The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-15


from this quarter, and that the Fillmore and
Webster administration, even with his help and
that of his associate Dickinson aided by the
vast patronage of the General Government cen
tered in this city, cannot expect TO rule in the
State of New York. 3D.. 8 .....
We have here chronicled 4 series of events
some of them nominally Democratic defeats
but all of them virtually defeats Of the Wing
administration and its allies. w
Nor so FAsT!-Great exertions are made by
the Southern Press and other affiliated ultr0s to
show that the enforcement of the Fugitive slave
law has utterly faiLed and that, according to our
declaration on this subject, we are bound to re-
gard the Compromise as violated, and the South
bound to resist. How has it failed? No ener-
getic efforts have been made to enforce it any.
where, except in Boston, which have not sue
ceeded and even in Boston the gentlemen who
sought to recover Crafts and his wife managed
their business very bunglingly, and seem to
have acted under much trepidation, or very I'M
skilful advice. Is such a negligent proceeding
to be called failure? No Legislative body at
the North has interfered; no governor, Judge, or
other responsible functionary, has been called
on, or refused to act The President himself
Processes to be ready to cooperate, but alleges
piled to for that purpose aud in The absence of
all these evidences Of failure, we are asked to
pronounce the Compromise humbug and the
Fugitive slave law "dead letter" 1t would
be quite as wise and rational to pronounce the
law failure because the Abolitionists and free
negrUes have denounced it. Let it be fairly and
etfecuay tried; and if it fails. after the Judge,
marshal, and President have cndeavored to exc
cute it, or refused t. aid, then call it failure
d not before. Is n single case, in u single
city, without thorough exerlions to serve the
process, to he taken as a proof that all Other
cases, differently and more ski!fullv conducted,
will end in the SAME manner? We presume
few persons are 80 rerdint rs the editors of the
Press suppose. v it'll these gentlemen the
wish is father to the thought" They have
hoped prayed, and prophesied this law should
be a fiiue; and if they are either "prophets
or the sons of prophets why should not their
predictions be verified They have said IL, and
so it must be! did | say" remarked the
jockey, that the horse was serenteen feet hign,
stand by it if die" This is in the accommo
dating spirit of The crolking uAras.-Un
Did not the Union say that the Fugitive
slave bill nas e6icienl' And if it did, will it not
stand by it!
But the Union then thought that something
more was required, and called for proclamation
at least from the President, and told one or two
" interesting anecdotes" of the President but
could not get'a proclamation out of him.
AT last the Republic condcscended to come
out, and to say that the marshal, or somebody
ought to make explanations And now the
Union climbs down, and tells US the reason the
law was not executed in Boston was, because
" the gentlemen who sought to recover Crafts
and his wife, managed their business rery bung-
ingly, and seem to haze acted under much trppida-
ton, or uery unskiIul adpise. Is such q negligent
proceeding to be called a failarc." We thought
that the Union had already exhausted its re-
sources of folly and bubble. But the stock is
inexhaustible. The Republic wants to make
the marshal the scape-goat for the sin of North
ern defiance; the Union tries to make the claim
ants, and inficts on them the superadded eal-
umny Of coacartlicc and stupidity. Now we have
read all the accounts Of that transaction with
attention, and we are happy to bear testimony
to the propriety, GOODNESS, courage and rectitude
of the course the claimants took. They went
to Boston, made the application according to
law, and the warrants were duly handed to the
marshal They were never executed. But the
claimants were arrested repeatedly on frivolous
pretexta and held to bail, which was given
They were menaced with violence by mobs
They stood thoir ground-and never retreated
On one occasion the hackmaa took fright and
drove Off to Cambridge with ono OF them,
contrary to his orders And Is soon as lie
could stop the hack, he got out, and by his
courage repealed the pursuers and returned to
the city. And they both remained there for
several days, until it was demonstrated that il
was unpracticable for the uaa.slal TO serve tn.
warrant in consequence Of the resistance Of the
Populace, aud the apathy or sympathy of the
local authorities. And then, and not till then,
the claimants left
This attempt of the Union to vindicate the
efficiency of the law by disgracing the claimants,
is the shabbiest thing we have seen yet. It is
worse even than the conduct of tho Boston mob.
Equally ridiculous is the suggestion in the same
paper Of yesterday, that the claimants ought to
have sued magi ,trates and sherilIs for false i'm
prisonment Having commenced one suit on n
rightful claim, and been punished for it by three
suIts and arrests against themselves, these men
arp now told they ought TO have commenced sir
sails Ianra And in q Dlace where thay could