The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-11-27

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D<parinrui e s-lis.
W.zhins..n. No<z@h<E >. ls5e.
n Rssuf cslEa.. E.q~ Nsss~. Ca
SIR: l am instructed bv the Prssi-
dent 70 inform you that your letter Of
the ID instant. addressed to him. ca
closing several slips from newspapers.
IL reference to the proceedings u =
portion Of the community Ia Boston On
the subject a the Fugitive Slave Law.
was received BY him Yesterday, and that
be has given to the letter and its en-
elosaresa careful perusal.
You state, in substsncr. that you are
the owner Of Graft. one Of the Fugitive
slaves for which warrants Of arrest were
issued In Bosloa. and call the Presi-
dents attention to the enclosed slips,
taken mostly from Northern papers. BY
which he will perceive the manner in
which your agents were received aud
treated for merely asking that the
slaves be returned according 10 the
laws Of the United States. That they
have been arrested under various war
rants, as kidnappers. and on other
frivolous pretences. and unreasonable
bail demanded; and that your friends
have become their sureties for more than
100000. You also say that the manner
in which the officers have performed
their duty will appear by the slips. and
that the warrants now lie dead in the
Marshal's Office. You then speak Of the
pernicious effect Of such proceedings.
and oftheir tendency to disturb the har-
mony Of the Union, and Of the great
importance Of having the law faithfully
enecuted; and finally inquire. I" wheth-
err it Is not in the power. and Is not the
intention Of the Executive ef the United
States to cause that Law 10 be faithfully
and properly enforced"
4 To this the President directs me to
reply that you cannot be more deeply
impressed than he is with the impor-
lance Of having every law faithfully ex-
ecuted. Every statue, in this country.
passed in accordance with the proyis-
ions Of the Constitution, must be pre-
sumed to embody the will Of majority
Of the people OF the Union; and as such
is entitled 10 the respect and obedience
of every true American citizen; and
the Constitution which the President
has sworn to support has made it his
especial duty !" to take care that the
laws be faithfully executed" He has
no thought Of shrinking from his duty,
, in this or any other case; but will, to
the utmost Of his ability, firmly and
faithfully perform il.
But how is he to cause the laws to be
; executed First, by appointing proper
officers to fill the various Offices, and
discharge their various functions with
, diligence and fidelity, and If any shall
be found incompetent or unfaithful, by
removing them, where he has the power
of removal, and appointing more com
petent and faithful officers in theil
places. And, secondly, in extreme
cases, :" whenever the laws Of the Unit
: ed States shall be opposed, or the exc.
cution thereof DISTRACTED, in any State,
: by combinations too powerful to be sup
pressed by the ordinary course Of judi.
cial proceedings" or by the power.
vested in the civil officers with the poss,
!, which the law authorizes and requires
them to call to their aid. it would b.
his duty to call forth the militia, and
use the army and navy for the purpose
of overcoming such forcible combina.
tions against the laws. But, in either
case, prudence and justice require tina,
there should be more satisfactory co.
idence Of official delinquency, or forci.
: BILE resistance, than mere rumor, OF
newspaper statements; and yet these
are all which have been furnished in
this case.
IL any marshal neglect to perform
his duty, the law gives right Of action
to the aggrieved party for the injury
: which he may sustain, and if he refuses
to perform it the statute has imposed
upon him a severe penalty. But if he
refuse or wilfulIy neglect to perform
it, when this shallbe satisfactorily made
to appear to the President, then, in adj
dition to his liability to the aggrieved
: party, it would doubtless be the dut,
of the Executive to remove him from
Office and appoint another in his place
But your letter contains no proof o
this kind, and therefore seems to require
. no action. 1t is equally clear that n,
!, case is presented justifying call upor
! the militia, or the use of the army Il
execute the laws; and the President ha,
so much confidence in the patriotism
and devotion to the laws which have
: always characterized large majority
Of the people Of Boston that he canno
for moment believe that it will evel
be necessary to call in any extraordina
~ aid to execute the laws in that com
munity.
Individuals may become excited, ant
t may in the heat Of the moment offer re-
= eiSfa nca IN tho Laws Int he hao N n lam