The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-04-23

ana threats OF rescue, must be regarded as
the retreat ofthc federal government from
the opponents Of tho law. +rA
. The case had attracted the attention of
the whole Ufion through tho telegraph. 1t
was regarded as tcst 1t was proclaimed
in Boston paper tho day before, that tho
slave would DO given up, and taken away
in opentlay. But this was not done. There
are many Northern mon hero who desired
the law TO he enforced, and were confident
that its supremacy would be completely
vindicatcd OH this occasion. We have not
seen one who has not expressed his disgust
or regret at the nocturnal proceeding of
the government.
For our own part, we think the officers Of
the United States, from the President down,
have done their duty in this case faithfully
and we think it was better for the federal
government to retreat by night, than to be
beaten in daylight, by the people or the mob
Of Boston.
We are not unmnlful Of the necessity Of
law, or of the duty Of enforcing it against
mere rioters or mobs, or factions. But the
resistance made to the fugitive slave law,
is tlat Of tho people Of many States. In
such Il case bloodshci is no remedy. II
would probably mako things worse. When
one people, or ono section, differs from
another, force and blood arc uncertain and
UNI casonable arbilcrs; and we should be
sorry to see them resortcd TO in any event,
and never until all other modes OF al dlustmcnt
fail.
1t is now wo suppose, obvious enough
thatii the iugt yc slave law can DC executed
only by stealth, at great expense, delay and
danger, il is worse than useless as a Lrac.
tical remedy.
| Where attempts nrc made to enforce il.
tho fugitive either escapes, or is delivered
up in secret. Ii then he is taken honc or
taken any where in the South TO tell the
story of Northern sympathy. aid, and re-
sistancc, his influence would be worse than
II half dozen AholitinniSls. II The slaves OF
the South understand that i'll case they
escape TO tho North. they will have all the
immunity resulting from the chances OF
eiudlng arrest, Of ample legal pc,tIiogging
if arrested, and OF rescue before and after
trial, why then the object Of the con
sl!tutional provision on this subject is sub
stantla;y dcica,cd-the compact is broken.
1t is stated in two OF the Northern papers,
that the fugitive, Sims, was purchased in
Boston, and after being formally removed,
is to be restored Ii this is the case. tho
Soi1ploHiisc Is 'cTy uiiCH DIS usual WHEN
the South is concerned.
The law is enforced, in form, by night,
and the fugitive is To he free any how. His
owner gets the money, as Texas did. The
South tukes the consequences Of pro-
cecdings that render her property in this
respect more insecure than it was prior to
the passage of this law.
l. Such, however, is tho cause that hcfalls
had faith. For this law the border Ststcs
of the South, deserted the rest. Behold
their reward.
These things must be making it rather
more and more obvious to the most ub,usc
and inscnsiblc submissionIsl, that great
questions arc not to bc settled by shuiling,
subtcriuge and treachcry. The surrender
Of territory, ofan empire 10 a section, under
pretencc ol people 10 choose their own
institutions, the dismcmbermcnt OF a section
under pretence that particular State
within it had the exclusive right To decide
for the rest, and that there was such l'rjng
as decision under N.r"3t o. force, tag ~
! scriptc th".asErtc - ,aSt ~ si