The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-27
WEBSTER AND "THE FRIENDS"

In our structures upon the late letter of Daniel
Webster to citizens Of Newburyport, we gave a
peremptory denial to the statement made on
what the author calls good authority that his SEN
timents on the subject Of slavery, as expressed in
his speech in the Senate, were approved by the
great body of the Society of Friends, or Quakers.
1t has been suggested, that whatever might be our
opinion, or that Of the Friends of New England,
we had right to speak for those of Pennsy vania.
to whom the author of the letter may be supposed
to refer more Immediately
We have, however, abundant proofs of the COR
reotness of our statement, as applied to Pennsyl-
vania Friends. IL is notorious that for the last
half century the latter have been the friends and
advisers Of the colored people and whenever
slsve-case was before the courts of law, they have
been found standing between the oppressor and
the oppressed; and when the decision was against
the latter, they have submitted only with the
deepest sympathy for the slave and adherence
of the law which consigned him to hopeless bond
age.
In ls47, through the influence in great meas
ure of the Society of Friends, law was passed
by the Pennsylvania Legislature, similar to that
Of Massachusetts,, forbidding the officers Of the
State from participating in the arrest Of fugitvss
This is precisely one of those enactments Of the
free States Of which the South complains, and
which DAnisl Wshster, in his late speech, con-
sidered just ground Of complaint
During the past session Of the Pennsylvania
Legislature, an attempt, promising at one time to
be successful, was made to repeal this law. The
Society of Friends, through their representatives
in Philadelphia, Immediately drew up strong
memorial against the repeal, in which they thus
speak Of the popular feeling on the subject, fur
Dishing a remarkable commentary upon Daniel
Webster's assertion, that fugitives are arrested
and carried away into slavery from Pennsylvania,
without complaint or excitement
"The scenes Of disorder and outrage of which
our citizens were often compelled to be reluctant
witnesses, before the enactment of this clause and
the favorable change which has since taken place,
furnish strong and upanswerable argument in
support Of the section, and against its repeal
"Should II now be rescinded by the Legisla-
ture, It win be virtually granting license to the
claimant to disturb the peace, and outrage the
feelings Of the community, by adopting, with i'm
punity, any means, which his excited and unbr-
died passions may dictate, for sening and carrying
away his victim.
"When we consider how repugnsnt to the feel
iDgs aud judgment Of our citizens slavery and its
coacomtapt evils are, we have reason to appre-
bend that the encouragement thus given TO the
anrsstrsined exertion Of despotic power, will re-
suit In scenes Of tumult aud riot, destructive of
the peace and prejudieiAl to the character Of the
Commonwealth
This memorial, signed by the Clerk Of the
Yearly Meeting, ON the 2ad Of Third month Of
the present year, was taken to Harrisburg by 9
Deputation Of Friends TO whose lahors the defeat
Of the attempt 1t repeal is doubtless in some meas
ure attributable. The papers in the interest Of
the Society In Philadelphia, The Friends Re-