Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-11-28


Zoe. paper conducted with great discretion and
ability in the general, has taken ground against the
fugitive slave hill and denounced 1t as an tsodious
law" 1t is true the editor does not advocate
forcibie resistance to the law but he goes for Ell
Their repeal Of the act or s:such modification OF
it as will coincide with the progress Of the age and
be alike honorable to humanity" His objections
to it are summed up in the following paragraph:
awe have nothing to say against the constitution
atty OF the fugitive slave law. Able jurists have
pronounced il constitutional. Were ii only re-
enact ment of its prototype of 1885, the friends oil
progressive liberty would not have so much to
complain of, but when we see the features of that
law SO marred as to compel freemen to become
slave cachers. and to create new officers and offer
them rewards for hunting up poor fugitives, some
of HON have lived in Free States long enough TO
raise up large families and accumulate by their
industry handsome property, and drag them pack
to slavery, the bright hore that this curse VIII
| ever be remofed grows fainter and fainter every
| day. Our only ground of hope is that God has
purposes OF mercy in store for us as nation, and
that although those engaged in the perpetuaton OF
slavery may suffer- He will, in his own good time,
raise up some deliverer. or infuSe such spirit m
| to the Southern body polite as to influence the
Pharoahs there to break every chain and let their
slaves go fee"
The objections, that Jjreemen are compelled to
become slave catchers, results from the fact that
some freemen have first chosen to become slave
stedlers. II these same freemen had not intermed-
died with the slave property OF the South, there
would have been no necessity for the law. VIII
| the editor be good enough to inform his readers
how fugitive slaves to be reclaimed, under
any law that can be devised, except through the in
| strumentaiity of these same freemen of whom he
speaks. We think the Hapk-Eye has adopted a
very poor course of argument, to induce the
Southern .sPharoahS to break every chain and let
their slaves go Free"
We have one word of admonition to our friend
OF the Ha,ck-Eyc. The day that witnesses the re-
peat Of this law, will witness the deathkne of the
Union. Let those, therefore, whose sympathies
are so keeny excited In behalf of fugitive slaves,
count well the cost before they venture SO haz-
ardous an experiment.
The above is taken from the St Louis Intelligent
Ger Of the 18th inst. We esteem the editor of the
Intelligencer, and think he makes that paper, in
the main, very able and efficient journal; hnt on
the subject which introduces him at this time to
our readers, of the opinion, that, viewing it
through slave-state lens, his vision is somewhat
befogged. He does not surely mean that all the
slaves to be found in free states were stolen and
brought there by freemen! His language, how
ever, imports this. His request that we should
give information how fugitive slaves are to be re-
claimed, is somewhat unfair, and places akin to
the position once occupied by Tom Corwin. Mr.
c. was hardly pressed by an opponent on the
stump. After answering all his arguments tri-
hear Cs views on the slavery question. 1t was q
mixed audience, and Mr. c. knew it. He knew
that to commit himself on either side might de-
stroy his election. He put on a most comical
look, and good naturedly appealed to the audience
to decide if it was not too bad for one of his
plerion to be called to define his position on
such subject. The laugh was turned on his COM
petitor and Corwin won the race. The editor
knows our complexion on this subject, and to call
on US to turn informsr and show the best way to
catch runaway slaves, is very singular. AS to in
fuencing tie Pharaohs in the least to break a sim
gle chain, we assure the editor, we did not dream
of such thing. We alluded to an infinitely more
potential influence than ours to effect that.
The last paragraph from the Intelligencer must
be answered seriously. We have had to combat
the same language precisely in another quarter
We consider his admonition libel on our free in
situations. No repeal can take place without the
aid of constitutional majority. Is it possible,
then. that the prevalence of the eoses jesceI set
in the framework Of our government, can, in
itself. become the ssdeath-knell Of the Union ?''-
Fanatics at the South and North have often sung
such requiems 10 the Union in advance Of wha,
never took place. Such discordant music such a
uoAeiui hey ho'e-heSer oiu, anu we nope never
will, find chord in the great American heart to
vibrate in unison with its chaotic tones. Such a
statement is doubtless a thoughtless threat. Its
reception as truth would uproot all confidence in
the stability of our government. Under the Cir
cumstances it should be viewed only as harmless
threat. AS such we look upon it, believing tina,
the author, as he is good whig, is as willing as
we are to abide the will of the majority, when tits
constitutionally expressed.