The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1850-11-27
Litter from President Fillmore.

Robert Collins, Macon, Ga.-Sir: /
am instructed by the President to inform
you that your letter, Of the second instant,
addressed to him. enclosing several slips
from newspapers. in reference to the pro-
ceedings Of portion OF the community
of Boston. on the subject of the fugitive
slave law, was received by him yesterday.
and thathe has given to the letter and its
enclosures careful perusal.
You state, in substance, that you are
the owner of Graft. one of the fugitive
slaves for which warrants OF arrest were
issued in Boston, and call the Presidents
attention to the enclosed slips, taken most.
ly from Northern papers. by which he will
perceive the manner in which your agents
were received and treated, for merely
asking thar the slaves be returned accord
ing to the laws Of the United States. That
they have been arrested, under various
warrants, as kidnappers, and on other
frivolous pretences, and unreasonable bail
demanded; and that your friends have
become their sureties for more than $780,
600.
You also say that the manner in which
the officers have performed their duty will
appear by the slips; and that the warrants
now lie dead in the Marshals Office. You
then speak Of the pernicious effect OF such
proceedings, and Of their tendency to dis
turb the harmony of the Union, and of
the great importance of having the law
faithfully executed; and, finally, inquire
.'whether it is not in the power, and is not
the intention of the Executive OF the U.
States to cause the law to be faithfully and
properly enforced?"
To this the President directs me to re-
ply, that you cannot be more deeply i'm
pressed than he is, with the Importance Of
having every law faithfully executed. Ev-
cry statute in this country, passed in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the Con-
stitution, must be presumed to embody
the will Of majority of the people of the
Union; and as such is entitled to the re-
spect and obedience Of every true Ameri-
can citizen; and the constitution which
the President has sworn to support, has
made it his especial duty "to take care
that the laws be faithfully executed" He
has no thought of shrinking from his duty
in this or any other case; but will, TO the
utmost of his ability, firmly and faithfully
perform it.
But how is he to cause the laws to be
executed? First, by appointing proper
officers to fill the various offices and dis
charge their various functions with dill.
gence and fidelity; and if any should be
found incompetent or unfaithful, by re.
moving them, where he has the power of
removal-and appointing more competent
and faithful officers in their places. And
secondly, in extreme cases, "wheIever the
laws of the United States shall be opposed,
or the execution thereof obstructed. in any
State, by combinations too powerful to be
suppressed by the ordinary course of ju-
dicial proceedings" or by the powers vest
ed in the civil officers with the posse which
the law authorizes and requires them to
call to their aid, it would be his duty to
call forth the militia, and use the army
and the navy for the purpose Of overcom-
ing such forcibe combin atoms against the
laws. But, in either case, prudence and
justice require that there should be more
satisfactory evidence of official d,linquen-
cy, or forcible resistance, than mere ru-
NOR, or newspaper statements; and yet
these are all which have been furnished in
this case.
If any Marshal neglect to perform his
duty, the law gives right of action to the
aggrieved party for the injury which he
may sustain; and if he refuse to perform
it, the statute has imposed upon him Sc
we're penalty. But if he refuse or wilfully
neglect to perform it. when this shall be
satisfactorily made to appear to the Presl-
dent; then, in addition to his liability to
the aggrieved party, it would doubtless be
the duty of the Executive to remove him
from Office, and appoint another in his
place. But your letter contains no proof
of this kind, and therefore seems to require
no action. 1t is equally clear that no case
is presented justifying call upon the mil
tia, orthe use Of the army to execute the
laws; and the President has so much con-
fidence in the patriotism and devotion to
the laws which have always characterised
large majority Of the people of Boston,
that he cannot for moment believe that it
will ever be necessary to call in any ex.
traordinary aid to execute the laws, in that
country
Individuals may become excited, and
may, in the heat of the moment, offer re-
sistance to the laws; but he has no doubt
that in such an event, so much to be re-
GREETED, that the good sense of the COM
munity would soon rally to the support OF
the civil authorities, and that those who
sustain the law would triumph; but he d.
rects me to assure you, that if. unfortu-
nately, he shall find himself mistaken in
this, and the painful necessity should arise,
he isresolved to perform his duty, by
employing all the means which the Con-
stitution and Congress have placed at his
disposal, to enforce the law
As to the complaint that your agents