing act cannot be executed without "violating the
Rage, tumult,
precept of Washington." R commotion,
mob riot, violence, and death, are the results con-
stantly following the efforts to execute this vile law.
"Workmen arel • vio ently dragged from employments,
to which they are wedded by years of successful
labour ; husbands are ravished from their wiver,
and parents from children. Everywhere there is
disturbance ; at Detroit, Buffalo, Harrisburgh, Syra-
cuse, Philadelphia, New York, Boston. At Buffalo,
the fugitive was cruelly knocked down by a log of
wood against a red hot stove, and his mock trial
commenced, while the blood still oozed from his
wounded head. At Harrisburg the fugitive was shot :
At Christiana the slave-hunter was shot." And
everywhere in the free States the law succumbs to
the will of the people.
In this manner are eloquent advocates of the slave
in the United States pleading the cause of freedom.
One such orator as Mr. Sumner will produce many
others, and encourage them to consecrate their
powers to the cause of freedom, until that cause
become triumphant.

SERIOUS RAILWAY ACCIDENT AT HUTTON:
A distressing casualty occurred at Huyton station, on the
London and North-Western Railway, the victim being Dir.
T. B. Sparks, of. the firm of Sparks and Co., wine-merchants,
Castle-street, Liverpool, Air. Sparks was attempting to get
into the train which passes Huyton at half-past eight
o'clock, when he fell beneath the wheels, and the train being
in motion ere he could be extricated, both his legs WON IQ
severely bruised that AlUpUtfitiQU wits INCSSIArY.