The Cecil Whig., 1850-11-23
Letter frem President Fillmore.

II 'ieri trftRS. ,N"c1", ff.--Sh' ! am
instructed by the frestden. to inform you
that ;sGr ,s,.t, of the % instant, address
S dt. hiM enclosing s.veral Sips from
u.wspt,,Is, in r"ierrnce 10 the proceed
iny, -, !. pyrtiyn nf the cnmmunlty OF
B,s,on, 90 HE suqirc; OF the fugitive slave
i.w, was received by him yesterday, and
that h. has given to lEe letter and lis en-
csos,ueS careful po:usal.
You st.te, in substance, that you are the
owner oi Graft, one OF the fugitive slaves
for wilict warrants OF arrest were issued
IN Boston, and cal the Presidents atten-
ton TO IT,, enclosed slips, taken IN stlv
from Norlhrrn papers hy which he VIII
Derceiy. ih1 manner IN which your agents
were received and treated f,r mercy ask
ING that The slaves be returned according
20 the laws o! the United States. That
the, have been arrested, under various
warrants, as kldnappprs, and on other
frivolous Nrtenc's, and nnrtas 'na'ir baii
demanded; and that eonr friends have be-
come their sur-ties for more than y !o,ooo.
You also say that the manner IN winch
th- officers have performed their duty
viii app ar by the slips; and that the
warrants now lie dead in the WarshaPs
o.hce. Yon then speak OF the pernlcious
e,itc, Of such proceedings. and OF 'helF
teadency to disturb the harmony
q! ,h- Union, aud OF the great
:!npotanoe o! having the law faithfully
executed and, finally. inqu'r" "whelher
!: is not III the poser, ehd - not the IN
i0n # tha Executive Of the United
S.a,cs to causa that law TO he faithfully
And properly enforced?
To MS tie President directs me TO re-
olv, that y"u cann't te more deeply I'M
pressed than h. is, with the inn 'r'ance
3f having every law faithfully executed
Every statute in his country, passed IN
accordance with the PROVISIONS OF th.
Constitution, mast be presumed to enbody
the wi OF a Djority OF To" people OF tn.
Union: and as such is EMIL led to the les
pect and ol cdlcncs f every true Antrl-
eau citizen: and the si'utlon which
the President has sworn 10 support, has
made il his especial cuy st" take care
tha, the laws be faithfully ey' 'cu,ed." H.
gliS no tlOlHti' pi Iiic I''f'' hiS b''N
IN this or any other cas.; but will, TO the
utmost of his ability firmly aud faithfully
perform 1t.
But how is he to Cause the laws t. be
ex cuted? First, by appointing proper
officers to fl. the various Offices aud dis
charge their varions functions with din
genc- and fidelity; and if any shall be
found incompetent or unfaithful, by r.
moving them, where he has the power I
removal--and appointing more compe-
ten. and faithful officers i'll their places.
Aud secondly, IN extreme casrs, "when-
tcr the laws Of the United States shall
b. opposed, or the -x"cu;ion thereof OBJ
structeti, in any STATE, By combinations TOO
pnweIial to BE- Suppressed by the ordinary
course oI judicial procrs rsdings," or oy the
powers vested in the civil Ulcers With the
passe which The law authorizes and re-
cures them to call to their and, it would
J q his duty to call forth the militia, aud
a,se the army and navy Tor the purpose OF
overcoming such iorcihle combinations
against the laws. But, in either case,
prudence and Justice require that thrrr
should be more satisfactory eridence OF Of
fetal delinquency, or iorcibie resistance
than iNer' runner, or newspaper statements;
and We, these are all which have been fur
nished IN this case.
If any Marshal neglect to perform h's
duty, the law gives right OF action to
the aggricyed party for the injury which
he may sustain; md il he relus" to per-
Tor II it, the statute has in,tsasrd upon him
severe penalty. But if he refuse or
wlltuly neglect 10 p lform it, when this
shall be satisfactorily made to appear to
the President, then, in addition to his liz
oi,sy To the agarieved party, it would
do. less be the duty OF the Executive TO
re,npye him from Office and appoint an
Other in his pIace.-But your letter con-
ta,ns NJ prof Of this kind, and therefore
serjuo 70 require no action. il is equally
clear that no case is presented justiiying
:aii upon the militia, or the use of the
ariny to execute the avs; and the presi.
dent has So much confidence in the patri-
0tlsm and drvo.,on to the laws which
nave always characterized a large maiori-
" OF the people ef Boston, that he cannot
.or moment believe that it will ever be
accessary to cali in any extraordinary aid
10 cut" the laws, in that country.
i'd yldua,~ NAV btcom. excited, and
may, N ,ht heat # the nloment, Offer re-
ststanr1 to the avs, but h. has no doubt
ia in such an event, so much to be re-
,:r,ted, that III" good srnse af the com.
munlty wouid snon rally TO the support OF
civil au;horiit.s, and ,ba those who sus-
tain the law would triumph; bu. he directs
me to assure you, that if, unfortunately,
ne shall find himse,t mistaken IN this, and
the painful necessity should arise, hp is
resolved 70 perform his duty, by employ
iny all the means which the Cons,i ufi0n
and Cnnrra.s have paced al hia disn ,saI