The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-11-20
P1ssidsnt Filsmorss Pronunciamsnto 20
a !. ~ d Or TtolIisaa -. -.
There was piper had COW, 9 IA
- And he had naiight to sipe her, & .iki'1
lie. took the pipes--began to play,
Consider, cow Consider I'D 81 .nL--

/
MORE touching the Crafts case, it seems was adj
dressed not TO the people Of Massachusetts, but
to those Of Georgia. ,. ri, s,. ga,,. a.. 80
The humble expostulations and complaints
of DR.. COLLINS have, it seems, been laid ut the
foot of the throne, and assurances of the most
distinguished consideration for the laws of
the U. s. have been graeiously youchsafed in re-
ply. Ii DIR. COLLINS has not received his negro,
he has received letter from the President and
of course should be content . s,, IT..
We append this letter, which, appearing in the
Georgia papers just on the eve of the election,
might look to some persons like an attempt at
interference on the part of the Executive in be-
half Of its submission allies.
We suppose it will be asserted, however, that
the coincidence was one of those fortunate acct
dents that will occur. The Savannah Nevs thus
copies THE LETTER from the Citizen of Macon,
the sheet which was put down by public indig-
nation for its Abolitionism, some time since
but which has again revived since submission
reared its head in Georgia: ". ...' >-.
LETTER FROM THE PREsIDENT.-We received
| by last nights Western Mail an extra from the
ofhceiof the Georgia Citizen containing the fol-
lowing communication from the acting Secretary
Of State to Mr.. Collins, of Macon The letter
is prefaced by paragraph of editorial laudation
Of the President, for what the editor Of the Git
zen calls "ais noble and frank expression OF
2pinio' in favor of the prompt and faithful exc.
eution of the laws and constitution entrusted to
his keeping" 30 .a .....a..g j .. ....
| For nyvp G,,J Ill, =. -
letter to justify the editors encomiums On the
contrary we regard it, under the circumstances,
us anything but satisfactory. 1t is piece of spe-
cial pleading, uubecoming the Chief Magistrate
OF the Union, and so far from affording the South
any assurance of an enforcement Of the law in
our behalf, by its tone is calculated to aggravate
rather than allay the just indignation of our
people mt the Outrages and wrongs which
are daily perpetrated against our rights. But
we have no space or time for comment, and sub
NIT the document to the consideration of our
readers.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Washington Nov. 9th, 1850. (
! Robert Collins, Macon, Ga:
Sir Il am instructed by the President to in
form you that your letter of the I'd inst, adj
dressed to him, enclosing several slips from
newspapers, in reference to the proceedings of
| III
subject of the Fugitive slave law, was received by
him yesterday, and that he has given to the
letter and its enclosures, careful perusal
| You state, in substance, that you are the
owner of Crafts, one of the fugitive slaves for
which warrants of arrest were issued in Boston,
and call the Presidents attention to the enclosed
slips taken mostly from Northern papers, by
| which he will perceive the manner in which
| your agents were received and treated for
merely asking that the slaves be returned ac-
cording to the laws of the United States. That
| they have been arrested under various warrants,
as kidnappers, and on other frivolous prctences,
and unreasonable bail demanded and that your
friends have become their sureties for more than
| $4,000. 49,. ~. f.
You also say, that the manner in which Off
GERS 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
pcrnicious effect Of such proceedings, and of
their tendency to disturb the harmony of the
Union, and Of the great Importance of having
he law faithfully executed; and finally, inquire
whether it is not in the power, and is not the
| intention of the Executive of the United States
to cause that law to be faithfully and properly
enforced 2"
To this the President directs me to reply, that
| you cannot be more deeply impressed than he
is, it'll the Importance of having every law faith
| fully executed. Every statute, in this country,
passed in accordance with the provisions of the
Constitution, must be presumed TO embody the
will of a majority Of the people of the Union !;
| and such, is entitled to the respect and obe-
| di"nce 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 it.
But how is he to cause the law to he executed
First, by appointing proper officers to fill the
various Offices and discharge their various func-
tons 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 competent and faithful officers
in their places. And secondly, In extreme cases,
whenever the laws Of the United States shall
be opposed, or the execution thereof obstructed,
in any State, by combinations too powerful to
be suppressed by the ordinary course Of judicial
proceedings" or by the power vested in the civil
officers with the posse which the law authorizes
and requires them to call to their aid, it would
be his duty to call forth the militia, and use the
army and navy for the purpose of overcoming
such forcible combinations against the laws
But, in either case, prudence and justice require
that there should be more satisfactory Evidence
of official delinquency, or forcible resistance
! than mere rumor, or newspaper statements and
yet these are all which have been furnished in
! this sase. 49,
If 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 refuse to perform it, the statute has i'm
posed upon him severe penalty. But If he
refuse or wiIfully neglect to perform it, when
this shall be satisfactorily made to appear to the
President, then, in addition his liability to the
aggrieved party, it would doubtless be the duty
of the Executive to remove him from office, and
appoint another in his place. But your letter
| confirms no proof Of The kind, and therefore
seems to require action. 1t Is equally clear that
no case Is presented lustifying call upon the
militia, or the use Of the army to execute the
laws; and the President has so much confidence
in the patriotism and devotion to the laws which
have always characterized large majority of
the people Of Boston, that he cannot for mo
ncnt beepe that IL will euer be necessary to call
| Il L.. ..