Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-03-23

Wnether there Ilght more
constitution than the right which Southern men have under
Its provisions reclaim their fugitive slaves The second
section of the fourth article OF the constitution reads in these
words
No person held service labor in State under the
laws thereof escaping into another SHALL consequence OF
law regulation heren be discharged from such service
labor but shall be delivered up claim OF the party to
whom such service or labor may be due. =
The Immediately preceding clause of the article (con
Inued Mr.. M is in the following words
CA person charged in any State with resson ielony or
another State SHALL demand OF the Executive authority Of
the State from which he hed be delivered up TO be removed
10 the State having jurisdiction OF the crime"
This right Continued Mr.. NJ. } which Southern man has
claim his property right which has been acknowledged
and acknowledged, by every intelligent man IN the
naton-n the North and in the South. The demand was
to be made upon the State, and demand TO be made
in favor OF the party claiming the property and national
legislation sufficient TO ect it. 1t the duty oil
Northern men cooperate in rendering obedience TO the
provisions Of the constitution The terms Of the section which
relate TO ugves from justice the sameto be delivered
up II is conceded all sides that there has been acques-
cence on the pait of the North the provision respecting
fugitives from justice whilst, in respect to fugives from
labor there has been not only resistance, but also adverse
legislation So far from extending the aid which we had
right TO expect and which fathers who framed the con-
did expect there has been adverse, hostile lega
ton. And the question might be pertineny made why has
there been this difference respect to ugyes rom justice
and fugyes from labor Can be that the North, well
the South interested in recaiming ugityes from lus-
ce whilst the South alone is interested in recamng fugi-
tiyes from labor Mr. Chairman, in order TO show the i'm.
poance of this clause of the constitution, conceded by
the Northern men, will quote short extract from decl-
made by Judge Baldwin in the Of Psg against the
State Of Pennsylvania l6 Peters. It is as follows
q" 1t is historically well known that the clause in the Con-
uton the United States relating persons owing service
and labor State escaping into other States was TO Sc
the citizens Of the ssveholdns States the complete
right and title of ownership in their slaves, property in
State in which they held in eryude The full recogn
ton OF this right aud title indispensable to the security OF
eG as 81 90 laa poPfa M sssas" r e Of s domestic @
rests and institutions, thai cae BE- doubted that const-
Laion coutd hare been formed Its true design to
guard against the doctrines and principles prevailing in the
avehodng States BY preventing them from ntermed-
ding with or obsructng abolshng the rights OF the owners
OF slaves ''P,Tgg Commonwealth ot Pennsylvania l6
Peters, p. $50.
That the doctrine of Judge Baldwin upon that subject
will now read short extract from opnion OF Judge Me-
Lean, given in charge jury during The last fall in holding
his circuit court in Indiana In commenting upon this clause
OF the constitution, he says ..t. ..#....#,a.
"The clause the constitution which has been read and
the act OF Congress IN regard to tugves from labor
tended to the services OF slaves well those OF ap
prenices From The history Of he times se koss the recGg-
nal 10 he adoption Of the constitution and this principle
compromise The compact Of the Uaon 1vas
Donne Hamilton, Circuit Court OF the United States, Dis
trct Of Indiana.
ask, Mr.. Chairman if Northern men will form their
opinions by the judgment OF Northern judges have quoted
TWO VINO agree
in saying that this Fundamental article of the constit
on without the enerattng of which the constitution never
would have been framed ask if there is Northern
bold enough to stand upon this floor and that that fun
damenta article OF the constitution has not been ramped in
the dust Yes; Northern acknowledge it is dead let
ter. And why is tia dead letter Because Of their hostile
and adverse legislation. .>
Mr. GIDDISes n,eposed and asked if the gentleman from
Virginia would permit him to Inquire very respectfully
The CHAIRMAN Does the gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
MoRroS) yield the floor
Mr. MoRToS. My time is very limited.
Mr. GIDDISGs. wished merely 10 ask the gentleman to
any State which has violated that clause of the
stution. 80 ..5@,". Il .,
Mr.. MORTON, (resuming,) 1t would be very difficult to
name any Northern State which has not violated it, You
have violated by mob you have violated by legislation
Mr.. GlnDISGs. Will the gentleman name one State which
has violated it by legislation
Mr.. MORTON. Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachu-
se and many other northern States 1t would be
name the exceptions than 10 the States. trust the
gentleman will not interrupt with such inquiries that,
when the history Of the times stamps truth upon every word
have sa and Northern men, who sunk the depths
OF fanatcisu, acknowledge it. ....
was going 10 ask, If this regarded fundamental
article Of the consution-without which, Northern men
and Northern judges have declared fathers would
have framed that instrumental in this day and this hour
there less need security to the South, for that provi
sion than there when the constitution adopted At
that time the fathers of Northern intended and The
fathers OF Southern expec ed that this provision would
be honestly carried But Of late spirit has this
Southern property; for whatever gentlemen from the North
States hilk upon this question, however they
to the principles avowed in the Declaration of Indepen
dence and appeal the law of Godnether Of which they
read they intended to be ead-the South look upon
their slaves not only persons, but property. Your
fathers acknowledged they property fathers main
ained they property Their descendants know them
be property, guaranteed by the constitution and all they ask
Of Northern men is ideity, honesty in giving that security
which the constitution intended. ask again, with what
counenance Northern on this floor and say
int fha
gresson is the aggression of the South when Northern men
admit that this fundamental clause that it was the
stone Of the constitution That ruthless
hands have nached from under the building and the
sea OF fanaicism No. there is honest Northern man.
whose mind not completely shrouded, who doubt for
moment that Southern rights guaranteed by the const
tuition, have been dsegaded and amped in the dust and
is not in the mouth Northern to say that the South
complains unjusty.
Mr. Chairman, will submit very few remarks up
another question that disturb conscerces of
Northern to such extent that rather not carry
out their purposes, they would convuse the country and dis
solve the Unon refer the abolition of slavery in the
District Of Columbia And here permit to say that this
question which touches the heart and probably the inter
est Of almost every member OF constituency. And did
they but believe that there the be-
fore God could not doub, from the signs before upon
the convenng OF this the the Northern
eoes 10 abolish slavery in this District far the e-
gsatse action Of Congress concerned there would be just
the same determined unanimous resistance at all hazards and
the last extremity, the assault had been directly upon
the institution in the slave States w l.:
s how does this question: stand The District of Co.
arsia ongnsy eedei by the States Of Virginia and
Maryland lying the midst of them--beween them-as
natoual tegis3lJn. as n o