The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-12-28

lead men aslray IRON The pan straightforward, Heaven
The fugitive slave law gentlemen is one OF that series
OF measures devised by the wisdom OF Congress- at its
late session. to restore hat harmony and good feeling
which ought to subsist between the several States OF the
union utwhich unhappy has been disturbed Whether
that disturbance was upon grounds oil real or ianced
wrongs Is immaterial lt is enough 70 know mat i
threatened the peace not the very continuance oi the
Union and that this law passed one OF the great
remedial measures required BY the exgency ofthe times
You know that the Constitution allows the owner OF
fugitive slave 10 recapture him in any State OF the
Union Without that constitutional guaranty, the owner
would have such right; without il. the States would
stand upon their sovereignty and neither comfy the
law of nations would require them, and Congress could
not require them to allow such captures The States are
sovereign in every particular, save those in which they
have parted with their sovereignty to the general govern
ment The Union has no inherent sovereign power; It's
only soyeeigntyis tina. conferred upon BY the States
and limited and defined in the constitution.
II the federal or general government had never been
created, and the States had remained as sovereign
they were when they renounced colonial dependence
upon Great Britain, there would have been right ex
listing among the citizens OF the several States 10 follow
their fugitive slaves beyond the borders OF the State
the border he would have been free His recapture
would not have been allowed by any municipal law, and
could not have been claimed upon any recognised pnc
pie Of International law He would have stood, for the
purpose Of illustration, on the footing Of fugitive from
justice who only be reclaimed the basis Of treaty
stpnlatons, may be surrendered in the exercise
OF sovereign discretion. in countries governed by the
common law, that sovereign discretion can only be
eynced by way Of legislation. Thus the matter stands
in the eye OF the law OF nations.
The federal constitution is 10 certain extent modih
cation OF the law Of nations in its application to the States
These two very matters OF the extradon of fugtyes
from Justice and from labor are as you perceive, modi
cations of thai law. 1T nothing had been said in the con-
sttuton about them, no demand for either kind OF fng
tive could have beea maintained upon any known and
recognised principle Of law The right to make i right
was created by the constitution. 1t OF the
promises upon which that instrument founded, and
without which might we'll have been that the arng and
clashng interests Of 80 many States differing from each
and in the various physical and moral necessities result
ing from these. could never have been reconcied Those
compromises the very consideration if may SO ex
press myself oil the constitution they the price, so 10
say which great interest paid TO another Tor its
10 the constitution as whole.
And 10 be told at this time oil day, after eype.
encing the blessings conferred upon By this sacred
bond OF our national unty-after enjoying an internal
peace among ourselves and an external respect from the
nations OF the earth such as s enjoyed BY no other ma
ton, and for which, under Heaven, we indebted
solely that matchess nsrument-are we TO be told
that those compromises OF the constitution are OF no au
horty THAT laws passed in the regular way to enforce
them unconstitutional and void !--that there Is a
higher law behind these solemn national acts greater and
more binding than they, and which absoyes men from
their obedience to the constitution and the laws!
Gentlemen, ii this perncious and accursed sentiment
should take possession Of the popular mind we would
have reached the last hours OF the republic. There
are traiorous miscreants among the people IN certain
sections who, in the face OF God and man, take
upon themselves TO teach these abomnable doc
nes and there honest thousandsnay, perhaps tens
OF thousandso misguided men who have given 10 them
an almost anaical reception. Scarcely month has
passed since upon the soil OF Pennsylvania, and in the
presence Of hundreds Of her citizens, has been pro-
claimed without rebuke that the constitution was an in
strument OF hell and the Union compact with the devil
il has been resolved epudiae and resist by what these
wreched pen call all righteous MEANS the fugltive-slave
While this spirit is developing itself in the North there
not wanting al the opposite extremity of the Union
leaders who are precisely as wicked, followers VINO are
olxfa ffraI
perverted conscience of the northern traitor the frantic
ambition of the southern traitor, directed with differ
ent objects TO the same end both are ready 70 rse men
extremes of sentiment. however, we may thank God that
the mighty, overwhelming mass oil public opinion is un.
tainted BY the madness OF either And yet how fearful
is TO think that large pares formidable by their energy
activity and zeal, constantly agiiatng measures on
one the other side, ayowedy directed towards the dis
rupton Of the federal compact Let US hope tha me
the womb Of time let pray that they may be its latest
as they will be its most hideous birth.
Whilst sentiments and projects such as have ad-
yerted TO are here and there acquiring local force strong
enough to awaken apprehension in the hearts OF the
sisesl and best citizens II may be well Tor those who
have not given the subject much reflection to bethink
themselves OF the duty and allegiance they owe TO the
constitution and laws Of the land know that the exist
Of slavery universally depored by the good people
OF this State They regard II with an almost instructive
horror but with inclination whatever TO interfere with
il in any State where il may be established by law. The
abolition OF slavery within her own limits was one OF the
earliest, IL was one of pouucs
independence OF our noble Commonwealth She goes no
further than that It's her plain duty not TO interfere
with other Sntes, and she does not do H. This 10 the at
ttude OF the people and government ol Pennsylvania
upon this exciting question: regarded in their relation TO
the other States.
But there sometimes occurs within our territory an at
tempt by citizens OF other States enforce the right oil
recaptung their fugitive slaves And il is particularly to
the duties OF the citizens upon such occasions at
would call their attention
The fugitive-save law provides the legal machinery
for carrying into effect the constitutional provision with
regard to fugitives from labor As TO the constitutional
y Of that law in all provisions s enough 2 say tnas
il passed through the seveest ordeal Of Criticism while
il was before the Senate and House OF Representatives,
where all these objections were made and refued We
have Published opinion OF the Attorney General oil the
United States taken by the President airmng us con-
sttuhonality in every particular and we have tne con-
curing opinions to the effect oil every justice OF the
Supreme Court OF the United States, judically pro-
nounced who has been called upon to act under the law
One would think this enough to satisfy the tender
est conscence but persons who set up their conscience
against the law most generally use II as mere preex
to cover up the crime Of their disloyalty !,
In view Of all this concurrng authority no honest ana
sane man can affirm that be believes the law to be
constitutional Be mems scruples, however, what they
may, this will afford them Justification Tor resistance
to this law II is the law of the andsupreme and para
mount every State constitution, and over every State
enactment that in any particular conflicts with IT'S pro
visions Il has this supreme authority BY virtue Of the
federal constitution itself @fer
What is the plain duty Of the citizen, when such law
Is sought to be enforceda law carrying INTO enect one OF
the leading compromises OF the constitution Need say
To that intelligent grand inquest that 10 his duy on h
allegiance 10 his country TO put no obstacle IN ne way o