The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-18
The Fugitive Slave Law.

The Washington Union tolls and bubbles,
hopes and threatens, through something less
than five columns of that paper of Saturday last
on the Fugitive slave law. The dilemma is DIS
tressing Never was politician more mortified,
perplexed, disappointed, luckless and agonized.
Let us give some specimens:
The process adopted by the ultra Cassandras to
prove that the Fugitive slave law cannot be exc
cued is very simple one. They have tried 1t
several times, and with the exception in Boston,
with success That case, We freely confess, was
failure. There were great difficulties presented IN
Boston in the administration of the law (; and as
far as we are advised, not only were the ministers
of the law derelict in their duty, and the daring
dsturbers Of the public peace, (the Aboltionists)
guilty of gross contempt Of the law, but the claim
ants themselves did not pursue the proper and
most energetic means for effectng their OF ect. *S
.et us suppose case A Southern gentleman
The owner of fugitive slave, or Z agent OF such
Dwuer-supposes the slave is in Boston, or some
bther place IN the North he goes there an entire
STRAINS ger, and makes inquiries in such an unguarded
manner TO apprze every body OF his GRAND he
earns either that the slave is not there, or that he
|annot be found, or has just sop'd for 'parts un-
nown - he speaks to some har-keeper as his
on6dent this man has some constable or police
riend who recelves ''black ma'' from the ne
roes or AboIionists it is a good business for
j
dangerous to attempt to execute the Fugitive slave
w. and that he had better leave; the energetic
ntleman thanks him for his suggestion, keeps
,iet and takes the next car or boat for home he
aplnys no fit counsel /; he makes no regular APP
icarion ia a Judge, commissioner, or the marshal;
has not his papers all properly and Legally au-
ent,caed he goes unprepared for action he
rms not how to act, and he comes away, ;he
aqhing stock Of negroes and Abolilionsts. This,
are gravey told. prorss that The Fugitive SLAVE ia,o
altogether faiied, and that the compromise is all
cheat and a Geusion! This is no fancy sketch;
Just such cases have happened, and they are
Died as proof positive of the SatiHfy OF this law!
Now. we take it to be clear fact that we will
be regarded AS Apologies for the negroes and
botionsts; but if anything could contribute to
success of their infamous efforts, it would be
n feeble and i'll Judged operations as these are.
Is Fugitive slave law, like all other l"ws, must
We ADEQUATE agents To enforce 1t. No one sup
es il will enforce itself; and if the claimants of
tive slaves act With such wretched inIbecility,
At can thew EXPECT but defeat No man should
ar send for his slave until he is fully prepared
is is easv done. He should then employ
npetent counsel and agents, II he can obtain
m. He should take his stand on the law-keep
Instantly before HIM as his shield. he should
kt the issue Dol iIy, and even be prepared TO go
ail sooner Than yield an atom OF his rights. IL
arted or Kindred in the assertion OF his rights,
an ultimately redress himself. He has some Sc
~ in the courts of justice; and, until we have
er evidence than we have at this time, no man
RICH, to impute to those tribunals an entire
of d disposition to do him justice. tits said
is harassed by suits, he cannot sue in his turn
is one of those ridiculous assertions that
Id be dignifed by calling it contemptible. We
at the law gives the s. ut, full means Of re-
!, if it be properly admin stored; and if she
ID obtain it, she must ensrgetically avail her.
of it's provisions. She must enforce it with
degree of vigor and courage which alone sue
anywhere in overcoming opposition. III
citizens go on blindly and blunderipgly, and
X from the fret appearance Of difficulty, they