The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-28
Union Msst,ar AZ wnk.sbarrs, "a.

We learn from the Columbia Democrat
printed at Bloomsbury, Pennsylvania, that q
meeting was held at the courthouse, in that
sideration the subject of the Fugitive Slave
Bill, and TO assert the supremacy of the law,
when the meeting having been organized by the
appointment of General +. w. SruRpEvANT,
President JNo LIGGErT, BATEMAN Down
ING, Il. ii, Parker, and william L. RHoADs,
Esquires, Vice Presidents, and j. b. COMING
HAM and GARRIcK Nj. HARDING, Secretaries
and the object of the meeting briefly stated by
CHAs. |. A. CHAPMAN, and motion made,
that a committee be appointed to draft pre-
amble and resolutions, expressive of the sense
of this meeting in regard to the slavery agita-
ton, c. |. A. CHAPMAN, G. f.. BUTLER, AMI
WILSON, f.. b. Ceilings, and WM. III. BEAU
MONT, were appointed committee.
In the absence Of the committee, Colonel IL
b. WRIGHT was loudly called upon to address
the meeting, which he did, and was followed
by Judges CoNYNGHAM and JEssUP, who very
ably and clearly expounded the late act of Con
gress in regard 10 fugitive slaves In conclu-
sion of these remarks, the Hon. HIRAM M.
FULLER, being called upon, delivered himself
In his usual happy style, exhorting all good
citizens 10 stand by the Constitution and the
Union al all hazards.
Al the conclusion of this speech the commit
tee reported the following preamble and resou-
tons, which were unanimously adopted:
Whereas the late decision and settlement of
the slavery question at the late session of Congress
has been followed in many places by the manifest.
ed spirit of resistance to the laws, and hostility to
the institutions of country, heretofore entirely
unknown; therefore
"ResoiDed, That the present crisis in our nation
al aftars and the alarming spread of sedtious and
lanatical doctrines openly avowed and propagated,
calls upon all true patriots to out define their
position, and stand by their country in the hour of
need.
'Resoved, That, while we cherish Union for the
sake OF the Union, for the noble spirits who formed
and the hallowed blood which dement's it, we
cherish it still more for its security to life and it's
protection to property. That we have as yet seen
nothing which can weaken its obligations or dis
solve its bonds, and we have no sympathy with
the incendiary spirit which would march over its
ruins in pursuit of a phantom.
"Resoiued, That, beyond the U MON, we see no.
thing but anarchy in its drest form. WAR to the
knife, and the knife to the hilt' ending at last in
military despotism, no alternative but strict ad.
herence to all the compromises of the Constitution
"Resoiced, That we look upon the late act of
Congress- In reference to fugitive slaves, as in.
tended to carry out and sustain those compro-
mises-creating no new judicial authority foreign
to the Constitution; abolishng no Fundamental
rights, and, as such, we are bound to sustain it.
"Rssolued, That the writ of habeas corpus, that
safeguard of personal liberty has not, nor was it
intended to have any bearing upon legal arrest
or confinement, and that its privileges, unaffected
by this act, remain alike to all, bond or free.
black or white.
"Resolped, That, in the provision made by this
act for the summary trial of the question of the
identity Of the slave we nothing in conflict with
the right of trial by jury That we look upon that
right as the great bulwark of libcrty-ndefeasibl
in its nature, and to be claimed at The proper rlace
and time as the birthright of every American, of
whatever creed or color.
"Resosrsd, That only genuine liberty is found in
obedience TO righteous law, and we hold the man
who abets or encourages resistance to law a trai-
Tor 10 has country and an enemy to mankind.
"hesolUed, Inat the PRESIDENT or Tue United
States, by his promptness and decision in carry
ing out the provisions and maintaining the suprc-
macy OF the law, merits the applause and will re-
ceiye the support Of his countrymen in the greet
ing, Well done, good and faithful servant
"Resoived, That the noble stand taken in the
late struggle between the spirit Of anarchy and the
spirit of constitutional freedom by Messrs. Cass,
Clay, Webster, Dickinson, Foote, Douglas, Cooper,
and their noble conductors upon the floor of Con-
gress, ELECTS our warmest admiration that we hail
them as living evidences Of the devotion and hero
lem OF 70, and our present aspirations are that
they may ever be brethren, separated by no dark
gulf Of division, but interpreting the laws Of com
mon country, shielded by the folds Of the same glo
rious flag.
"ResoiUsd, That wish neither lot nor part
with men who, in pursuit of their own dogmas,
hesitate not to malign the memory Of Washington
and dehle the graves Of his compatriots; that we
bold these to be the Legitimate fruits of Abolition
am, and we willjudge the tree by it's fruits
"Resoiped, That we know nothing of any higher
aw,' paramount 10 the Constitute of the United
States, the law Of God, which has no collision
with that Constitution That We look upon that
instrument as the greatest achievement of human
all that wisdom could invent
Dr. the experience of ages elicit aud holding out the
'nly sure hope Of man, amid the dark waves Of le-
yitmacy; by it We have lived and by il we wish
% die; and feel assured that this dragon, twice
allen, which the 'Philistines would again set up.
will be broken by the breath Of the American peo-
pie"