Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1850-12-20
WAsIlIYpToN, DEC. 9.

dent and .Hr. Webster h,discretion of his
saurSe.
Mr. Giddings made an hours speech yester-
day, upo' the slavery questions and the p csi
dents message but chiefly in reglrl to the
Fugitive Slave Law. His opinion of that law
ia net materially different from our own We
have opposed it from the beginning, as one of
the most in1iscreet, uncalldl fer, and unjustfa-
plc laws ever enacted by Congress No man
in the North can defend it upon its merits, for
it nus 40 merits. 1t can only be submitted to
BECAUSE il 10 the law of the land. We have
Dccntought rom early youth to revere and res
pect the laws Of the land, however objections
bic some of them may be. There is no liberty |
except that which is guaranteed by the laws -
We have ever fought the doctrine, through the
columns of the Atlas, that the first duty Of the
citizen is tor verencc law. 1t docs not follow
from this that we must not try, by reason and
argument, tG nave objectionable laws repealed
or modified. It's not only our right thus to net
but it is our duty thus to act. We have said
nothing in regard to this fugitive slave Inv that
we have not said in regard to the tariff Of 46.-
THE President in his message recommends an
alteration Of that law and says that it encoura-
ges fraud and perjury. We oppose the Fug'-
live Slave Law, because it violates the funda
mental principles of civil liberty. Both laws
should be repealed and modified. Mr. Gid
dings prGfcsscs to hold pretty much the same
epiui.n Of the Fugitive Slave Law TINT we do,
but from that point diverge. lie distinctly
advocated Yesterday mob law His argument
amounts to that, AMI we regard mob law as the
worst # yran les. and we cam understand
how any man. pa.tc,larl! mcnbcr of Con-
rress. can for ono momeg. assume such ground.
git is better to bear the Ills we hive, says tie
great poet, ethan fly to Others which "c know
pot
Mr.. Giddinrs's speech is filled W tn cxtrava-
rances You cennot escape from the convic-
ton, that on the whole he is rather glad that
the law was pissed, because it gives him an op
portuny to make a passionate speech, AMI pile
up personal political cnDitol at hom1. Those
who are ain ere il lIcir opposition to the law,
and look for its repeal or notifications las IA means
of doing Justice to the fugitive. and OF secur-
don't course of remark th,t will most assured
" defeat the very object they seek to attain -
Instead of talking fnirly and trying to win mer
tohis side. Mr.. Giddngs take the yers opposite
course, and enleuvors to drive members Iron
him BY the extravaganza IF his pQslltn, as vel
Ms by the Earshnc;s of his expressions. Tlro'
ont his speech there is s'uli,2 effort to PM
strained constructions to the position taken by
Abe President and to place him III an attitude
in which we know he does not stand and upor
which he does not wish to stanl.
The same is true of his denunciation of tho
Secretary # State, Mr.. Webster. We have
no hoIed expressions to waste upon that gen
tleman, neither have any abusive epihet
10 throw at him. We dissent frGm the pos
tons he assumed in his .th of March spceaii
We did so at the time, and we have since
then, and We !: take ~. sep backwards" Blu
wc regard the course of Mr.. Giddlngs as afro
cious. We refer partic larly to the following
paragraph, which we find this morn ne in th
official report in the Globe:
"Sir, was about to make some comparisons
but they may be regarded as indellcate. Du
rpp last summer two distinguished gcntleme
af the same name occupied much the public
atteytlan. One was SAD " have committee
murder, and the other to have procured the pas
sage of this law. One was hanged tor III
crime. the ether. for his efforts, taken to tn
executive cabiIet. One destroyed the life {
an .diyidual the other contributed his effort
S,r the passage of this law, which must consig
hundreds perhaps thousands, to pren1tnl
graves. I, sir cannot speak for oilers but it
myself. | would rather meet my final Judg
with the guilt ofhim who has gon, to his fin
account. than of him who now sits in yond'
Cabinet
iTne argunen; III the above is that Mr. Wei
ster is murderer, and thlt hanging is too GOO
for him Now the facts stated are not true
There is no evidence that Mr.. ebster pr
cured the passage of the bill. The direct ey
dence is the other way. We have the rec
70 show that he introduced bill into the Sc
ate very different from this law; One whl'
gave trial Ly jury to the fugitive, in the plrl
.sicrr he was arrested. 1t IL rot true that VI
Web ter was placed in the ablnet for III e
forts he made to pass the bill, bee ,use he W
IN the abinet several mGHt4s before the b
was nassed
We haze been thus eZR,i.lt in our obIectlo
10 the speech Of Mr. Giddngs, because we thin
that the co4rsl h. bus taken is calculator
do much mischief. We are in earnest IN o.
desire to have the Fugitive Slave law chlnge
and to have the cause of civil liberty trump
ant. We cannot permit in silence the cause
be injured by men who profess to be its frlcn'
I've lac faiatcisln and detest demlgoguls
whether they come from the North or Sou'h
They are alike perncions in there results.
Dir Giddpgs will probably send his speech
20 his district, ana throughout the Nor h ::
NAV, pcrchance secure to him, for npot per ter
seat in Congress bm IoW il ag'P helugJ =
VIII i AID in the modlfcatlGa Of TINT otiegtI'
ab ia~? so, it will do neither. 1t will
no rood whatever, but, on the contrary, mu
evil feel vexed thlt good cause should
hurt by the demlgogusm of profnsso frcn
or. if this term is too harsh and uncharItabIe,
VIII call it he ndscretion of its advocates.