The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-19

~ The Imclligencer, a few days since, with
mere than its usual show of temper denies the
statement made in the speech Of the Hon. WIN
Taion and itself We are not now about to
enter into course Of argument to maintain Mr..
SHEPARD, abnndantly able as he is to take care
of himself, but intend merely to show that he
fully sustained by the judicial decisions of his
own State. We present below the opinion Of
Chief Justice RUFFGN, of the Supreme Court OF
North Carolina. Since that opinion was pro-
mulgated, in the year 1884, the law then in ques-
ton has existed, and been universally acquiesced
in. If the opinion Of this learned jurst needs
additional support, we would refer the InteHi-
g~ncer particularly to the opinion Of Chief Jus
tice TANEY, in the license cases in Howard,
and to the many authorities cited, and the dis,
cussions generally, in the cases of Smith IS
Turner, and Norris Us. the city of Boston, de-
cded at December term, lS4S, Of the Supreme
Court of the United States.
In fact, most, we believe all, of the States
have similar laws.
Is It not remarkable that in the face of ali
these authorities and this legislation, the editors
of the Mlelligencpr should pronounce such acts
rs notification of the Constitution as whole ?
They who have never, rs far as we know, con.
demned the acts Of the legislatures Of Massa
chusetts, Pennsylvania, and various other North
ern States, which forbid their citizens, upon pain
of indictment, to assist In delivering up fugitive
slaves, as the Constitution expressly requires.
1t seems that Northern States may nullify
express provisions of the Constitution without
reproof from this quarter, but that if Southern
States should pass law 5 held to be ttutional
by the courts both of the United States and of
the States, but which laws may nevertheless in
terfere with the business of the Northern States
and tend to protect the South against the abo-
lition movemcnts-these laws are to be de-
nounced rs acts Of notification, by the organ
of the interests of the Northern section, calling
itself " National papcr.'
The people Of the North have not only eXclu
ded the slave property Of the South from their
States where they have entire jurisdiction, Of
which we do not complain, but they have also
in our Judgment against all right and justice, alb
soutely prohibited 1t from going into the com
mon teri tory of all the States And now, wher
Southern legislatures propose not absolutely tc
prohibit, but merely to subject to discrimina
ting tax the productions Of Northern State'
that have combined to carry out such system
Of exclusion, as will not only affect the pecuni
airy value Of Southern property, but destroy tn,
equality of the States, and reduce part Of then
to a condition of political vassalagc, is it no
strange we say, that they should be thus as
sailed!
Equally remarkable is it that the Intelligence
should condemn the policy of these laws because
burdensome to the consumers. The people 0
the Southern States are now generally paying
duties Of 80 per cent on articles Of foreign i'm
port, and the htsAiSsncer has complained tina
many Of these duties were not still higher o,
they were under the oct Of 1912