The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-11-02
For the Free Trader.
Fugitive Slave Law,

80 Tar ~ We have observed this law has excited a
feeling OF dislike well nigh amounting to horror
throughout our northern states And vet. we sre
aware that there nTe some who are ready TO sny
that all this flow Of talk is mere talk-ihe most emp
" and desplcabie sort Of tak-for political purposes
II IS somewhat singular indeed. II the sole or the.
chIcl object Of all this is Ia make political capital
that men so differently circums,nncrd in hfe-men
OF all parties, should unite in lhs general cutlery.
We have read the speech of Judge Douglass in
Chicago, in which he attempts to Justify congress,
and what Is more, sustain the enactment which mas
given such genera. dissatisfaction.
The common council Of the city of Chicago have
We see, m consequence OF thai speech rrcousdered
their resolutions and lard them on the table
Well they may eat their words II they choose To
do So. They may believe that tins hue and cry
throughout the land were made by men who nrc
more scared than hurt, aud who, really, according
TO Senator Douglass ought not to he AIRED q. hurt
rs the law Is no worse than the one Of 80 touching
the same matter and denies 10 night to iugliives
Does not deny either the privilege o! the hab,ds
corpus or tina by jury.
very wise man-cven member OF congress-
may tell VI That this IA but rr-enacment o. the spI-
rlt Ut the old law, but 1t will be difficult thing to
persuade our people lat there u not wisdom enough
IN our national council To preserve them from the
folly OF re- enacting old laws.
FOR the present purpose, admit that the law con-
,nins nothing more stringent than the old one that
It Is identical IN all lis features whit worse not
n whit better.
This then, would he "the head and front offs Of
Tending" and this would be enough 10 Justify tina,
Sens. OF horror whcht inspires
The old law stands on the statute book NJ the act
OF u former gene or-thc work OF IN age that was
less hhcrn than the present It's charter Of human
liberties Europe was not in ihroes OF COW .ion for
the attainment OF more OF personal liberty. French
revolutions had not startled iyranIs No Hungary
had stirred the scn,biiies md generous impulses OF
noble hearts and menaccd despOis by the stern re-
sl-,Rnce OF determined souls.
Now all 5 changed The world has marched
onward towards the high ground Of universal free
dom AllnatIOns have made advances Govern
men,- have been more liberal in their policy; while
the governed have been calmly Surveying their
strength, and silently or DANGEROUSLY pressing on for
rights
In no land has lhisbcen more true than in our own.
I he hearts V the American people have been thrill
ed again and again, as with one electric current, NJ
the tidlngs have come TO US OF the deep agitation
the tumultuous movements IN other lands
During all tins period the eyes Of the world have
been turned with more and more liked and stead
fast gaze on the dark system OF American slavery
~ an abomlnn,ion. Upon the dlul OF time the hand
has long stood NJ the hour OF lis removal, and upon
It's solemn bell have tollcd the notes Of waning.
To do no more IN this day in the midst OF siury
oicXcitrmcnt thnn TO enact again the odd law, il 10
! give an ollOuS character to the American people,
md excite against Va sentiments Of horror IN oil en-
lghlcned lunds. We place ourselves in, their view,
in the position ofhsrbarlans and an untrue index Of
national character is held up to the world. 1t would
have been mn lIIus,rous deed il .gi.ntng ut oil on
this matter we had stopped after abolshing the slave
trade IN the District of oumbia and restricting this
system to narrow limits It would have given our SO
Tenn testimony to the world that Americans hearth
| ~ nhhor oppression aud truly love liberty.
| Leaving all other lands out OF consideration, the
advance OF nee sentiments, in our Tree states, most
certainly demands advance IN our legislation. Not
! to advance amounts in fact to retiogTcssion II
wuuIdhe IN keeping with such legislation To provide
! nor the transmission oflhe u $ mail IN tlat-boals on
our rivers and IN s,0ges ncross the land Bum up
your Telegraph poles, blow up your steamboats,. break
down your rnil ways, destroy liberal books and pa
pets, take down our flag aud the millions oi Eau
| rupc groaulng and mourning again under the tic n
despotsms aud yl9nnlcs o, the last sccntury Do all
TN. and srud for Hon Senators to preach through
the land that this condition is no morse now than 1t
was an hundred ycarsago. Let those who nre them
selves dcmngogucs then tell Us that presen,
dtion Siderable and no offence against God orman,
and that the cutlery OF an outraged people Is nothing
but the creakng OF the old machine that grinds gu,
political capital Credat JudGus! Ditto, Common
Council of Chicago