The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-11
From The Boston Daily Adpertiser Of Nepember 8.
Threatened Resistance to the Fugitive
Slave Inv

IL ia much TO be regretted that the resolut,on.
which have been adopted, and speeches made at
the public meetings in this city and published
throughout the country give so much countcnancc,
as IL must be admitted they do, to tho impression
that the threats Of forcbe opposition by tho coored
population Of this city to the execution of the Slave
law are encouraged by intelligent portions of the
community. The impression thus produced has
given rise TO tone Of comment in Of the Jour
nails at the South which cannot fail to erasperate
still further angry feelings already existing Some
of these proceedings we conceive to be in them
selves highly censurable, not only because they
tend TO produce abroad feelings Of hostility towards
this city, but because they tend to encourage law
less proceedings among Ourselves.
The comments upon these proceedings in distant
journals, even II confined within the limits of lust
and seasonable robuke, would naturally excite re-
elimination, and thus tend TO embittcr stilI more
incurably the hostile feeling which i already too
prevalent. But the mischief does not end here: we
subjected not only TO rcproof for transactions
which actually take place, some which admit of
but poor defence but to the imputation of public
transactions which have never taken place, through
the eKaggerations or inventions Of malicousy din
posed persons Many things published, even
here, with much eraggerstion, and these eIagge-
rations are republshed with important additions
abroad.
We have been led to these remarks by the tone
Of an article which we find in the Washington
Union, under tho sneering caption Of "Law. iocfng
Boston" This article consists in part OF long
letter from the New York Tribune, dated at Boston,
protesting TO describe what s called the Boston
Slave Hunt" This article consists OF mixture of
fiction and fact, in which the former ingredient
constitutes an imposing part.
The following are extracts from this letter:
"a portion Of the vigilance COMMITTEES waited
upon him (knighD and Hughes, and told them
that they bad no intention 10 threaten them but
that their presence perlled the peace of tho city,
as well as their own lives They promised 20 leave
the city next morning but when the morning
came they were not gone. Several complaints
were made against them, and prepared to be
seryed-one Tor carrying concealed weapons
another Tor smoking in the streets, contrary to
the city ordinance; another under the statute
against profane cursing and swearing "a plenty
of which they did, another for missing toll the
bridge; and still another for fast driving through
the town Of Cambridge Truly. the Bostonisns
tragical and the comica the serious and the ludi-
crous, with the barsssment Of bapdbills, arreets,
and crowds Mt their heels wherever they went, and
the certainty that their process could not be served
| without boodsbed, overcsme their obstinacy, and
they took the express train for tho South, waited
| upon by large and respectable committee.
"Tbe committee were prepared TO writ
de hoyntns rspsg upon the marshal the moment
| the srrcst should be made, and thus 10 raise an
issue between the State and National tribunal
| They also proposed to hold Crafts TO bail for debt
i'm order TO try tho question whether the certifcata
ofthe commissioner will override the civil procaseee
OF the State made for other purposes Az last re-
sort, Gratis was 10 be arrested on a criminal charge
for violent assaults with dangerous weapons, II ba
used them, and thus raise the final question OF pre-