Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-02

is of common origin with us and has probably of the
same feelings of humanity with ourselves Let dream
that all virtue and all wisdom will die with
Is said the law suspends the operation Of the writ Of
habeas corpus Legal authority Of the highest kind declares
this to be untrue and all kaow without being jurss
that no law can supersede the constitution.
10 said too that the law unreasonable because
throws the responsibility Of safe custody upon the marshal. at
all events This may be hardship upon the marshal but
does not effect the position the fugitive particularly aad
resembles nearly the liability every sheriff for the custody
OF every prisoner that such broad distinction exists is
sometimes asserted
Again, the law makes penal in the Of the
slave, after he has been proved be SUCH OF must
and the penalty must be effective, there would be the in
consistency Of enactment which might be violated with
mpuny The penalty should certainly be graduated by the
nature OF the offence and disposed to believe that in
this particular the law needs amendment But it is mani
fest that the violent charges brought against the law in
reality brought against the principle of the provision OF the
constitution requiring the delivery of the fugitive from labor
The reasons for originally making that provision have been
already stated and appears that they strong
Tor continuing In force they for making at FIRST
The Union cannot be preserved without it. any than
could have been formed without it. The abolition of slavery
not retarded by II is the discussion of the subject in the
States which delays emancipation. This
Is which alarms the STAKEHOLDER, well it may This
which leads him to rvet the chain firmly, and look to
the links mere carefully and when shall have ceased ir
tatng him by ancorous language he may them but certainly
not TIL tnen begin TO calculate cooy the advantages and dis
dice, the right aud the wrong Of the practice Denunciaon
and violence likely remedy any Of the wrongs for
which we complain Of the South and is especially to be
deprecated by those who have interest the welfare of the
coored man. interest which feel deeply any Of my
friends and constituents. II must be ecoIeced that emanc
patton, if il is all originate with those
who often assaled with opprobrous language and
that the best influence the North exert the subject in
behalf Of the slave, is moral influence.
The sentiments and wishes of Massachusetts, expressed
by her Legislature and felt by her people, in the highest
degree honorable to her philanthropy and with few excep
ons consistent with the obligations she is under to the
Union. But they impose duty which absove her
citizens from the observance of the higher law Of the
uton and unless she adopt and practice the
principles of notification, she must to the delivery of
the fugitive from labor. In short the whole matter resolves
itself into the plain question, shall the promises of the cons
tuition be observed shall they be violated and with the
violation shall the bond Of union be broken To the
proper course, in to this question: plain. The
law which binds to the u6m.nt Of the promises Of the
constitution, Of all other promises part Of the highest
law which recognise, and shall not deliberately violate it
shall hold to the Union, with saveholdng States
with tenacy which nothing but the necessity will
unloose, as the only political hope Of the world
know there those who say and think that there is
danger to the Union; that may talk and WRITE and petit
on and refuse perform what have been esteemed our con-
sutional obligations the subject Of slavery much as
please, and that nobody will do any thing but blusr n
returns but think differently, must shape my
differently. It is my opinion that this very language in
use cannot advert to its irritating character the in
dsputable fact that state Of violent and
element is inevitably state Of danger any community
II is now the duty of good citizens as conceive, certainly
my duty to do every thing that is practicable calm
the irritation that exists between the North and the South,
to reune them in good will and the spirit of mutual aid
and 10 transmit to posey the nesmabe blessings have
enjoyed from the Unon while avoid the unmxed and
Unreasonable evil that must flow from division.
II will not be inferred trust from any thing have
said that consider the law which has been passed unexcep
tonabe. There amendments which strongly desire
introduced into it and for which would have laboIed
when it passed in the House Of Representatives, had it
been possible But every knows that impractcabe
and the question whether this BILL none should be
passed deemed conformity to the design of the consu-
ton more important than the Objectionable details Of the
bill and while claim authority for my Judgment
trust may be permitted say that have acted thought
for the best Perhaps may also claim, without arrogance,
TO have exhibited heretofore by substantial services genuine
mpahy with the wronged and oppressed and may hope
that shall not be considered having altogether lost the dis
position aid hem because Icanno show by setting aside
constitutional obligations, pursuing which would
lead to dsunion and anarchy and would be destructive all
alike the slave and the ee the African and the European
races Respectfully, &c. SAM'L A. ELIOT.