Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-12-05
BURLINGTON HAWK-EYE.
From the Atlanta (Ga.) Intelligence Nov. IS.
By slip from Macon, received this evening, VI
are in receipt Of the following
Letter from the President.

From the Atlanta tGa., Intelligence, Nov. IS.
By slip from Macon, received this evening, we
are in receipt Of the following
Letter from the President.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, I
-.~@ Washington, November 9, 1850.
ROBERT COLLINS, MACON, GA.-Sir:-l am IN
structed by the President to inform you that your
letter Of the I'd inst addressed to him, enclosing
several slips from newspapers in reference to the
proceedings of portion OF the community in Bos-
ton, on the subject of the fugitive slave law, was
received by him yesterday and that he has given to
the letter and its enclosures, careful perusai.
You state, in substance, that you are the owner
of Crafts one of the fugitive slaves for which war
rants of arrest issued in Boston, and call the
Presidents attention to the enclosed slips taken
mostly from Northern papers, by which he will
perceive the manner in which your agents were re-
ceiyed and treated for merely asking that the slaves
be returned according to the laws OF the U. States
That they have been arrested under various war
rants, as kidnappers, and on other frivolous pre-
fences and unrea enable bail demanded; and that
your friends have become sure,ies for more than
$4,000.
You also say, that the manner in which the Off
GERS have performed their duties will appear byth
slips, and that the warrants now lie dead in the
Marshal'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 exc
cuted, and finally, inquire sswhether 1t is not IN
the power, and is not the intention Of the Execu-
tive Of the United States to cause that law to be
faithfully 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 constiu-
ton, must be presumed to embody the will of
majority Of the people of the Union; and as such,is
entitled to the respect and obedience of every true
American citizen; and the constitution, which the
President has sworn to support, has made 1t his
special duty sto take that the laws be faithful
ly executed" He has no thought of shrinking
from his duty in this or any other case but will,
to the utmost of his ability firmly and faithfully
perform it.
But how is he to cause the laws to be executed
First, by appointing proper officers to ill the var-
Gus offices and discharge the various functions with
diligence and fidelity; and If any shall be found in
competent or unfaithful, by removing them. where
he has the power ofremov a,-and appointing more
competent and faithful officers in their place. And
secondly, in extreme ases, sswhenever the laws OF
the United States shall be opposed, or the execu-
ton there Of INSTRUCTED. by combinations too pow
erful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of
judicial proceedings" or by the powers vested in
the civil officers with the posse which the law au-
thorizes and requires them TO call to their aid, 1t
would be his duty to call forth the militia, and the
army and navy for the purpose Of overcoming such
forcible combinations against the laws. But in
either case, prudence and justice require that there
should be more satisfactory evidence OF ofhclal de-
linquency. forcble resistance, than mere rumor.
which have been furnished in this case.
If any Marshal neglect 10 perform his duty, the
law gives right of action to the oggrieved party
for the injury which he may sustaIn and II he re-
fused to perform it, the statute has imposed upon
him a severe penalty. But If he refuse or wilfully
neglect TO perform il, when this shall be satisfac-
torily made to appear to the President, then, in ad
dition to his liability to the aggrieved party, it
would doubtless be the duty OF the Executive to
remove him from office, and appoint another in his
place. But your letter contains no proof of the
kind. ond therefore seems to require no action 1t
is equally clear that no case is justlfying
a call upon the militia, or the use OF the army to
execute the laws, and the President has much
confidence in the patriotism and devotion to the
laws which have always characterized q large ma
jority OF the people of Boston, that he cannot for
moment believe that it will ever he necessary to
call any extraordinary aid to execute the laws in
that community.
individuals may become excited, and may in the
heat Of the moment, offer resistance to the laws,
but he has doubt that in such an event. so much
to be regretted, that the good sense OF the conmu
nity would soon rally to the support of the civil
authorities, and that those who sustain the law
would triumph; but he directs me to assure you,
that il, unfortunately, he shall find himself mis-
taken in this, and the painful necessity should
arise. he is resolved to perform his duty by en-
ploying all the means which the Con stitution and
Congress have placed at his disposal, to enforce
the law.
As to the complaint that your agents were I'M
Justly prosecuted and neiu 10 hall In unreasonable
pretended offences, the President directs me 10
say that however he may regret any such injustice
and incivility, he is not aware that he has the
power to remedy the evil. If the complaints
against your agents be unfounded, the defendants
will doubtless be acquitted, and if malicious, they
have their remedy in action for malicious pros
ecution. But all these are judicial questions over
which the Executive can exercise no control, and
the evil complained Of results from the acknowl-
edged right OF every individual to prosecute any
one for an alleged offence, violation Of right.
The President feels the importance Of avoiding,
as far practicable, all causes Of irritation be-
tween the North and the South, and especially
the exciting subject Of slavery. Were he permit
ted to advise, he would suggest 10 all, the impor-
lance Of permitting the laws to take their usual
course. and that every thing like intimidation and
illegal or unjust annoyance, should be avoided
Every effort should be made to cultivate fraternal
feeling. We should be a people of one interest
and one sentiment, knowing no local division. and
toerating no sectional injustice. Our UNION
dear to the heart of every true American, only
be saved by strict observance Of the Constitution
and an impartial administration of the laws.
lam, sir, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
w. 5. DERRICK,
@ Acting Secretary.