The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-18

The Federal Cessntutaon and cine Ezswhsr Law
There never was subject perhaps. in the discussion
OF which the truth Of the line Of the poet that
la "a little isar~img Is dangerous thing" .a9t
was so obvious as in that which is denominated the
higher law" of conscience, or religion or MORALS or
something else, to which 'ocal habation name"
has YET been given. II is choice theme for empty and
gasconading DISCLAIMERS. Men Of loose and ndefnable
notions of conscience. and morals. and religion also de-
light to soar into this empyrean region. where they find
room and verge enough" to float about among the
ploded theories of past times. and to always discover
some excuse for whatever absudiiy false supposon
they may choose indulge in. While they confne their
specualions TO mere theories and wild schemes affecting
nobody hut themselves do not wish to disturb them,
or break in upon their fancfu dreams but when they
descend 10 the practical affairs OF life. and seek 10 render
their anaica notions instrumental in evading or resist
ing the laws Of the land very different question pre-.
sented which calls for very different treatment These
men are usually haf-educated pretenders, with over
heated fancies and feeble perverted reason, but who
set themselves up the most absolute professors Of
science law, religion. &c. that ever the world His
tory is full of their names. and. when chance has
sionay favored their elevation they have figured exen
sively among their fellow-men.
We shall at present trouble ourselves only with very
recent phase Of these mighty potentaes in human af
fars This class OF worthless in country has fastened
upon the two great subjects Of conscience and aW as they
bear on the duty OF each individual to obey
the recent fugitive slave law passed by Congress The
men Of conscience. sometimes aspiring to religion, we
disposed Of yesterday in an editorial under this caption.
and in the article extracted from the Democratic Review
These men OF tender conscences generally refer TO the
Scriptures to Justify their contumacy The writer in the
Democratic Review has done the country service in
posing this groundess pretsnce. With him we leave
these Phasees SETTLE their accounts He has shown
that God utterly discards and disowns them We viii
now torn our attention the other subdivision OF this
unco righteous class OF our modern reformers-to w.t.
those who resist and abomnae this fugve-slave law
on the ground Of its violating higher iIw The fol-
lowing paragraph IRON the editorial in the western
Christian Advocate referred TO yesterday, presents thi,
side OF the Argument:
The question OF slavery one Of Chf.tian discus
sion ceniofies before here vas slave code ~ Amrtic
aud will be nch long after the slave law shal be blo'led
from the statute book The right Of law Is import
ant question We no lawyer, bat we have read some
far as we know declare at the solemn sanctions Of
treaty void T The provisions are opposed to natural JUS
tce Blackstone saysf IL any human law shall allow or
require commit crime. are bound to tIansgess that
human law ftsscoe ,sy., The law a. o Mnu,s beng
course superior In Obligation any o'het no hannah
laws any validity " contrary TO lhis Coke stHfs
that hen Of Parliament is against common right,
the com mon will control H. and ndludge such act 10 be
void Lnleion ssysi IL 10 generally laid down that acts
Of Parliament contrary reason are void Noy taysi
The inferior give place to the suerio-mans laws
10 Gods laws H. therefore, statute be enacted contrary
10 hem IL ought idefed authority In the laws
OF England Hobart An act OF Parliament may lie
void rst creation an act against natural equity
for The laws OF Nature imwabslhsy the law OF
laws Judge Mclean. ~ his reports, Gays, Statutes
against Fundamental morality are vVid Now, ihese dis
jus. teach the doctrine Of higher law. we
cannot help It. ifhey teacb that law !. not 70 be obeyed
as law merely, bot because u right, they seem 70 syof
The privilege by the divine IL not
the Bible The great charter OF human freedom Can poll
by enncting close the tips OF the theoogtan
We wholly demn 70 this assumption Q, ne e.ensy rgn.
shall ha We uttsrsnce, fingers move pen We shall
earesy speak and wre what our Judgment aud our con-
science approve
Nov, so far as the question Of slavery was one Of
Christian discussion heretofore, leave 10 be settled
by the eoncu.ye texts OF the New Testament quoted
Yesterday Neither the reverend editor nor any one else
can alter or add to them. There LEI il rest We are
content 10 abide this test OF its lawfuness according 10
the authority Of Scripture.
Thi, writer tells us that The righ Of iaw is an
im,orart question and to prove this he quotes Black
stone, Forescue, Coke. Noy, Littleton. Hobart. Vat
TEL and others The amount Of il all Is this that iar
,rie Is contrary 10 right natural justice, The
express aw of God Is pcid and ought not TO Be enforced
Judge Mclean, the only American authority. says
Statutes against fundamental morality void" Now,
we must be allowed to observe that II this reverend writer
had known more he would have said less. All these
writers quoted are speaking Of the effect and operation
Of Enslsh statutes. except ya,ie and Judge Mclean
who have casually followed their example And let us i'm
quire for moment what they meant 10 declare j was
fsvorse maxim with old English lawyers. that Psra-
q. - A..