The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-12-26


and sold into bondage, by Southern men. lie is
aware that hundreds and perhaps thousands Of
free born Northern citizens now pine in South
ern chains: he witnesses this tranTenden, out
rage upon the Laws upon the Constitution, and
upon Humanity, in perfect silence he does not
even hint at their existence. He has seen the
agents of Massachusetts, driven By mob violence
from South Carolina and Louisiana when sent
there TO sustain the legal rights Of the citizens of
that State now held in slavery. He knew that
no Northern State nor individual could rescue
those citizens from the chains Of servitude. Upon
outrages, more aggravated than any that have
ever occurred under this Government, he makes
no comment. Sir, the House and the country
must see that the only sympathy exhibited in the
Message is for &auery--he has none for Freedom.
He recommends us not to repeal the Fugitive Law,
but recommends no law TO sustain the liberties OF
our own people, or to redeem those freemen who
mourn in Southern bondage; still he assures us
that, " in our domestic policy, the Constitution
shall be his guide" and that che regards all Us
provisions as equaiiy binding" That this declara
ton is entirely erroneous is too obvious to require
further exposure.
Mr. Chairman, our opposition to the Fugitive
Law is based upon the soundest principles Of eth
les and of law, as well the dictates Of the com.
mon sense of mankind. While the Southern men
brutalzing them, they turn round and call onus to
leave our employments, give chase, and arrest and
return their fugitive slaves While violating our
National Compact in its most vital features, they
ask us not merely to observe and keep our stipu-
lations but to 20 far beyond our covenants to up
hold their slavery Now, sir, these Southern men
have no claim whatever on us to observe the COM
pact, while they disregard and trample upon it
Such are the dictates of Law, and OF Justice, and
of the Common Sense of Mankind. A compliance
with such demand would constitute us the mere
subsidiaries, the sppendages, Of Southern slavery
This feeling has thus far been suppressed by our
intelligent people, hoping that Congress would
relieve them from the position in which they haFe
Tong been placed. " this Fdgftfve law De Kept
in force and Congress shall exert its power and
predict the Consequences 1 uey may be read in
our past history One thing may be regarded as
admitted truth-while Ohio Freem,n are held in
Southern chains, the people Of the northern pOr-
ton of that State will not arrest nor return fugi
tive slaves | speak for no other portion Of the
country. But the South and the North, the East
and the West may understand, that, while the
inhabitants of our State shall be held in slavery,
land there are many there,) few rery ter, slaves
will return to bondage from that section Of coun-
try where reside.
Sir suppose man born among US, educated in
our schools, baptised in our churches, protesting
our religion but who has been seized and held
in Southern slavery, should make his escape, and
revisit the scenes Of his birth and childhood; but
while quietly and peaceably among US, the baying
of human bloodhounds should be heard upon his
track, and the whole army of slave-catehers, in
Guiding certain high dignitaries who procured the
passage of the Fugitive Law, should be seen com.
Ia IN hot purouit with bapdonfs and chsins md
letters, prepared and clanking in their hands
do you sir, think they would take him, and fetter
him, in the presence Of our people, and drag him
back to land Of signs and tears Sir, if the
President or members Of this body, or that class
of clergymen who are preaching that obedience to
this law is religious duty, believe this can be
done, they had better study the character of our
population more thoroughly
Under that law, such cases may frequently oc
cur and whether there be neighborhood north
of Mason and Dixon's line, where such freeman
can be taken back to a land of whips and chains
| leave for others to judge; | will not argue th'
point.
But the President is not satisfied with quotin,
the words Of the Constitution, he closes the par
agraph with the following sentence:
"You, gentlemen, and the country, may be as
sued that 10 the utmost Of my abtiuy and 10 the eIte
of the yo,Der rested in me, shall al all times, and
all places, take care that the lars be PAINFULLY ere
cmedD
This language is understood by the House anC
by the country. No one can mistake its import
IL is the language of menace-of intimidation. liz
distinctly avows that, "to The erttm Of The powe'
rested ia him, he nW see y this infamous law exc
cuted The power of the army and the navy IL
vested in the President. This power he assures
us will be used to shoot down Northern freemen
if necessary to enforce this law This attempt al
menace is unworthy Of the President. Ii is un
becoming his station. feel panied while con
templating the position in which the President
has thus placed himself No language could have
been more destructive to his influence. This
taunting menace should never have been address,
ed to freemen--to men who understand the Con-
stitution and know their rights. ! have shown
some reasons why our people OF Northern Ohio
will MOI oJey that lam. The President may speak
to them of the "power vested in him p-of the
army and navy and he may tell them that he
will use the whole military power of the nation at
all times and in all places to enforce this detestsbe
law but sir, they will hurl back defiance both
at him and his army. He may send his troops
his Swiss guards of slavery he may put all the
machines Of human butchery in operation; he
may drench our free land with blood he may
entite himself to the appellstion of q second
HAYNAU y but he will nsper compel Than TO obey
that Ian. They will govern themselves. They
will obey every constitutional enactment; but
they will discard and repudiate this Fugitive bill
speak what feel before God and man. Ispeak
what every enlightened statesman must feel and
admit, when say that no free, enlightened, and
independent people ever was, or ever will be- gov
erned by the bayonet and the sword No, sir. /
will say to the President with all kindness but
,tnt, Ia
be compelled by The bayona or the cannon, or IN any
other manner, 10 lend any AID or assistance IN circuit
ing that Infamous Ian NOR WILL THEY OBEY IT,
The President should have learned ere this that
public sentiment, with an enlightened and pa
triotic people, is stronger than armies or navies
that he himself is but the creature Of the peoples
will-their servant-elected TO execute their pur-
poses. In the enactment Of this law, their feel
ings were not consulted, their honor was disre-
garded, and their wishes were treated with scorn.
Sir, large portion Of the Northern people were
not represented In this body NJ the passage Of that
law. Their servants fed from this Hall, and left
the interests, the rights, and the honor Of their
constituents TO be disposed OF w sl~~ehs,dors and
their obseouious allies. Thisisw Z" was conceived
in SIM and literally " brought forth In iniquity"
II Is due TO our Southern friends that we should
inform them distinctly that the law ca"mot and mil
not be enforced Our people, sir, know what con-
stitutes law. This enactment call q law merely
for convenience because our language furnishes
no proper term in which TO characterize IL. lt
has the form, but Is entirely destitute Of the
spirit-the essence of law. II commands the per-
petration Of crimes, which no human enactment
can justify. In passing 1t, Congress overstePped
the limits Of civil government, and attempted 70
usurp powers which belong only to God. In this
attempt to involve our people in crimes forbidden
by inspiration, by every impulse OF humanity,
and 10 command one portion OF the people 70
wage war upon another, Congress was guilty OF
tyranny uneIsmpled. This enactment is beyond
the power outside Of the duties, OF human gov
eminent il imposes no obligation TO commit the
crimes II commands, ii justify no one Tor CON-
hitting them. For this reason, the people HM
mot ohm Il. Nor Is this doctrine new, either In
theory or In practice. In every State OF the
- ss..siad ,xhich nsxex