The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-26
Nobody to Blame |!

When Steamboat boiler bursts, and life
and limb pay the penalties OF the accident" the
usual verdict is, that no one is to blame, and
especial thanks are due to the Captain for his
politeness and kindness. The Crafts case in
Boston, it seems is to follow this precedent
The denial of right to the owner-the insults,
indignities and vexatious proceedings, instituted
against his agents, under cover of which the
slaves openly and triumphantly depart on an
European tour, while the "catchers" are the
fugitves from the modern Athens--the triumph
of the higher law over the Constitution and the
recent enaetment-for all these things nobody
was TO blame, and as fast as the pack is placed
on the shoulders of any body, it is taken OIL
In the first place The Republic was utterly in
credulous as to the truth of the reports from
Boston. 1t was a law and order loving city
few negroes and abolition fanatics might make
fuss, but they would be put down, and the
majesty of the law be indicated. Unfortunately
the putting down was on the other side-tle
intelligence was confirmed by the Boston pa
pers, and the outrage proven to be greater, and
countenanced by more eminent citizens than at
first supposed. Then another tack was taken
by the apologists the agents could not have
pressed the matter with sufficient energy-but
the Boston papers showed this to be equally
fllacious and that they not only pressed the
matter, but did so at great personal risk and I'M
der threats of personal violence, dogged by
spies, placarded, hootcd at and insulted when
ever they went abroad.
Beyond the pecuniary value of the slaves
also it leaked out that another and more impor-
tant motive urged them and their employers to
fulfil the purpose of their mission, since capital
WAS to be made out of it in Georgia, for DR..
Collins, who headed the submission ticket In
Macon. and the failure would defeat that OBJ
ect, as well as react upon the friends OF the
Administration in Georgia. Consequently this
pretext was also abandoned-and the letters OF
Knight in the Georgia papers, giving as sottened
an account as possible of these transactions, (ar
more favorable to the Boston mob than the
statements of their own prints, some OF which
feeb!y demonstrated against them) was thrown
in as placebo. Then, US grand panacea, fol-
lowed the letter of the President to Mr.. COL
Inns. declaring that he would obey and execute
the laws-and that chapter was concluded
I'm the first place, however, to balance the boat
the Attorney General was called upon, by the
President to solve his doubts as to the consti-
nationality of the law, which sop for the North
was swallowed according to the appetite for
pap on the part of the recipents-the Attof-
ney General having quoted these doubts-this
letter is paraded before the public, to show that
he, the President could not avoid signing that
law, even though with wry face.
Then arose the necessity for some other scape-
goat. The impertnent public would keep ask
ING for explanations and not satisfied with as
surances from h5 quarters, thatthe law shonm
be executed, if vllianous salt petre" and brist-
ling bayonets had to be the sharp arguments
and the cause of it's failure in Boston ascertaned
would keep asking 1ohy it was mol enforced
Then occurred the happy idea of making the
Marshal the peace offering, and he was dragged
to the horns of the altar--when a new danger
showed its crest. Was it safe experiment in
the present temper of the people of Boston, to
make him martyr for this Might not it lead
TO demonstrations, and cause disahection!
Never, even in F.oridan chapparal, were
the thorns sharper and more intertwned, never
was it more difficult to proceed one step through
them, than in this case Butthe happy thought
of calling for the strong aid of the Presidents
constitutional adviser, as the waggoner called
on IIercules-suggested itself again-and that
vigorous shoulder again is applied to prize the
wagon out of this free soil rut, in which it has
mred down, and, 10! the Marshal of Massachu-
sets stands redeemed, regenerated, and discn-
tl,ralled from all censure.
This whole apology of the Republ C, there
fore, now rests as the world is supposed to do
in the Hindoo Mythology: First on an Elephant
which stands on 4 tortoise there the theo:y
stands still too-leaving the tortoise supported
BY NOTHING.
From, the Republic Of Yesterday.
THE MARSHAL OF MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT.
Learning that certain papers, relating to the
conduct Of the Marshal of the Massachusetts
District had been placed in the hands of the At
torney General for lis examination, and that he
had given his views on the subject in writing to
the President, we have applied for copy of his
opinion for publication. 1t will be seen that in
Mr.. Crittenden's Judgment, there is no satlstac-
tory evidence of the neglect or evasion OF duty
by Mr. Devans or his deputy.
OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL,(
November IS, 1850.
To THE PRESIDENT. AS requested by you,
have carefully examined all the papers placed in
my hands relating to complaints made against
Charles Devens, esq, the Marshal of the Massa-
chusetts district for alleged neglect and derelic-
ton of duty in failing to execute a warrant which
came to his hands for the arrest of William Crafts,
n fugitive slave.
These papers consisting chiefly of the aflida-
Wits of Mr. Devens, the marshal, his deputy, Mr..
p. Riley, James Dickson, George Il. Curtis, esq,
aud Willis H. Hughes, agent for the owner OF
the slave, with letters from Mr.. Fay and Mr..
Curtis are herewith returned. Having perused
them with care, and certainly without any bias or
hal b I.,yN