North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1850-11-30
,erv sne footing with

he Is nfaced upon the verv same footing with fugi
lives from justice from foreign countries Surely the
fugitive slave is not entitled superior privileges
over the free white man. w hen he retnrns to the
State from which he has escaped, ne - there enitea
to trial by jury, for the purpose Ct deciding wheth-
er he is free man. believe every slave State has
made provision by law such trial without expenses
upon the petition of the slave; and we nave heard
announced from the highest authority IN tne senate o.
the United States, that such trials are always
ted in mercy, and with rigid regard to the rights OF
the slave.
Why should an act of Congress cast such refiec-
ton upon the judicial tribunals OF sister oate as 70
say they shall not be trusted with the trial OF the
question neither an individual is entitled 10 ls reed
under the laws of the State from which ne mas nea
But ALLOW the fugitive slave trial by jury IN the
State where hei found would in many instances COM
pletey nullfy the provisions of the constitution.
There are many, l fear very many,-in the northern
States who place their conscience above the consiu
ion of their country and who WOULD as jurors res
cue fugitive slave servitude against The clear
est testimony, thinking at the same une they were
doing Gods service. The excited conduon OF pno-
lie feeling in many portions OF the NorIn "oulu us
qualify honest and respectable men from acting as
impartial Jurors such question: Besides the de-
lay, the trouble and the expense of jury trial atsncn
distance from home would, IN most cases, pfeVGn'
the master from pursuing his fugitive slave. ne
would know that should he fail to obtain verdict
this would be his ruin. Hewould then be prosecuted
with actions of SANDER, of false Imprisonment. and
every kind of prosecution which ingenuity could de-
wise.
The defeat of the WiImot Proviso and the passage
of the fugive-save law all that the South have
Obtained by the Compromise. They asked Tor the
Missouri Compromise, which it is known that, for
one, always willing to concede believing THIS
would be the most just equitable, and satisfactory ar
rangement The territorial question between the oth
and the South but that has passed away. Callfor-
mia has been admitted State into the Union, with
positive prohibition of slavery in her constitution;
and whether the Mexican law abolishing slavery be
in force in the remainder OF our territorial ac-
QUESTIONS, does any believe that slavery will ever
prevail among the Mormons in Utah, or among the
inhabitants of the snowclad hills and mountain val
leys Of New Mexico! Besides, the slave trade mas
been abolished in the District of Columbia. What,
them of the Compromise practically remains for the
South but this iugtive-save law passed to carry out
clear constitutional provision! 1t IS the only com
pensaon which they have received for what they De-
eve to be the great injuries they have susained-
Will they, then. patiently submit to have this law re-
pealed, essentially modified, null6ed! Before its
passage the constitution had become in regard to fu-
give slaves almost dead letter. 1t Is notorious
fact that all along the border which separates the tree
from the slave States, every facility was afforded LOT
the escape of slaves from their masters 1t they could
pass the line their safety was almost certain lhey
scarcely ever, in the language OF the constItu-
ton, delivered up the claim OF the party to whom
such service labor may be dye" In many instances
the master, his agent who pursued them, was In
suited, assaulted beaten, and imprisoned; and few
men could be found bold enough to incur the hazard
Of such dangerous undertaking. In this manner the
southern people annually deprived of their prop
erty, guaranteed them by the constitution, TO the
amount of hundreds of thousand OF dollars. The
constitution nnlii6ed, and this law was passed
for the protection of their constitutional rights Will
they tamely surrender it! Let the voice which speaks
in of thunder from the united South answer this
question They will at last trust and believe sub.
init to all the provisions of the Compromise, provided
the fugitive slave law be faithfully executed in the
North but they will go no further. All the resolu-
tons, of the Union meetings in the South speak
this language. Future aggressions must cease. or
the Union will be in imminent danger
Let u.s. then, resolve to put down agitation at the
,
ened public opinion, and faithfully execute The provi-
sions of the ugitive-slave law Should this be done,
it will eventually exnguish geographical parties
$50 dangerous 10 the Union. and so much dreaded
by tue Father of his Couniry-which have sprung
into existence. 1t will amrorate the condition of
the slaves by enabling their masters to remove the re-
strictions imposed upon them in self-defence since
the commencement of the present troubles, and will
The natural and constitutional progress of EN-
ancpation which has in several States been arrested
by the violence of the abotonists.
4 The Union cannot long endure If it be bound to-
gether only by paper bonds. Is can be firmly cemen-
ted alone by tine affections of the people of the differ
States for each other. Would to Heaven that the
spirit of mutual forbearance and brothery love which
presided at its birth could once more be restored to
bless the land Upon opening volume few days
since, my eyes caught resolution OF convention OF
the counties of Maryland. assembled at Annapolis, in
June, l774, in consequence of the passage by the
British Parliament of the Boston port bill, which pro-
vided for opening subscription in the several coun-
ties of the province for immediate collection for
the relief of the distressed inhabitants of Boston,
now cruelty deprived of the means of procuring sub
sisence themselves and families by the operation
of the said act for blocking up their harbor Would
that the spirit of fraierna affection which dictated this
noble resolution, and which actuated all the conduct
of revolutionary fathers might return to bless and
to reanimate the bosoms of their descendants This
would render Union indissoluble. 1t would be
the living soul infusng itself into the constitution.
and inspiring it with irresistible energy.
am not one of those who can ever consent to cal.
caate the value of the Union. Its benefits and its
blessings are inesnlabe. God forbid that fanaticsm
should apply torch to this, the grandest and
glorious temple which has been erected to
political freedom the face Of the earth Whilst
the friends Of human liberty throughout the world
would forever deplore the irreparabe loss of
ample the nations, this catastrophe would be the
prolific source of evils to all the States-North South
East and West-from the enumeration of which my
mind recoils with horror
Would any or all of the injuries which the South
have suffered, which they suppose they have suf
ered, from the agitation at the North, and from the
Compromise, justify resort to the last dread extrem
ity of dissoving the Union? believe not; and af-
the SOBER second thought, the patriotic people Of
arrive at the conclusion. For such causes
they will never forfeit all the nnumerabe blessings
of the Union, and subject the country and the lovers
of rational freedom throughout the world to the most
astounding political calamity which has ever beal
len the human ssazs
1t is not every wrong-nay, 1t is not every grew
Gus wrong-wkch can justify or even pallIate sucha
fearful alternative In>this age, and In this country,
there is incessant ux and refux of public opin-
ion. Subjects which but few years ago excited the
public mind to madness have passed away, and are