The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-25
From the Boston (Mass.) Courier.
Pre.tdent FiIlmore's Letter.

dressed through the hands OF his Secretary to MIR.
Collins, OF Georgia, the owner OF the slaves con-
nected with the recent excitement in Boston, has
OF course been made the subject OF many diverse
comments. The Abolitionists denounce the Presi-
dent for his determination TO uphold the law. No
body expected any thing less from them People
who revile the Constitution Of the United States
ga compact with hell" cannot be expected to be
stow decent language on any law made under it.
But there are who think more favorably of the
compact" and yet hoped, as it seems, that the
law would mscarry, through the ukewarmness,
or the timidity or the rresoution of the Execu-
tive. They appear to have expected that the pro-
ceedngs in this quarter, which have been regard
ed as demonstration against the law, would
check all attempts at enforcement, and deter the
United States officers from the troublesome bust
ness of carrying it into effect. In word, they
imagined the language of the Executive would be,
"Obey the law, fyou please, but not, if you do not
please'-an entire new system of administering
the government ola country, but which, nevcrthe-
less, has lately got into great favor with certain
political rcformers.
II can surprise sober minded and thinking
man that these persons have been disappointed.
President Fillmore declares that he shall cause the
law TO be respected. What could he have done less?
There may be room for difference Of opinion to
the necessity of the letter to Collins, touching this
particular case; but there can be only opinion
to the propriety Of his announcing such deter
mination in general terms. A little reflection on
the circumstances will, we think, convince every
candid mind that the letter was proper one in
every respect II must be borne in mind that an
entirely false impression, and very injurious to
the reputation of CITY, has been created in other
parts Of the Union, by the wild language of the
abolition presses and the anti-savery agiators in
Boston, namely, that the law has been forcibly and
successfully resisted here This has caused very
bitter evaporation at the South But there has
been no such resistance. Seditous language in
abundance has been uttered, and encourag cement,
in various shapes has been given to those who pro-
TESS themselves ready for torcibe ressance but no
overt act defying the law has taken place. The
Presidents letter necessary dispel this false
impression, and, it will be read throughout the
country, it cannot fail to make the truth known in
respect to the late transactions in Boston, and the
real disposition of the great of its inhabitants
The President is certainly right in saying that
the good sense of this community will rally to the
support of the civil authorities, and that those sus-
tanning the law will triumph. The people here
know their duties They dislike savery they re-
greet that any essity exists for Fugitive Slave
Law; they regret that the law now enacted was
not made more conformable to their own feelings
on the subject of human liberty, and they will dc
all in their power to repeal, by legal and peacea
bic methods, such parts of it as condemned by
their own sense of justice and equity. But, while
they by no means surrender the right of private
judgment on public affairs, they know that obedi.
ence to the law, while the law exists, is the first
duty of good citizen.
In connection with this subject, we subion the
following extract from letter which we have Just
| received from friend in Savannah, under the date
of November 18th:
SIN political matters there is good deal OF ac.
tivity amongst our opponents, and some among
our own people-Judge Berrien declining to run
for the Senate The canvass of the wards 80 far as
they have come in, decidedly Union, but the
floating vote Is strongly against u.s. still our people
are sanguinc, and think they will carry the coun.
ty The letter of President Fillmore to Collins
must be help TO us. Judge Berrien will address
the people here on Monday night. He says be is
for the Union, yet in all his speeches thus far, he
has said all he could TO erasperate the people against
GA gentleman, just returned from Charleston,
says the feeling there for disunion il frghtful He
is so alarmed that he is going at once TO change
what investments he has there to this State un.
derstand, from good authority, that the Carroll
mans who trade here are not only excluding north
ern goods from their purchases, but seeking out
nafiue- born merchants TO trade with. Ii is a dis
graceful state of things, and II the North were dis
posed 10 feu,late they could curtall the consump-
ton of rice 10 extent that would be felt in prices
here very coon. South Carolina is for Disunion
not for aggressions, which with are their pre-
texts but on ats otcn merits, because they want
Southern Confederacy. lie is asserted and believed
by many, that she will secede soon
"The feeling in Charleston is so strong against
Boston, that hear many Of the Charleston mer.
chants will not ship to that port, and vessels can
get little no freight. Tbis will not hurt our
port; and if any thing like retaliation is carried on
in Boston, the consequence will be that Charleston
will soon lose large share Of her trade and her
cotton receipts, which only equal to ours
will soon fall behind them"