The North-Carolina standard., 1849-02-14

recty stated than it has been by two of the learned
Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States
In of his decisionsf Judge Story said: Histo-
rically it is well known that the object of this clause
was to to the citizens of the slaveholding
States the complete right and title of ownership in
their slaves property, in every State of the Unon
into which they might escape from the State wherein
they were held in servitude.' The full recognition
of this right and title indispensable to the secu-
rty OF this species of property in all the siavehodng
States and, indeed, so vital to the preservation
of their interests and institutions that it cannot be
doubted that 1t constituted fundamental article,
without the adoption of which the Union would not
have been formed. Its true design was to guard
against the doctrine and principles prevalent in the
non-slaveholding States, by preventing them from
intermeddling with, restricting, abolishng the
rights of the owners Of slaves" e.. 80
Again. The clause was therefore of the last inn
portance to the safety and security of the southern
States, and could not be surrendered by them without
endangering their whole property in slaves. The
clause accordingly adopted in the constitution by
the unanimous consent of the trainers of it-a proof
at once of its intrinsic and practical necessity.
Again. The clause manifestly contemplates the
existence of positive unqualified right the part
of the owner of the slave which State law reg
atlon can In any way regulates control, qualify, or
restraint -1 49, n - ;.'
The opinion of the other learned judges was not
less emphatic to the importance of this provision
and the unquestionable right of the South under it,
Judge Baldwin, in charging the jury, said f :" If
there any rights of property which can be enforc
cd IL one cuzen nave any rlgntS OF properly Wnlcn
are inviolable under the protection of the supreme
law of the State and the Union they those which
have been set at by of these defendants.
AS the owner of property" which he had perfect
right to possess, protect and take away-as citizen
of sister State, entitled to all the privileges and
immunities of citizens of any other StatesMr. john
son stands before you on ground which cannot be
taken from under hint is the same ground on
which the government itself is based If the defend
ants can be justified, have no longer law gov
ernment." Again, after referring more particularly
to the provision for delivering up fugitive slaves he
said s. Thus you see that the foundations of the
government laid, and rest the right of property
in slaves The whole structure fall by disturb
ing the corner-stone.''
These grave, and solemn, and admonitory words,
from high source. They confirm all for which the
South has ever contended as to the clearness, i'm
portance and fundamental character of this provision
and the disastrous consequences which would inev-
taby follow from its violation. But in spite of these
solemn warnings, the violation then commenced, and
which they were intended to rebuke, has been fully
and perfectly consummated. The citizens OF the
South, in their attempt their slaves, now
meet, instead of aid and cooperation, resistance in
every form resistance from hostile acts of legislation
intended to battle and defeat their claims by all sorts
of devices, and by interPosing every description OF
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. from judges and magistrates
and finally when all these fail, from mobs, composed
Of whites and blacks, which, by threats or force,
rescue the fugitive slave from the possession OF his
rightful owner. The attempt to recover slave, in
most of the northern States, cannot now be made
without the hazard of insult, heavy pecunary loss,
Imprisonment and even of life itself. Already has
worthy citizen of Maryland* lost his life in making
IN attempt to enforce his claim to fugitive slave
lnder this provision.
But provision of the constitution may be violated
Indirectly we'll directly, by doing an act in its
laure inconsistent with that which is oined to be
lone. Of this form of violation there is striking
Instance connected with the provision under consld-
,ration. We allude to secret combinations which
believed exist in many of the northern States,
NH 10 TO- nrfFa Invp
educe slaves to escape from their owners, and to
'ass them secretly and rapidly, by means organized
or the purpose, into Canada, where they will be
beyond the reach of the provision. That to entice
! slave, by whatever artiice, to abscond from his
into non-slavehoding State, with the jnten-
ion to place him beyond the reach of provision or
prevent his recovery, by conceament or otherwise
IS completely repugnant to it as its open violation
vould be, is clear to admit of doubt to require
Illustration. And yet, as repugnant as these comb-
laons to the intent of the provision, 1t Is
believed that, with the above exception, not one of
he States within whose limits they exist has adopted
my measure to suppress them, to punish those by
whose agency the object for which they were formed
s carried into execution. On the contrary, they
rave looked on and witnessed with indifference, if
lot with secret appreciation, great number of slaves
,nticed from their owners and placed beyond the
possibility of recovery, to the great annoyance and
leavy pecuniary loss of the bordering southern States
When we take into consideration the great impor-
of this provision, the absence of all uncertainty
IS TO It's true meaning ana Intent, tne ldny SudIuS
" which it is surrounded to protect and enforce it,
md then reflect how completely the object for which
inserted in the constitution Is defeated by these
wo-fold infactions, we doubt, taking all together
whether fragrant breach of faith is to be found
N record. We know the language we have used is
trong, but it is not less true than strong.
There remains to be noticed another class of ag-
rressve acts of kindred character, but which, in
tead of striking at express and specific provision
f the constitution, aims directly at destroying the
eation between the two at the south, by means
ubversive in their tendency of one of the ends for
which the constitution established. we refer
o the systematic agitation of the question by the
boitionists which, commencing about 1885, is still
ontinued in all possible forms. Their avowed in
ention is to bring about state of things that will
oree emancipation on the South. To unite the North
fixed hostility to slavery in the South, and to ex-
ite discomfort among the slaves with their condition.,
re among the means employed to effect it. With
lew to bring about the former, every means re-
orted to in order to render the South, and the rela
ion between the two there, odlous and hateful
D the North. For this purpose societies and news
apers are everywhere established, debating clubs
pened, lecturers employed, pamphlets and other pub
cations, pictures and petitions to Congress resored
J. and directed to that single point, regardless OF
nth or decency while the circulation of ncendiary
publications. in the South, the agitation of the subject
abolition in Congress, and the employment of '
missaries, relied to excite discomfort among
,e slaves This agitation, and the Of these !
leans, have been continued, with more or less ac
yity for series of years, not without doing much
wards efecting the object intended. We regard
9TH object and means to be aggressive and danger
IS to the rights of the South, and subversve, as
ated Of one of the ends for which the constitution
as established. Slaveryis domestic institution. =
belongs to the States, each for ITSELF to decide
neither it shall be established and, if it be
oboI ohn he ed or q