The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-24
From The Boston Courier.

From the Boston Courier.
We stated yesterday that Mr.. ATWOOD, the
Democratic candidate for Governor of New
Hampshire, had wr ten letter in which lie dis
scented from the compromise measures of the
last session of Congress- 1t was a strange
movement, indeed for man to make in his
position, but the correspondence appeared in the
State f'ree-soil paper, and the story seemed to
be all correct Two short questions were pro-
posed to him, by a selfconstituted committee,
and Mr. ATWOOD knew who the committee
were, and what was their political character
lie framed letter in reply, surrenderng the
whole ground which national Wings or Demo-
Gratis take in that State. We copy all but the
hourishcs and the compliments -
10 the first inquiry, Whether lam opposed 10
The extension Of slarery!. reply, that having
for many years regarded the whole system us n
great moral, social, and pol teal evil, inconsst
ent with the spirit of our republican institutions,
and dangerous to the well-being of the Union
| am, in the. language of the New Hampshire
Legislature Of lSl9, firmly and unaterably op-
posed to the further extension of slavery over
any portion Of American SOL now free" Be.
lIeving, also, in the language Of the same lcgis
Iature, that Congress has the constitutional
power to prohibit the introduction of slavery
into any territory now free" am in favor Of
the use Of that power in the territories recently
acquired by the United States, where legal en-
actments in the organization of territorial gov
ernments have not rendered it absolutely i'm
pract!cnbl
TO your second inquiry, What are my rip,o.
in relation TO the present Fugitive Stare Mr
am free to say that while recognize the validity
Of that clause Of the United States Constitution
which provides that "pcrsons held to service or
labor in one State, scaping into another, shall
be delivered up on claim Of the person to whom
such service or labor may be- DUE ! cannot hr,
believe that the present law contains provisions
not warranted By the letter of the Constitution
nor necessary to carry out the spirit of its re.
lurements. Ii does seem to me, that the irl-
ners of that ms rument, when they guaranteed
trial by jury lin I'LL criminal prosecutions" and
in "all suits at common law" involving NOR,
than twenty dollars, did not intend to DENY til,
light to such tri Il in cases involving the libert,
If person for life.
InasInuch AZ the present law denies this right
to all persons cIain,pd rs "fugilivcs from ser
,irr," and also imposes obligations and services
| lpon the people OF the free States which, in my
| Judgment, neither the Constitution nor con.
science require at their hands, cannot give the
measure my support. Regarding many of its
measures az unprecedented, oppressive, and H.
| able to be perverted to the cnsavement of free
citizens, shall, whatever station may occupy
favor all proper, peaceful, and constitutional
measures for its repeal or essential modiiica-
ton.
This is Mr.. Atwood's letter in its first roncoc
ton. The sober second thought" told him
that he had better keep hilns IF out of the abo-
lition agitation at the present time, and he with.
drew the letter. 1t was not published with hi
assent. But man who once trusts himself IT.
the hands of the Abolitionists, is not likely t.
escape with whole skin. Some of the com
mittee had copy of the draft of his answer an,i
the correspondence has been published. No one
can doubt that this would make eensation and
consequently we have Mr.. Atwood's reputation
Of the whole in the following letter to the New
Hampshire Patriot Of yesterday:
Gentlemen: Having had my attention Gale
to letter purporting to have been written b,
the and addressed to John H. White and Others
and published in the Independent Democrat O.
this date, wish in justice to my political friends
and myself to make a brief explanation
had received the lett r. from the gentleman
spoken of, and intended to make we'll consid
cred and candid reply. Down to Friday last
the original was within my control, and not
the hands of the gentleman who wrote to me
and at that time | was making notifications
and had others TO propose, in my reply Bu
having become satisfied that the design was an'
that the effect Of the correspondence would b.
to create agitation, ] deemed it my duty not I.
put forth even the substance of that reply, with
out more careful and deliberate considerat on o
the present attitude of the country, and Of n
the measures of which the "FuGitive slave law
formed part. With this view DESTROYED th
original letter which was in my own hand wri
ing, fully believing that no copy of my ron.
draft,was in existence
wish now distinctly to state, that what
said in my unfinished letter of the "Fugiiv,
slave law" was said regarding it rs an isolatct
measure. believe that trere are features IN
brnced in that law to whc many persons in Ii
free States do not give their cordial nsScn'
Still. il was not passed as single measure, bu
formed n link in series of measures of compru
mise and concession.
Regarding it in this light, and nvew Of tn
imminent dangers which evidently threaten til.
pprpetuty of our Union and the peace of gu
beloved country, shall stand by those compro
mise measures rs n whole, with a firm convc
ton that such is my duty as patriot and .
christian. wish this to be distinctly under
stood to be my unaterable position as a cand
date before the people Of this State.
am, with respect, Yours truly, &c.
JOHN ATWOOD.
New Boston, Dec. 10, 1850.
THE CONVENTIONAL grand salute Of on