Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1850-11-29

LETTER FRoM THE FREs1pEzT
a tssersssias letseE fran ne ExSsnsiye q De-
1niis1 states u cifizrn sesgia aPFsass f. CUR
.s,,r11us this norn:&x The pfest1ehf 5 Fis5x and
intsntiuas resp sing sis fugitive eAse Ian, ~ 81
II eninresuet are ct prth very clearly an with
rxr1iii assurances that leave n room eE arr one
% aesslre himself II here are aly p disPesef IS
10 ;he earnest and sseadiass purpose q az xeen-
DE % rive efficiency - tie LAW hs The U.s. 4 ns
esssarv.of Ill he me4ns i hieh lie Conslifatie1
places Il his disposal
The Washiasfoa Unisn cpmmenas ne lsifeK -
tore and purragt r w should 3 uaeElY wanting I
iuiberaiisy, ssys he Epion. Il Ne did tos cor
dially approve he spiril ~ Mr. FslNslonEs letter
The National says of his letter that
i ,fxes ID he nahlic assrrances g what I'll wko
knar Ire presissest fen assured Or that BE
stands rsady ID employ bis whole power n elfpre
Ing the sct Of Coneress III he re-oveTy Of fugitive
slaves uheneyef tie officers charged with; rs ex
ecution shan fnd themselves 50 obstraciea n Ne
perofmance0 81 sleir duly Is 30 require NE inter
r,ositian II ne Executive arm; and that be- ii like
manner stands ready ID punish any Officer q the
Government who shall prove lailhless 70 Us duty
ii lie execution Of the laW.n
The letter is as follows
DsPaeTnrxf d. srArE.,
washington. November OH, 1850. +
sal am instructed BY The President y inform
YOU that your letser of The ID inst a1dfessea toll,
enclosing several slips from NEWSPAPERS 70 Ielsi7
cree ID he proceedings Of portion Of the eommu-
nffy ~ Boston on lie subject of xae FngilEge save
Law was received BY him yesterday, and uNI ~ -
has given la llsGeiE8 I'd III lie shs fss
iftm Northern papers, BY which he win tNts ken
ihe manner n wAieh Your agents were received and
Treated for merely asking that the slaves BE- retnTn
ed according 10 Laws II the United Staies That
they have eenaFrested under various wabrauts as
kidnaPperss and on other frivolous pretenees ana
unreasonable nal deman1ed; and that your friends
nave beeome~ileir su.elies for more than $50 900
1 gu also say Lat the manner ia whichsthe on
GERS nave Performed their duty will appear by the
slpss ar that the warrants now lie dea8 in me
AlafshEts oifee4 You then speak Of the pefnieious
euset q such proceedings and of their tendency ito
dlslu The harmony Of The Union and Of ehe great
m arfance OF having the law failhfuIly executed
and hnaily, iHqnire II uhetherit not ia The power
and Is not The inteniion ot the Executive of the IT.
States 70 cause that law to be faithfully and proper
~ enforced ~
To lhis he President directs me 10 reply ahat yeu
cannot be more deeply impressed than hex9s with
the importance dkhaying every law faKhfally Elk
esnled Every statlte inzlhis cuuntrg passed la
accordance withihe provisions of the constitution
must pc Presumed 40 emboly The will OF majority
q The people Of the Uuion; and as such Is eniitled
to the TespectanA obedience of every true Ameii #
can citizeni and lhs constitution which the Presi.
