The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-03-22


,onnexIon and patriotic love and mutual re-
rard. | shall bestow little attention, sir. /
lpnn these various grievances produced on
he one side and on the other. begin with
The comolants of the South. | will not an
swer, further than have, the general state
ments of the honorable Senator from South
Carolina, that the North has grown upon
the South in consequence OF the manner OF
this Government, in the col
Letting of its revenues, and SO forth. Ihey
are disputed topics. and have no inclination
to enter into them. But | will state these
especially one compl int OF the
South, which has in my opinion just founda-
ton; and that is that there has been found at
the North, among individuals, among the leg
islators of the North. Discrimination to per-
form fully their constitutional duties nregurd
to the return ofpersons bound to service who
have escaped into the free States. In that
respect it i my judgment that the South Is
right and the North is wrong. Every mem
Der of every Northern Legislature is bound
by oath 10 support the constitution OF the
United States; aud tins article of the cunsti-
tuition, which says to these States they shall
deliver up tugIives from service, is as bind
ing in honor and conscience as any other ar
licle. No man fulfs his duty in any Legls-
lature who sets himself TO find excuses, eva
sions, escapes from this constitutional duty.
have always thought that the constitution
addressed itself TO the Legislatures OF the
States themselves or to the States them
selves. 1t says that those persons escaping
to other States shall he delivered up. and |
confess ] have always been of the opinion
that it was an Injunction upon the States
themselves. When it is said that person
escaping INTO another State, and becoming
therefore within the jurisdiction that State,
shall be delivered up, it seems to me the i'm
port OF the passage Is, that the State itself.
In OBJ dence to the constitution shall cause
him TO be delivered up. That is my judg-
ment. have always entertained it. and
entertain it now. But when the subject, some
years ago. was before the Supreme CourI of
the United States, the majority ofthe judges
held that The power to Cause iugliveS rom
service 10 be delivered up was Il power to be
exercised under the authority of this Govern
ment. do Dot know on the whole that it MAY
not have beUna fortunate decision. My habit is
TO respect the result of judicial deliberations
and the SOlemnlty OF judicial decisions. But,
lis it now stands the business OF seeing that
these lugitives are delivered up resides IN the
power of Congress aud the national judlca-
lure. and my friend at the head Of the Judi
Cary Committee has Il bill on the subject
now before the Senate. with some amend
ments 10 it. which propose 10 support with
all It's provisions to the fullest extent. And
| desire 10 call the attention OF all sober
minded men. oil all Conscientious men i'll the
/ North, ul all men whe are not carried away
/ by any ianatcal idea or by any false idea
whatever 10 their constitutional obligations.
! | put it 10 all the sober and sound minds al
the North us Il question OF morals and ques-
/ I'll,
4 in their legislative capacity, or any other, TO
endeavor to get round this constitution. to
embarrass the free exercise of the rights Sc
cured by the constitution % the persons
whose slaves escape from them? None at
all; none at all. Neither in the forum OF
conscience nor before the face of the con-
stitutIon are they justified, in my opinion
OF course it is a matter for their consideration.
! They probably, in the turmoil oil the times,
have not stopped to consider OF this; they
have followed what seems 10 be the current
of thought and of motives for the occasion,
and the neglect 10 investigate fully the real
question: and to consider their constitutional
obligations; as | am sure, If they did consider
they would fulfil them with alacrity. There
fore, | repeat, sir, that here is ground OF
complaint against the North well founded,
which ough. to be removed, which it is now
in the power of the different departments of
this Government to remove; which calls for
the enactment of proper laws authorizing the
iudcature of this Government i'll the sever
al States to do all that is necessary for the
recapiure of fugitive slaves. and for the res
loration of them to those who claim them
Wherever go, and whenever speak on the
sutherland when | speak here | desire to
speak to the whole NORTH say that the
South has been injured in this respect, and
has ii right to complains and the North has
been too careless Of what think the consti-
tuition peremtorily and emphatically enjoins
upon it as duty.
Complaint has been made against certain
resolutions that emanate from Legislatures at
the North a I'd are sent here TO Us. not only
on the subject OF slavery in this District but
sometimes recommending Congress to consld-
er the means of abolishing slavery in the
States. | should be sorry to be called upon
10 present any resolutions here which could
not be reterable to any committee or any
power in Congress, and therefore. should
he unwilling TO receive from The Legislature
oil Massachusetts any instructions to present
resolutions expressive Of any opinion what
ever on the subj ct of slavery. for Two rea-
SONS ; because. first, do uotconsider that the
! Legislature of Massachusetts has anything
to do with it; and next | do not consider that
|, as her representative here, have anything
to do with it. Sir it has become, in my opin-
ion, quite 100 common. and, if the Legisla-
lures OF the States do not like it, they have ii
great deal more power to put it down., than
have 10 uphold it. Ii has become, III my
opinion, quite too common practice for the
State Legislatures to present resolutions here
Oh all Subjects and TO instruct US here on all
subjects. There is 10 public man that re-
quIres instruction more than do or who de-
slres 1T more heartily; hut do not like to
have it come in quite too imperative shape.