Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1849-04-05
MK. FlFLKNER'S REPORT.

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ke1 . fn1sin infs a. e1ss;nr q ~
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s.ggsa ma aflstisa1l Leri,is,io. - - =
Mr. FAUIKNER. from a, ..,.r, eO,.,.,,...-
pointed for De Parpose sushusd ne s,,la.'
REPonr: s's iol'owin'
e,;.,s.,.s appointed 10 enquire how far m
elspS. - ~ o. Congress. under the thir.
NJ. ., - sesonA seetion Of the fouFih article q
lainis The intent and object OF ina
r.rs !. an adequate remedy for ID,
H. -, - s.rseS anscondlng trom this State inls
N eJ -. S.-'.Aihs states d this cunfederacy: ant
re;sT an as PROVISIONS suggest such
/ 49, ~ s..S =. Hencl q he e14e requires and Ais
So, .e ~ which the rights of the cilizens Of hi.
fn. ala ~ me glher slayehqlding States Of The
.,er sn1sl os prcaEht 20 the dttention OF the Con
gress ot The Uuised States, hate bes,oved - ~
SUBJECT the attention which lis innortancs dem 49,
and now report 70 4he house The result Of their ~
! quiTies. Fl y 'usit en-
| The clause Of the constitution ref.rred - /, i.
resolution Of the house is 10 Iha ollowin
NO person held to service or labor IN one Sta,e
'ne avs lnefeoi, escaping into another shall
aLse4uenee 81 any law OF regulation therein be
gu ron such service or labor but shall be
ssr,;ss s ", tol Grain OF The party 10 whom such
knowledge of the history Of this constitution, !,
provision is essential to riybt ~ ,b
subject referred to the comlnittee = '.se
Long before The revolutionary war. the institution
OF slavery had dffused itself throughont ,he thir
sen eoioales' which BY the result OF that war sub
seqaently became the United States of America
lhe prevalence Of this institution through ali The
colonies had created, at an early period customa-
~ law, under which the owners of fugitive slaves
were allowed to recapture them In whatever colony
hal 10, IN.
mad escaped. This usage, the offspring 81 mutnal
interest and OF International comfy. was still n
ioree TO great extent when the articles Of confea.
eratlon were formed BY the States And this ms ,
ior the omission in those artclesofa clause
IKE that under consideration legalizinS the rclag
nation oil fugitive slaves, in whicheyenoof rs
States they might be found
But this customary law had no other sanction n
the middle and eastern States than pnhlic onip;,r
NANNY growing ont OF sense OF interest and
when the discovery was made that slave labor IL
those States was comparatively worthless \ oro,r
ing dlsaste 70 the whole institution Of slavery win
urew from tiis customary law sonlv sanction and
lnaue Is enforcement every year more difficult As
eart as Isl Of March, l7S0, Pennsylvania passed |
an act Tor the gradual abolition Of slavery and i;
lhe same year Massachusetts made provision I'm re-
prospective emancipation Of her slaves In a few
years afterwards these examples were followed nv
aii or nearly all OF the New England States 81
lit under the confederation the want of some legal
h ~ W. ISL as grieFous in
cam t,or, ,h - - Sa TiS o'alesi as We
n all ,rI,.,s. 80 81, uehfI,in many States
omelimes, indeed, they met with open resistance
= me present
was in being the proposition exclude
avery or Involuntary servitude from the North
,estern territory was obstinately opposed and
essiully resisted by the South, until the provision
Dr. the delivery up of fugitive slaves was incorpo-
ated into that ordinance And the fact is suggested
' the distinguished senator from South Carolina,
fr Calhoun, in recent speech IN the senate of the
United States with strong probability of is truth
Though there is no direct and positive information
the subject that this very clause interdictng in.
ountaEy seryitude in that territory, was in itself
he result of compromise; and that il was yielded
y Virginia and the South, hpo1 condition that the
narantee which accompanies is should be, as it
'as given for the recovery Of fugitive slaves.
II was with this experienceehetore US of the inse-
urityi of our slave popuatofS Aesuting from the
hanged policy and public sentiment of the Northern
tates that the proposition for more perfect union
riginated with some OF the leading statesmen of
'irgna. II is true the primary and avowed object
the call OF the convention was TO provide more
nsctualiy Tor UNIFORM system OF commercial
equations amongst the States yet time had already
uihcieniiy shown the utter inadequacy OF the con-
liberation to guaru against those constantly recnr-
ing incidents Whieh threatened TO disturb the har-
nony Of The States, and an almost universal senti-
lentf had taken possession OF the public mind OF
be necessity OF government, whose energies
rould peryade the entire Union and guard and pro
sct every interest which was likely 10 be endan-
cred by those seetonaI dlFers1tes OF opinion pre-
ali,ng 20 ihe several states a1d whien were every
ay necominS more broadly ana distinctly marked
'itn inc ProsIess o. time:
A TINS perloo inc lns,i.uuon Of slavery was, as
COY Ie,na MAJ IapsSy IIoul me
soIne,h anu Eas -. o.des r. va lounu auap
he,.hsi " eI naolts MI WI, c'.Laae no, 'eiI
u'suhS- 10 "uih.S's "c.e " 'ti." ''c Sonuui u
-, P. v - . : . au
oush' .nose aau iS =, ~
oe %, % .ne eA,en. 'na. y Wy ea'ss ,lieIe,
Ac' mus, " dsci,ueu " ie0uilui' uPP,s iio' VIC
~ = ~ e ai y, ,'a
- 80. ", ~ w III
W" t.eii oas VI 49, o Ie auu
s.'e =, ma - ny
oron o .n,s eoneasa ,,, sal1aoc s
ural staples had given l9t sigof 10 its CROWN ana
xtension here L already embraced one foil third
= me PoPalalion o. me oouinern S'ales. ana n
'oPuiaiion. II naa sn'erWoVen sel, mo az hapl.s
Inu " our nsu a,t
,ahr .nI haaetn;ped H. s,ah;i;,v of
nIed ana permanent system y pollcy amonSs Us.
a lne iansuase - an @cN.e ~
suei, q. .ne -,or'l MaS qur.tlon x Il
'ommerce ana manu.ac.urss-in sne oouln TWAS
question l, Oh me anu STAN. -, : $780,
~ eouid seatce,y oe suPPofleu ma. ~ .a'l.ns
i,se va " 'Ls y .'e u
ga states Wnien was qeS.sIsa % enuu1f ioi ases
.nu Wncn Mas eAPeceu y piIuse =
raernly ang peace over puipeious IePuDllcs
g oy such ayersi.ies q eindtes Pulsu.. oPniol,
interests ana uonesllc Poi'cy anslns.i,u.loh - pe
GUITAR ana permanent 50 Wpde spread ana lInpor-
ant N ~ ~ consequences as slavery, snouio not
Teeeise us que snare o. eonsraeranon IN thal oody
ne accofaingly earn rom tne antnenuc recorus q
mar PERIOD, ,nd' y FORMED teaoinS ana eAeihng
opic 70 me aiseu:slons o. lne Ieaefa, convenuon.
lis existence and It's influence upon the fuiure desii
ny Oh suen Portions oL me eYnieueI aey q were IKE
permanent p0TtlOu