Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-22

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aaod 10; IN n-tec, the owne! in the exercise 81
his rights of property. BIZ that opinion, me
Stale authorities are prohibited from interfering
for the purpose OF protecting the 'sht OF me mas
lei. and aiding him in The recovery OF bis PRO-
perly. From This portion OF The OPINION OF 'ne
copr,. the Chief Justice and two OF Inc associa'.
Indses disssnied. But The abolition ihhhehee
Of PENNSYLVANIA awaiting i,sel oil ms "o9e, ~
tum OF the contemplating laise az u ~
critical respect for The CONSTITUTION oi 'i'e
States aud the suggestion ot The supreme C"u'',
Wits, !, was coolIy and deliberately vioia'he
one al rs biehe,, and most solemn sancnohs
mol content with repeating all laws lhd' aii"iueu
any State aid 10 the master, went idi.nel' anu
h,rdensd hi. nnrsu,t OF his slave with diiicui''es
mich ,s,d., mo attainment OF his otlecI almost
impiacicable. ,-oa rredica,ed
a. nc efficacy was upon The presumed co'opeid
lion ~ IN, Slate authorities, Is now iehueIeu nu
ga,o,v and worthless, by The prohloitioh upon an
Stale officers 10 execute IT'S PROVISIONS auo 'ne gu
nreme Court having, BY its opinion, thrown Us
wholly upou The National Government iur reliel,
!, i n that tribunal we shall have 10 look LOT an
adequate remedy Tor The rvll.
lis true the act Of 1893 does enable the owner
of a slave, under certain circumstances ~ Apply
10 District or Circuit Judge oil the Y. states
-but when il is recolecied that IN many OF me
States. there is bot one District Judge, and thal
there are but nine States which nave JUDGES Vi
the Supreme Courr, residing in mem; ana whe'
we further examine Inc other provisions =. Wv
law, we shall see since the wphufH"d' ~ o.n.
suppotl-in The measured language OF Tue Ohiei
Jns',ce The Uniird S,sie>-"i0lo inf. cfnat nnd
aelnsire IS Lc remcdg prculdedby Congress
rms ,aw does not authoIise The Judge 10 issue
warrant 10 arrest the iug,live-it does mol aunof
ise CemaD by The saVe-ownef, upon inc se.''.
c.s OF The Marshal or any other Ministerial officer
OF the FEDERAL Government. Before hat law Can
operate / all, The masler, always oil Necessity
stranger mus. 60 mo free State, Selze ms sdse
without form or process Of law, dhp' u"dsl",'"
panied by a single evil officer, must carry ma.
slave, IN The iace oi iauaslcai anu Ihiui 'a"u
population, perhaps from he centre or e1lensi'
lies OF the safe a distance OF TWO or three nun
dled miles, TO the place where lne Jause
may happen 10 reside, oefore he can nave Tue
commencement OF airy Judicial or legal ac'ioh
on his case: and suppose The master mao dccoh
plished this almost impossible ieat and nad sue
ceeded 10 bringing his slave before the Judge, and
had obtai0e the certificate which The law pre-
scribes. there is no provision IN ihat law oy
which the judgement can be enforced OF me pow
er Of The National government, be invoked through
lis marshals and officeis 10 sustain .he rights 81
property thus adjudicaled in his favor.
States, in his mild but impressive language, sad
'Ms aet IF Congress, Of 1893 scarcely de's'pes the
name OF remedy"
And mus il will be perceived, that that impoi-
tant guaranty in the Consliiutun-thai provision,
without the insertion OF which no TACT IS histoii-
cally better >labi.hed, than that tbs Union ne
pr could haze ben turned that provision which
furnished Madison and Randolph IN The Vfsi-
ma Convention : lredell IN The North Carolina
-. Dtn.rLy
he South Carolina Convention. and other dislln-
suished men IN other Stale Conventions, The
means OF feconciline The Sonlh 10 The acceptance
oil the Constitution that important pledge stands
This moment unredeemed by The National Govern
ment. 10 which we surrendered ~ large a por-
ton Of our sovereignty AMI means OF sell preser
valonl
There was but one tribunal under our existing
government, 10 which We could look Tor a rene
dy. That tribunal was he c onsress oi the UNI
ted States. To that body, hc constitution had
entrusted that important power. According TO
The opinion OF The Supreme Court oil The Uni;ed
States, il was exclusive 10 Congress and could
be exercised by no Other government. II never
tneiess was our dny as The immediate guardians
oi the rights and interests Of The people III Virgil
MIA, 10 see that prompt aud adequate action was
taken on the subject. lie knew the difficulties
which would be encountered before Congress;
oul IL was too plain case 10 apprehend a failure |
from the misguided and ianalica sentiments u
The North. The indignant tones OF powerful
Commonwealth like This, cannot be cisregarded |
when demanding its acknowledged rights The |
united voice Of The South cannot be Condemned, |
when requiring the iulfilment OF that pledge |
without which this Union could not have been |
formed.
He desired The course of Virginia on tbs SUI.
&c 10 be firm, manly and decisive We had n"
avo:s TO ask. II was one ofthe dearest as il was
1ne oi the most sacred OF The righs, secured by
he Constitution 10 the Soulh; aud Congress
would be falihless 10 lis high constitutional duy
i II did no, promptly pass la W that would place
he whole power OF this National Government. il |
need be, a, The command OF any slave owner oil
lie Sunlh, who goes 10 The Moth 10 demand his
fugitive slave.
The subject was fruitful oil remark-bu he did |
1ol al ihis time mean 10 do more than make |
)Iei explanation OF the object and purpose of his |
eSoulion.
Mr.. ROBINSON bore his testimony 10 the
evils, which The people Of this Stale are expert
'nci2e from the causes 10 which Mr.. z. had re- |
Tered.
Mr.. WATSON moved that Mr.. Faulkner's |
resolution be referred 10 select committee |
Agreed 10
Nj. MASSEY for himself and on behalf OF his |
who wee deeply interested in The |
matter, returned his thanks 10 MIR F. for his re-
MARKS and The proposition he had submittcd.-
Mr.. NJ. commented on the sCff-iines OF The boil
Ter count es from the Pennsylvania aboliiionisis.
whom NJ represented 10 be animated by The most
malignant spirit towards The people OF this State
The resolution was unanimously adopted, anc
reicriea 10 the following select committee:
Messts. Faulkner, Watson, Townes, Robinson
Warrington, Segar, Shelley, PHls, Ferguson,