The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1850-02-22

~
the question, whether. il man carries
his slave voluntary into the free States,
aud he is not a fugitive. whether that
slave. by the voluntary action Of the mas
ter, does or does not become instantly en-.
titled to his freedom3 lam not going to ar
que that question. know what the decis-
ion has been at the North, but mean to
say that it is unkind, it lis tisunneighborly,it
not in the spirit of fraternal connection
which exists between the members of
this Confederacy to execute strict To-
gal principal in the way suggested, even
supposing it be right so to do. But where
there is no purpose Of permanent abode.
no intention of settling finally and exclu,-
siveIy, and planting his slaves within tho
ommonwealth, it is but right, and
proofof good neighborhood and kind and
friendly feeling to allow the owner ofthe
slave to pass with hisproperty unmolested
though your State.
Allow me to say upon this subject,
though it is perhaps going further into de-
tail than is necessary, that Of all the ex-
ercise of power of those who attempt to
seduce from their owners their slaves
there is no instance in which il is exer.
cised so injuriously to the objects oftheir
charity and benevolence as in the case of
the seduction of family slaves from the
service Of their owner. The slaves in a
family are treated with all the kindness
that he children of the family receive
Every thing which they want for their
comfort is given them with the most lib
eral indulgence; and, sir, have known
more instances than one where, by this
practice of the seduction of the family
servants from their owners, they have
been rendered wretched and unhappy in
the free States; and in my own family, a
slave who had been seduced away adj
dressed her mistress and begged and i'm
plored of her the means of getting back
from the state of freedom to which she
/ had been seduced to the state Of slavery,
in which she was so much more happy
and in the case to which have referred
, the means we're afforded her and she re-
! turned to her mistress.
t Then, Mr.. President, think that the
= existing laws upon the subject for the re-
covery offugitive slaves, and the restora-
i ton and delivering them up to their
e owners, being found inadequate and in
i Effective, it is incumbent on Congress-
and hope hereafter, in better state of
. feeling, when more harmony and good
r will prevails among the members of this
: confederacy, it will be regarded by the
free States themseve as part Of their
y duty also to assist in aIlaying this irritat-
j lug and Disturbing subject TO the peace
! ofour Union; but, at all events, whether
they do it or not, it is our duty to do it.
e 1t is our duty to make the laws more eE
g fective, and l shall go with the Senator
: from the South who goes farthest in
# making penal laws and imposing the
/. heaviest sanctions for the recovery Of flu
g gitive slaves, and the restoration Of them
J TO their owners.
!, Mr. President, upon this part Of the
Il subject, however, allow me to make an
T. observation or two. do not think the
" States, as States, ought to be responsible
d for all the misconduct of particular indi-
,s viduals within those States. think
n that the States are only to be held re-.
i sponsble when they act intheir sovereign
70 capacity. If there are few persons
e indiscreet; mad,ify you choose; fanatics. if
it. you choose so to call them --who are for
% dissolving this Union, as we know there
80 are some at the North, and tor dissolvisg
ss it in consequence Of the connexion
s' which exists between the free and slave.
'e holding States, do not think that any
T. State in which such madmeD as they arc
IN to be found ought to be hold responsible
re for the doctrines they propagate, unless
III the State itself adopts those doctrines.
W W Sir. there have been, perhaps. mutual
/ causes of complaint; and know, at least
Of | have heard, that Massachusetts, for
!" 1' some other unfriendy laws on the sub
h ject Of the recovery Of fugitive slaves,
IN urges as the motive for the passage Of
ne those laws the treatment which certain
az minister Of hers experienced in Charles.
to ton some. years ago, Mr.. Hoar, think,
lie is the name of the individual who was
lie sent to South Carolina to take care Of
., ., the free negroes Of Massachusetts that
he might pass to Charleston in the vessels
,s. af Massachusetts,. think it was a mis-
e; sion that it was hardly worthy OF Massa-
~ chusetts to have created. think sho
he might have omitted to send Mr., Hear
Il. upon any such mission. but she thought it
as right to send him, and he went there tor
-, the purpose Of asserting, as he said,
@ ee the rights of those free people of col
Ii, or before the courts of justice and Of
OF testing the validity of certain laws in S.
"o 'r, Carolina with regard to the prohibition
offree negroes from coming into he ports.
h believe that was the object, that was
ia the purpose of the mission. He went
,r m' there to create no disturbance, as | un-
,p. derstand, except so far as asserting those
Ms rights and privileges in the sense in
he which Massachusetts dthem mi eht cre-
ne ate disturbance He was virtually driy-
od on out of Charleston. as. believe, he or
or some other emssary of the same kind
3D. was driven out of New Orleans | do
"o " not mean to say whether it was right or
Id wrong to expel him. What | mean to
20 say IS. that Massachusetts or some Of her
"a citzens, has said that, after finding this
u" y" treatment towards those whom she choos-
ht es to consider citizens. on the part of s.
III Carolina, she determined on that course
as oflegislation by which she has Withdrawn