The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-20

sions uponthe formation Of the American Union
1t commanded the profound deliberation of the
trainers Of the Constitution, who assigned it a
prominent place In that instrument They or
dained, that mo person held to service or labor
in one State, under the laws thereof, and escap-
ing into another, shall, in consequence Of any
law or regulation therein, be discharged from
such service or labor, but shall be delivered up
on claim of the party to whom sush service or
labor may be due"
1t is universally conceded that this provision
was inserted to meet the case of fugitive slaves
and that, without it, the slaveholding States
would not have entered into the Union. No
candid reasoner will controvert the proposition
that it is binding alike npon the States as sover-
eigns, upon their officers, executive, Judicial and
ministerial; upon voluntary associations Of per-
sous, and upon each individual citizen of the
United States. Hence, any obstruction to the
recovery Of fugitive slaves, EN- mating from any
one Of those sources, involves its infrdcton. At
IN early period in the history Of the Contedera
ton, the Congress of the United St4tes bcliev-
ing tn 1t the character OF orr people furn shell
abundant gu rlntee Of fidelity to the compact,
enacted law devoving upon the several State
au hOrzes the duty of carrying it into effect
and the event justified the confidence reposed =
Those were the purer days of the Republic,
Ill.
Then, the Constitution of the United States rs
it is in theory, the fundamental law of the land,
was recognized rs the paramount obligation be-
tween st ties and individuals. Buta new school
of political ethics has arisen in the land a
school affecting morality purer than that of the
! Apostle Paul, who sent back the abscondinI
Onesmus to his m ,ster; philanthropy more
sublimated than that Of the Angel who, meet
ing the fugitive Hagar in the wilderness, said
unto her, "return to thy mistress, and submit
myself under her hand" Under the auspices
# this school, new doctrines have been pro-
mulgated, public opinion perverted or oyerawed,
the arm of the law paral yzed, and even the re-
cords of certain Suites dshonored by enact.
nents prohibiting that to be done which the
Constitution commands
The act of 1893, pissed in good faith, has
long ceased to be etfectual. The South, patient
under this grevious wrong, and still with defer.
red hope clingng to the Union, was content to
demand such additional legislation. us would
devolve upon Federal officers and agents, respon-
sible to Federal authorities, the enforcement Of
right. The present Congress has responded TO
this demand in 4 tardy but full measure Of just
ice. At length all of practical detail, and Of
penal sanction, necessary to the execution of
constitutional law is to be found in the statute
book. .Noc, is the grand test to be applied,
whether or not, in this age of advanced civilian
f ton, and in this boosted model republic, law
is potent for the protection of right, clearly de-
fined, and solemnly guaranteed by a writ n
constitution. If not, The experiment has fuiled
We draw no haSty conclusions from the
clamor raised against this law, by the wicked
authors Of the mischief it was intended to rem
edy, not yet from their show of torcible resist
ance to its execution. We will predicate no ex-
IRENE action upon their measures Of repeal or
Of modification From such sources we antic-
pated such demonstrations. We hail, with un-
affected pleasure, growing indications, that where
the greatest opposition exists, conservative men,
worthy sons of patriot sires, are organizing
, against these contemners of law and order, are
rallying to the rescue of the imperiled Union
There exists the real disafiection to it, and there
g must the struggle for its preservation be made.
Calmly awaiting the issue, its friends at the
South will recognise as brethren, its true defrn-
ders at the North
; But let them give heed to the warning voice
Of one Of the Old Thirteen. She would say to
them, - Be not deceived the destiny o.. the Union
, is in your hands. Awake from your fatal dream
i, OF security In the integrity fyour patriotism,
and the strength of united action, rsc up against
this disorganzing heresy. Assemble in the
= venerated hall wherein yolr foreflthrrs and our
V fu.efathers together signed the Constitution, and
- redeem the CITY OF BRoTHERLY LOVE from the
=, rcprouch of nourishng its foe. Go up The Tam
~ many and the Tabernacle, and expel from the
) NATIONAL EMPORIUM the genius of dscord. Con-
{ venc in the-honored Fancu, aud in the name of
y Washington, exercise the evil spirit from the
iCRADLE OF AMERICAN LIBERTY. Everywhere,
; E st, North, West, decree its Punishment from
= the high places Of power. You o,ce The country
y this luStrMiOn AS for Georgia. her chOjce is fra
ternty and Union, with constitutional rights
. her alternative srlt-prcscrvntoH, by all the means
) which a tavorng providence may place mt her
= disposal.
j. TO the end, therefore, that the position of this
y, State may be crar Y unprecedented By her con.
y tederatcs Of the Sonth unl Of the North, and
= that she may be bIa,neess Of all future conse-
=, lucnces--
y BE- ReSolred By The people of G%orgin in co1-
t. uention ASSEMBLED lst~ Thtt we mold the Ameri-
> can Union, secondary in importance only to the
:, rights and principles it was designed to per-
, prtuatc. That past associations, present trui-
tor, and future prospects, will bind us to it so
long ~ it continues to be tho safeguard Of those
rights aud principles.
. Secondly. That if the thirteen original par
y ties to the contract, bordering the Atlantic Il
! narrow belt, while their sep rate interests were
in embryo, their peculiar tendencies scarcely de-
veIoprd, their revolutionary trials and trumphs,
still green in memory, found Union impossible
without Compromise, the thirty-One Of this day,
may well yield somc What, i'll the conf ct of
opinion and policy, to preserve that Union which
has extended the sway Of republican govern
mrnt over vast wilderness, to another ocean
and proportionally advanced their civilization
and national greatness.
+, Thirdly, That in this spirit, the State of
Georgia has maturely considered the action Of
Congress embracing Il series Of measures for the
admission Of California into the Union, the or.
ganzation of territorial government for Utah
and New Mexico. the establishment of II boun-
Diary between the latter and the State Of Texas,
the oppression of the slave trade in the Dis
trict of Columbia and the extradition Of fngi-
tive slaves, and CONNECTED with them) the re-.
lection Of propositions to exclude slavery from
the Mrxic territories, and to abolish it in the
District Of Columbia and whilst she does not
wholly approve, will abide by it rs IL permanent
adjustment Of this sectional controversy
Fourthy, That the State of Georgia, in the