The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-12-16
Mr.. Scudder and Mr.. GiddinKs.


The Boston Atlas has taken up the defence
of Mr. ScUDDER, the WING candidate for Con
gress in the tenth district of Massachusetts,
and rebukes, in language of well merited Sc
verify, the course of Mr. GIDDINGs, the Free
soil member from the twentieth district of
Ohio. Our contemporary is skilled in drawing
nice and thin distinctions, based chiefly upon
geographical and party elements. Nullifica-
ton in Vermont should be permitted, it seems,
to pass without censorious comment; and the
walls of WING indignation should be reserved
for the devoted heads of the QUITMANs
and QUATTLEBAUMs of the South So, the
Free-soiler Mr.. GDpINGs is n fair subject
for Wing censure; but the Wing Mr. Soup
DER should be INDUCED in his abolition affilia-
ton and correspondence as mere harmless vaga-
ries and eccentricities. We recognise party
obligations to their full extent. We recognise
the force and propriety Of regular nominations ;
but if Wing candidate chooses to pledge him
self to sect Of white or colored abolitionists,
In pursuit Of unconstitutional ends, he thereby
unWhigs himself, and is as Justly the subject
of Wing rebuke, as if he had never purported
to belong to the Wing party.
Before looking into the case of Mr..
ScUDDER and Mr.. GIDDiSGs, however, we
wish to dispose Of preliminary point made
in the editorial correspondence Of the .4tlas,
under date Of the 10Th instant The atlas
says that it entertains the same opinion on
the Fugitive Slave Law that is expressed
by Mr.. GIDDrNGs. 1t considers that law one
Of the "most indiscreet, uncalled for, and IN
justifable laws ever enacted by Congress
No man in the North can defend it upon its
merits, because it has no merits" at VIC
lates the fundamental principles of civil lib
{ erty."
Thus discourses the Atlas on the Fugitive
Slave Law; while in the same breath it declares
that il has always taught the doctrine that
the first duty Of the citizen is to reverence
ia,o." That is TO say, such law as the ciii-
zen approves, and none other; such law as the
.4ttd, approves, and none other. The Atlas
Of course does not intend to say that it teaches
reverence Of the law which it denounces as
being without merits uJ,.tifable law; indis-
Greet and uncalled for law, and law violating
the fundamental principles Of civil liberty.
Law which is liable TO such censure, in the
judgment Of the Atlas, the Atlas cannot rever-
ence; and consequently the reverence Of law
which it teaches is the reverence Of such law
as jumps with its own humor and is commend
ed 20 its own conscience All other law il
treats without the slightest "reverence"-it,
reverence being after all merely that Of its own
Judgment, and not Of the law-making power OF
sanction.
And now for Mr. GIDDIYGs. The .atla,
thinks that Mr.. GrDDrSes's speech is filled with
" extravagances." 1t thinks that the member
from Ohio is rather glad" that the Fugitive
Slave Law has passed that he endeavors tC
drive members from him by the "extravs-
gance Of his position as well as the harshness OF
his expressions y and that throughout his
speech there is "studied effort 10 put strained
constructions to the positions taken by the
President, and 20 place him in an attitude in
which we know he does not stand and upon
which he does not wish to stand" II disap.
proves the fendsh denunciation Of Mr.. WEB
sIER-and thinks Mr. GiDDISGs's course calcu.
lated 'io do much mischief''-and generally
hates fanaticism and detests demagogusm. >
We cordially approve all that the Atlas says
against Mr.. GIDDINGs; and agree entirely with
our able contemporary in his severe and well
expressed censure. The difficulty in our minC
IS TO discover upon what grounds our friend dis
tinguishes between Mr.. GIDDrNes and Mr.
ScUDDER. We are anxious 10 learn the process
Of reasoning by which the Atlas can justify il
arraignment Of the Republic for applying il
own censure Of Mr. GIDDINGs to a gentleman
who stands in the same or n similar case. II
our Judgment, Mr.. ScUDDER appears on the re
cord in even worse plight than Mr.. GIDDrNGs
Let us look at it. In the month Of October las
a committee Of colored citizens Of New Bed