The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-11-24


but 20 OF constitutional emancipation itself
Since the agitation commenced, the slave has been de-
pryed Of many privileges which he formerly enjoyed be
Of the Stern necessity thus imposed upon master
10 provide for his personal safely aud that OF bis family
The free negro, for the same overriding reason, 10
threatened with expulsion from the land OF his nativity in
the South and there strong Indications IN several Of
the northern States that Ley will refuse TO afford him an
asylum, ,
by The agitation II eflto lis constitutional and natural
course laws ere this would most probably have existed
Tor the gradual abolition OF slavery In the States oil Mary
land, Virginia, Kentucky. and Missouri The current o.
public opinion ranging strongly IN that direction be-
fore the abolition excitement commenced. especially In
Virginia There measure having directly ~ we" The
gradual abolition OF saye-oiefed, too by me grandson
OF Thomas Jeie son--came within voie II my memo
y me- oil passing the house oil delegates Through
out Virginia. well as in the other three States which
have mentioned. there was then powerful, influential
and growing party in favor Of gradual emancipation,
cheeed TO exerion by the brightest hopes Of success
What has now become OF this party II has gone i 10
numbered with the things that have been The niereI
ence OF northern fanatics with the institution OF slavery
in the South has excited and exaspefalcd the people,
that there is mp in that region now bold enough TO
utter sentiment in favor OF gradual emancipation The
efforts OF the aboiionss have long, very long, post
poned the day OF emancipation in these States Through
out the grazing slave States powerful causes were
duced gradual emancipation. These have been counter
by the violence and folly Of the aboltioniss They
have done minnie mischief They have not only brought
the Union into imminent peril but they have inflicted The
avowed objects Of their regard
Let me, then, call upon your powerful and influential
meeting, as they value the union oil these Safes, the
greatest political blessing conferred by bountiu
Providence upon manas they value the well-being OF
the slave and tree negro-as they value even the cause OF
regular and constitutional maIcpatioo exert all their
energies to put down The long continued agitation in the
North against slavery in the South Is unreasonable
that the South should make this demand The agitation
has reached such height that the southern people feel
their personal security to be involved II has filled the
minds OF the slaves with vague notions oil emancipation
and in the language OF General Jackson, threatens to
stimulate them 10 Instruction and produce all the horrors
OF seryie war; Although any such attempt on their part
would be easily and speedily suppressed yet what horrors
might not in the mean time be perPerated Many
mother reres to rest at night under dreadful appe
tensions OF what may bea herself and her family before
the morning Self-presevation is the first instinct OF ma
ture; and therefore any state o society N which NE
heads of the people must, al lat, become ntoerabe
Judge correctly Of relative duties towards the PEG
s,on and DO unto them as we would they should do unto
us under similar circumstances This Is the golden rule
was under IFS benign influence that constitution OF
mutual compromise and concession was framed, and by
the same spirit alone be maintained Dothe people
OF the North act in this Christian spirit whilst sgmatzng
their brethren of the South with the harshest ethets and
impung to them high degree OF moral guilt because
slavery has been enaled upon them by their
and this too, with knowledge that the consequences OF
these assaults must be to place IN peril their personal
safety and that OF all they hold most dear on earth re-
peat that this constant agitation must be arrested BY the
firm determination and resolute action OF the vast majority
the people of the North who are known to disaprove
the sacrifice OF glorious Union may and probably
will be at last the consequence
! shall proceed to present to you some views upon
the subject Of the much fugitive
law Ii evident, from all the signs OF the times,
that this destined TO become the principal subject OF
agitation the next session OF Congress- and 10 take the
place OF the Wlmot Proviso It's total repeal OF Its ma
teral modification will henceiorward be the batte-cry oil
the agitatoroof the North.
And what is the character OF this law 1t passed
TO carry into execution plain. clear and mandatory pro-
~ nfIon uutrIuU
who fly from service in State TO another shall De de-
ivered up to their masters This provision Is so explicit
that he who runs may read No commentary can presen
il in stronger light than the plain words OF the consi
tuition IL is well-known historical fact that without
this provision the constitution itself could never have
existed How could this have been olhefwlsef s, Is J
would have formed union with the free States II under
it their slaves. by simply escaping across the boundary
Sa Ths woud haye been to offer an irresistible
temptation to all the slaves OF the South 10 preciptaie
themselves upon the North The federal constitution
therefore. recognises in the cearest and most emphatic
terms the property in slaves and protects this property
by prohibiting any State into which slave might escape
from dischang him from slavery. and by requiring thai
he shall be delivered up 10 his master
But say the agtators the fugitive slave law, framed
for the very purpose OF carry into effect express pro-
vision Of the constitution is itself unconstitutional.
this TO be wholly UNNECESSARY The law in every one o.
its essential provisions, is the very same law which was
passed in February. 1793 BY Congress- many OF whose
framed the federal constitution, and approved by the
Father Of his Country. II this be 30, il may be asked,
whence the necessity oil passing III epresent awi Why
not rest upon the act OF 1898 This question is easily
answered The act OF 1893 had intrusted It's
tion only the judges of the circuit and district
OF the United States but 10 all State magistrates OF
any county, city, town corporate. The decision OF
the Supreme Court OF the United States in the OF
Prgg Us. the Commonwealth OF Pennsyvan deprived
these State magistrates OF the power OF acting under the
law. What the consequence Let us take the State
OF Pennsylvania for example. There were but three
individuals left in the whole State who could iudcaly
execute the provisions Of the act OF l793tbe circuit
Judge and the two district judges Two OF these judges
side in Philadelphia, and OF them at Pttsburg-a DIS
lance OF more than three hundred miles apart II Is
manifest therefore, tina, the law in many-indeed 10
mos-cases could moi have been executed, for want OF
officers at hand II thus became absolutely neces.
say for Congress provide United States officers TO take
the place OF the State who had been superseded
Without this constitutional right would have existed
with no adequate OF enforcing IL The fugitive
slave bill passed chiefly to remedy this defect and
whose powers had been nulfed under the decision OF
the Supreme Court
II is worthy OF remark that several OF northern
legislatures awaiting themselves OF the decision OF the
Supreme Court, and under the deep excitement produced
by the agitation Of the Wmo Proviso, passed laws i'm
posing obstacles TO the execution OF the provisions Of the
constitution for the restoration Of fugitive slaves am
sorry very sorry that Pennsylvania among thu
number By our act OF I'd March, fsd7, the o
public as is denied for the safe custody oil the fus
ve and The jailer who shall offend against this provis
ion Is deprived OF his Office, and 10 punishable with
heavy fine and disqualification ever again TO hold sim
liar Office
The two principal objections urged against the fugitive
slave law are that will promote kidnapping and that
L. w~. Al -r-l L. - Al a -. -.