The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-11-09

force 10 the oil onel What do thew gam therefore
unless they propose 10 repeal the old law also ana
make no provision inr carving the Constitution III
To- ciirct This must he the object at all men who
take this position. 10 this uInust in the end
and that soon. The real objection Is not the new
aw. nor to the old one but TO the Constitution IL
self 'l'hoss OF you who hold these Opinions do no.
mean that the fugitive from labor should be taken
! back. That Is thr real point OF your objection
, You would not care a tIrthug about the new law
or the old law. ~ any other law or what provisions
1t contained II there WAS hole IN It big enough tor
+ The fugitive 10 slip through aud escape. Haheas
/ Corpusrs-1uas by Jur-Recoris from other
! sialrs-pans ana rcualues-lhr whole catalogue
OF ohJrcuons wouI be- sll moonShne 1t the negrc
was not required Ia 70 hack To his master. Trline
frankly Is not this the true character OF your o6ec-
i,on
Hers several gentlemen gave an affirmative an
S~rr
Mr. Douglas said he woJ,d answer that objection
by reading portion oi tue constitution Ot the United
States. lie then mad rs iollnw.
No person held to service or labor IN one state
under the Jaws thereof escaping into smother, shall,
IN consequence OF any law ar regulation therein, he
discharged from such service labor, FIT SHALL BE
DELIVERED u on The claim oihe party to whom such
service or labor may be due
This l. the supreme law oi the land speaking 10
every citizen OF the Republic. The command Is an
perauyc. ] here lsno avoiding, no escaping the OBJ
legation So long as live under and claim the
protection oi the Constitution. We must yield mn
pcit obcdlcnce or must take the Necessary steps
to release ourselves from the obligations To obey
There is no other alternative We must stand 10y
the Constitution OF the Cuun with al. IT. compJom-
ses, cr We must abolish It and resolve each state
back into H. original clemens IL j., Therefore
question OF Union and Dssuuion. W. cannot eN-
prct our brethren OF other states Ia remain faithful 10
the compact and permit us 10 BE- Ruthless We arr
prepared. therefore, 'c execute faithfully and honest.
ly the compact our fathers have made tor u The
DIVINE law has been appealed 10 as authority tor DIS
regarding our most sacred duties to society. The
Cay Council have appealed TO It A. an excuse tur
nulhtying The fugitive slave law, and committee
embodied the same principle IN their resolutions 10
the meeting in this Hall las, night rs applicable both
10 thu Constitution and laws. The crucJal pTcpo-
slton that 'herr l. law paramount 10 oil human
cnactments-thc aw vt the Supreme Ruler oi the
UnverSc-l trust that no Christian and civilized poo
pie are prepared IN question much less deny We
should al! recognize, respect and revere the DIVINE
Jaw.
Mr. Douglas exposed and conlamnci IN strong
terms the doctrine that the Divine law was To be u
sed a. pattern tor dsobedience - The laws Ut the
hnd. lie believed there was a law paramount to
all human enacImsnts, which was the duty oi ey-
cry man TO recognzc, respect and revere; but that
law taught obedience not resistance To the Consli.
tucd authorities. lie believed the Constitution Of
the United States and all laws necessary 10 carry II
into effect were in harmony with the Divine law and
that man performed his moral and religious duties
by being hIhtuI 10 society, TO his country. 10 the
laws aud hls oath, not by violating all tha, was "a
cred IN pretended obedience to a higher aw' than
the Constitution. lie also explained the circum-
snnces which rendered his absence unavoidable
when the vote was taken on the Fugitive Slave Bill
IN the Senate. he wished % avoid no responsibility
on account OF that absence and therefore desired It
distinctly understood that he should have voted Tor
the bill IT he could have been present He referred
TO severn Of our most promln, nj and respected cii
zcns by name, as personally cogulzant OF the fact,
tina, he was anxious at that time TO give TINT vote
lie believed the passage OF thai or some other et-
hcleni law solemn duty mpera'rely demanded
by the Constitution. In conclusion, Mr. ID. made
an earnest appeal to our citizens TO rally As one man
TO the defence Of the Constitution and laws, and a
hovc all things and under all circumstances 10 put
down violence and disorder by maintaining the su-
premacy Of the laws. He referred TO our high char
ncter Tor law and order heretofore and also TO the
favorable position of our city Tor commanding the
trade between the north mud south through our en-
nas and rnitnnds, To show that our views and prin-
cipIes otactlon should be- broad, liberal and national
calculated TO encourage union and harmony instead
OF dlsuniCn and sectional bitterness. lie concluded
by remarklng, TINT he considered this questioned f.
deity 10 the Constitution, and the supremacy Of
laws, as so Tar paramount 20 all other considerations
that Re had prepared some rrsnu Ons to cover these
points only, whCh he would submit 10 the meeting
and take their Judgment upon them II he had
consulted his own feelings and views only. he should
have embraced IN the resolutions a specific approval
OF all the measures OF the compromise, but ns the
question Of rebellion and resistance To the Federal
Government has been distinctly pres n,ed, II has
been thought advisable tn meet that issue on tins
occasion, distinct and separate from all others.