dent has sworn tpsuppoft, has made il his especial
deity 70 take care that the Laws BE faithfully ax
eealedP He has no thought 81 shrinking nom Ills
datY n1his OF any olfer eases hnt wilt, io he ut-
mastof his ability firmly and faithfully perform i
Boz how IS be- toicallse the avs 10 be executed
hkrss w 2pPol1tng proper otAcerst0 fill thexari0ns
OFFICES and discharge their vari9ns fpncto;ls with
digence and fidelity; and ifanY shall be FUND In
eompeient or untaii5fnI BIZ removing them where
ls has the pows q removal Amid apPaintiSlg more
competent aud faithful efacersa their places /
And EecBadg, In extreme cases. Whenever the laws II
Of The nited States shall Ia opposed or the exeen-
Lion Hereof o5stfocteds III any STATE, by eamhina-
lions too powerillto be suppressed BY The ordinary
course Of JUDICIAL proceedings. II by The powers
vested in the eigi officers with lid passCs which the
law authofizesand requires them ID call 10 teiraid +
il waad Be bis duty d call forth lie militia, and
use the army and navy for the purpose ef over
coming such lofcible combinations againsttAe laws
But 10 either case prudence and Justice require
that there should be more satisfactory eeiaeaee nf
oticiai delinquency Or foreib1s resistance, than
mere rumor. or, newspaper statements; and yet i:
these are all which ha.ebeea furnished in this case
Il any Marshal negisct e perform his dnty Abe
law gives righf q action 10 thR agrcved party f5r
the injury which be may sastainf and if he refuse
TO perform it. The statute has nHosed upon; him a
severe penalty BDt ifhe leiuseor carbohydrates
70 perform III Wien his shall be satisfactorily made
g appear 2 tse prss.aen neg z lotion s In,
Zee, and appaint another IN his place. BIT your
letiefcontains no RFoot Of the Kidd and therefore
seems 70 require r0 action Ills equally clear that
no case is prese1tedla stying cali upon tae mi
ma or The use oi tAe army to execute the laws;
and the President has SO Rsuch confidence, in the
patriotism and devotion 10 the aRs wna@h haYe ial,
WAYS characterized large majority Of the p.opespf
Boston, that he eannoi for moment believe thatit
will ever be necessity 70 call in any extraordinary
aid 70 execute the laws, In that community
lndividRals may becouie excited, and may, In tile
{ heai ot Lhe moment otief resistance 70 h: laws
but ne has no doubt that in such eHent SO saeh To-
be regretted, taat the gepd sense d the censnuay
wans4 soon rally 70 the support BIT the civil lnthoF-
ties, and that those WAosuslain the law a0gd TIL
uinph bur he directs me to ASSUME Won fhaiif IN
he snail End himself mislaken fn this
add the painful necessity should arise he IL resolved
e perform his duty by employing all the ;lneaps
which the Constitution and Congress hare placed
II his disposal ~ enforce The law.
As to the complaint that your agents we've ar +
Justly prosecuted and held 70 bah in unreasonable
inoanis for pretended offences, the President dt. H
ecis me 70 say, that however Re may ragfat any /
uch injustice and incivility he is nol aware that
e has the power 70 ren1edf the evil Ii HID com
lalHS against your Agents be unfounded ihe de- Il
endapts WIN doubtless be acquitted, and H dfiniaas,
hey have their remedY In action for Elglieid1s
'faseRtfoH But all these are Judicial Questions {
yer which the Executive can. exercise no acknoY-
edged right OF every individual to proseeifte any
ne for an alleged offence or violation OF fight 4
The President feels the importance of ar3iding
S Tar as practicable, alfcauses ofirriatun bstweeh
he North and the South; and especially Oh ne ex
itng subject Of Slavery. Were he permitted Is !
dyise, he would sts Gest 10 all The importance Or
erm finge+he laws q take their usual course: and
hat every thing like intimidation and iileEaSor an
nst annoyance Should be scFupnlouslv avoided -
Every effort should be made 10 cultivate afrternal
ceiling We should be people Of one iaterest i
nd one sentiment knowing no local division, and
olePating no SECTIONAL Injustice. Our IfN,:,N 80
ear 10 the heartfelt everv true American can onJr y
e preserved by strict observance ri Tie Gonsti-
aiioa, and an impartial administration Of The laws
am Sir. respectfully
Toufobeaient servant
w. s. DERRICK, sastfag Secretary i
ToReEgRr CoLLiSs, Macon, Ga lie
The Southern Press, the j9urnal which at Wash i
agtoa Is the exponent Of the ulfaisis Of Ire oath
abors in lis vecasion with an ill.disguised hope