The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-10-27


We do not feel inclined 10 defend The particular law
which pas, ed the session OF Congress
carrying INTO effect nc provision OF The colsliiuon IL
regard 10 fugitive slaves IL Is worse law aud Will
probably prove less effective than the proposed By
Mr. Clay But, While il is The law, We 81 all advocate
obedience II. Criticisne il hali discriminate
betwt the law aud the constitutional obligation II l.
intended 10 enioicr. n
Nearly the whole ouicry that is indnstriousy ai.ei
against the fug, esa,e law is directed, not this
particular bill, but al lie provision OF the constitution
winch nqulres The SURE nder OF slaves no have
capped into 81 e States The detects and bard-ps per
tanning 10 hs bill srossl, exaggerated and mi, Iepres.
ed as they have b, ale nulthe ground Ut complaint
with those who drnounce The law In heif souls the,
have resolved that the aa re nrnt 10 deliver 10 fLpy.
slaves, contained III the constitution, shall dead
letter We have mol Yet found person condetI nv
the present law Tor surpenng the hubeds corpus tue
trial by jury and endangerng the liberty Tree colo
persons, who, when pinned down 10 he ked inquir,
has not acknowledged that The OF ntd slaves
into renewed bondage lie the great objection We have
not found who would say hat II upon jury 10 tr,
whether the prisoner was lee slave, he would
give verdict consgnng him to slavery, whatever the
with stra ght face that he entertained serious a
under this law.
OF the people al the North to have The constitutional
provision tor the surrender OF fugitive slaves dead let
ter They have permitted the abolilonis,s 10 make II So
hst, by ioclbe M ans aud. next, by procuring laws
which practically Iende ed the return Of the ugve i'm
possible The wilder class OF fanatics raised mobs and
released the slave from the hands The officers Them
by trying the question oil freedom before twelve men,
some OF whom were certain 10 consider lheA right of
man to his liberty higher law than any OATH safer
and more seenly mode OF setting aside The consttu-
ton found Finally, by prohibiting all legal officers
in the State from assisting and refusing The use OF all
places OF custody, this portion OF the constitution was
e6ecualy nullfed, to the universal satisfaction OF The
North
But there is another side TO the question The South
has its rights under the constitution, and is unwilling
acquesce in being deprived of them in this informal
manner especially the abolitonists having con.
vered The northern States into safe place OF refuge
next directed their attention TO running Oh the slaves and
thus subjected the to an annual loss OF many
millions OF dollars IL impossible, therefore thai
this state OF things, however agreeable the northern
sentiment on the subject of slavery, should continue
The South demands compliance the terms of the
Union; and the simple question is whether not ii is
be granted {
We do not believe IN any section OF the Union OBJ
serving such paris of The constitution il fances and
disregardng what !, does like AT any rate. if the
determination 10 10 repnd'ae any articles OF the compact
we are tor doing II manuy, and not snesklngly When
the real intention is 10 violate the constitution we object
to do II under Of false prelences Ii The bebests OF
Inc constitution could have been complied WITH under
laws granting trial by jury 10 iugves ia the States to
which they had escaped nothing would have been
asked But every one knows that this had become i'm
pracrcabe in the morbid state OF public sentiment pro.
duced by abolition agitation When those who now
clamor tor this ordeal will agree 10 obey their oahs as
Jurors, aud their obligations citizens of the Union
there will be litie officially in obtaining it Mr. CLAW
proposed thai trial by jury should be gwen the fugitive
IN the State from which had escaped but this PROPOSE
w.
the reason iLa resolved that slaves should not be
remAnded To servitude.
Nov. AS 1.-THE present law. No person OF ordinary in
elgence apprehends that persons really free are any
more danger OF being ed into slavery than tn
Innocent persons wall be convicted OF crime aud sentenced
TO imprisonment Ia the rst place, is the grea es
impobabdty that slave-owners will attempt to obtain
PERSONS who are free. and u they sbouid undertake H.
fhere 10 guarantee that would be in The
ofhcsrs VINO administer the law, no Of inieli
gence, OF character, OF legal kno Wedge, aud
suong Inclination TO Tree he prisoner. We regard every
Tree person OF color safer being ensavrd under
inns Law, than we are lion being accused and Imprson
"a upon an unfounded charge. The opinion vi Aornel
General Cfliendrn shows thar the Law does not suspeuu
the wilt oil habeas cotpes-a mae by tie way oil much
less Consequence this tine than Is generally under
STOOD when THIS wit was orig inaliy ubiained M an
early perod OF The Engb ration, srizufes and mp son
msni, without any legal sut ority process. were OF
common occurrence. 1t Was the da, OF absolute des
potl IN. when men, who obnoxious To thos. m
power secretly arrested and gep IN Gus ojy at The
pleasure OF The drsPot Such transactions have fo
centuries been known oDly history fne rlIht the
VIII remains rs the security vi every individual agans
every illegal detention Il the individual is held Ia Gus
tooy undef lawful process tbat the end OF The chapter
and always has been.
As said nj the commencement, we have no inclina
uon To defend thus particular law But II appears 10 US
that there Is more pressing duty upon just than
70 Jon IN It's drnubc'ston The people OF the North
must be taught To- regard their slluonal obka
II they VIII make up their minds obey those, tney
Will mud no difficulty IN obainf0g laws which ahoil
every guarantee 10 Tree per-ous that may be desired In
his way only eau the Tits free persons tie best Sc
cured, ard The Union aud constitution preserved.
nYER 4 McGuirc, general .uction and nm, u,,..,o,