The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-12-03

ne "a instant, duuIcSstu W Hlh, GU
losing several slips from newspapers in
e(erence to the proceedings of portion
Il the community Of Boston on the sub
ect of the Fugitive Slave law, was re-
,eived by him yesterday, anG that he has
Iven to the letter and lis enclosures
careful perusal. You state in substance
hat you arc owner of Crafts, one of the
Tuutive slaves for whom warrants of ar
rest were issued in Boston, and call the
attention to the enclosed slips,
taken mostly from northern papers, by
which he will perceive the manner IN
which your agents were received and |
treated, for merely asking that the slaves |
be returned according to the laws fihe |
United Sta,es-that they have been ar
rested under various warrants, aud on
other frivolous pretences, and unreason-
able bail demanded, aid that your
friends have become their sureies foI
more ,han 100000. You also say that
many cases in which officers have not
done their duty, viii appear by The slips
and that the warrants now lie dead in
Mnrshal's office. You then speak of the
pernicious effect of such proceedings,
and Of their tendency to disturb the
harmony Of the Union. and Of the great
importance of having the law faithfully
executed and you finally enquire wheth-
er it is not in the power, and is not the
intention, of the Executive Of the Uni
ted States to cause that law 10 be faiih>
fully and properly enforced.
TO this, the President directs me to
reply, that YOU cannot be more deeply
impressed than he is with the Importance
of having every law faithfully executed.
Every statute in this country, passed in
accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution, must be presumed to en-
BODY the will Of majority of the peo-
pie Of the Union, and as such is entitled
to the respect and obedience Of every
true American citizen, and the Con-
slitution which the President has sworn
10 support has made it his especial duty
to take care that the laws be faithful,
executed. lie has no thought Of shrink.
ing from his duty in this or any other
case, but will, to the utmost Of his abil
Ity, firmly and faithfully perform it bnt
how is he to cause the laws to bo execu
tedl First, by appointing proper ofli'
GERS to fill the various offices, and dis
charge their various functions with dill
gence and idelily,-and if any shall b,
found incompetent or unfaithlul, by re
moving them, where he has the power o
removal, and appointing more compelen
and faithful officers in their places-anc
secondly, in extreme cases, whenever tn
laws of the United States shall be op
posed or the execution thereof lie OBJ
slrucled, in any State, by combination
too powerful TO be suppressed by the or
dinary course ofjudicial proceedings, o.
by powers vested in civil officers, will
powers which the law authorizes and re
quires them to call to their aid, it woulC
be his duty 20 call forth the Militia, anl
use the Army and Navy, for the purpose
OF overcoming such lorcible combina
tions against the laws-but, in cithe
case, prudence aud justice require tha
there should be more satisfactory evi
dence of official Delinquency or lorcibl,
resistance than mere rumor or newspape
statements, and yet these are all whicl
have been furnished in this case. If am
Marshal neelecls to perform his duty, tn,
law gives the right of action TO The az
grieyed party for the injury which he ma
sustain; aud he refuse or wilfully neg
icct to perform it, when this shall bt
satisfactorily made To appear to the Pres
ident, then, in addition Ia his liability t.
the aggrieved party, ii would doubles
be the duty of the Executive to remoy,
him from office and appoint another il
his place. But your letter contains ne
proof of this kind, and, therefore, Seems
10 require no action.
1t is equally clear thl, no case is pre-
senied juslliying a call upon the miliii;
or the use of the army TO execute th,
laws and the President has SO much
confidence in the patriotism and devotion
10 the laws which has alaays character,
iz-d a large majority OF the people u
Boston, that he cannot for amument be
leve that il will ever be necessary tC
call in any extraordinary aid to execute
the laws in that city. Individuals may
become excited, and may, in the heat o.
the moment, offer resistance 10 The laws
: but he has no doubt that in such al
event, SO much TO be regretted, the goot
sense of the community would soon rally
to support the civil anihoriles, aud thai
those sustaining the law would triumph
but he directs me to assure you, thai
il uuloriUuately he should liud himsel